Items we use every day used to pose serious recycling challenges. For example, look no further than the cap on your plastic bottle. Did you know that each year, millions of these caps would end up in oceans, landfills, and incinerators? These small items are known for traveling far and posing serious threats to marine life. Americans use about 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. The question is: what happens now when we toss these items into the recycling bin?

For years, consumers were told to remove caps before recycling bottles. That’s because caps (usually made from #5 polypropylene) and bottles (#1 or #2 plastic) required separate handling. But with modern technology, that’s changed. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, many of today’s facilities use a sink-float separation process.  This method involves placing shredded plastic flakes in a water bath: heavier bottle plastic sinks, lighter cap plastic floats. This material is then recycled into new items like reusable bags or even car battery casings.

At East Penn, we’ve embraced this same spirit of innovation. Just as public recycling infrastructure has evolved, so has ours. In July 2024, our recycling center began using nano filtration to reclaim battery acid, reducing both chemical use and energy consumption. While we were the first company ever to reclaim acid for use in new batteries, we are always challenging ourselves to advance our recycling technology to make it even better. It’s another step forward in our mission to operate one of the most environmentally responsible battery manufacturing and recycling facilities in the world.

We’re all part of the recycling story. Whether it’s checking your local guidelines for cap recycling or supporting companies that invest in circular manufacturing, your choices matter.

✅ Want to see where to recycle your battery? Visit our battery recycling locator at https://www.eastpennmanufacturing.com/contact/where-to-recycle/?division=5949.

♻️ What goes around really can come around. At East Penn, we want to partner with you (and technology) to make recycling cleaner, smarter, and better for the planet.