While curbside recycling will continue in New Orleans, rising costs and the fallout from a sweeping policy change in China have forced it to stop taking five of the seven categories of previously recyclable plastic. City contractors picking up curbside will still collect steel and aluminum cans; water and soda bottles; milk, juice, detergent and shampoo containers; and newspapers, junk mail, phone books, catalogs, office paper, cardboard and boxboard items such as cereal and soft drink boxes.
Items that will no longer be collected at the curb or accepted at the drop-off center on Elysian Fields Avenue are plastic containers labeled 3 through 7 in the triangular designations on the bottom of the items. They include: PVC plastics, such as reusable water bottles and salad dressing bottles; LDPE plastic bottles, which often include honey or mustard; polypropylene containers, including yogurt containers, syrup and medicine bottles, straws and caps; and polystyrene materials, which include CD cases and plastic cups and plates. Plastic bags and waxboard items such as juice boxes and milk cartons also will not be accepted.