Plastic straws are not recyclable curbside. They're small and lightweight (under the ~4-inch minimum most sorting machines can catch), so even though they're plastic, they fall through the equipment and contaminate the stream. Straws go in the black trash cart.
📷 Scan an item with your phoneAnything smaller than about 4 inches — straws, stirrers, bottle caps loose in the bin, plastic cutlery — slips through the screens at the recycling facility. Straws are also often a plastic type (#5 or unmarked) that many programs don't take anyway.
A reusable straw (silicone, stainless, or glass) eliminates the waste. If you use disposable ones, paper straws are landfill too but break down faster; skipping the straw is best of all.
"Compostable" PLA straws only break down in a commercial composting facility — they're not recyclable and usually can't go in a home compost or the green cart unless your program specifically accepts certified-compostable foodware. When unsure, trash it.
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Not sure about something else? Point your camera at it and RecycleLens tells you the right bin.