Crush your plastic bottles before throwing them in the sorting bin. This habit, instinctive for many, could compromise the effectiveness of automatic sorting and reduce the quantity of plastic actually recycled!
A poorly understood reflex, a tangible consequence
In France, tens of millions of single-use plastic bottles are thrown away every day, but only half are recycled correctly. Among the reasons identified, there is a common bad gesture: the crushing of bottles to save space in the yellow bins. However, contrary to what one might believe, flattening your bottles complicates the work of automated sorting lines. These machines are calibrated to detect a cylindrical shape, and a crushed bottle sometimes slips through the system and ends up incinerated or buried rather than recycled!
This observation, widely relayed by sorting centers and environmental associations, will impact domestic recycling practices from 2026.
What really changes in practice
This new rule mentioned by several sources does not result in a penalizing law or an unprecedented legislative text imposed on consumers, but rather in an update of sorting recommendations based on more ambitious European objectives, supported in particular by the European PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) which comes into force this year. This legal framework aims to harmonize obligations to reduce, reuse and recycle packaging in the European Union, with the aim of increasing recycling rates and limiting the impact of plastic waste.
In this context, sorting operators seek to maximize the quality of recyclable flows, which involves reconsidering certain acquired automatisms such as preserving the shape of bottles so that they are identified and oriented correctly in the sorting lines is now one of the key recommendations.
Good actions to take
To increase your chances of seeing your plastic bottles actually recycled, experts now recommend three simple reflexes:
- Do not crush the bottles before placing them in the sorting bin. Their original shape makes them easier to recognize by machines.
- Empty the bottles of their liquids, without systematically rinsing, which is sufficient for efficient sorting.
- Leave the cap in place. Contrary to popular belief, the cap can remain on the bottle and helps optimize the recycling process.
These actions, seemingly simple, are nevertheless part of a broader strategy to reduce waste and improve the circularity of materials, supported by European legislation as well as by national policies in favor of the circular economy.
Beyond this change in action, 2026 also marks a phase of reinforced application of standards aimed at reducing the impact of plastic packaging. Among the measures planned under the PPWR are stricter targets for recyclability and recycled content in packaging, as well as more demanding criteria for reducing plastic waste at European level.
Far from being anecdotal, the review of our sorting behavior is part of a necessary transition towards more virtuous management of plastics. And if 2026 does not bring down a revolutionary law overnight, it reinforces a requirement for coherence between the daily actions of citizens and global environmental objectives.
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