Clean Out Containers
If a container once held food, clean and dry the container as well as you can before recycling it. Containers with food, liquids and other residues can contaminate whole batches of recycling and are often sent to a landfill.
Keep Caps On
When recycling plastic containers with caps, leave the caps on. While caps used to be difficult to separate from containers, recycling equipment and processes have advanced, and it is much easier now to recycle the whole bottle at once. Find out more from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (PDF).
Avoid Heating Plastic
Keep plastics containing food or drink out of the microwave, dishwasher and other hot places, like your car. The warmer plastic gets, the more it tends to break down, melt and release chemicals.