Same Day Dumpsters has seen a fair share of trash, debris and materials skirt along in our blue dumpsters. While there are some pretty dangerous culprits that need to be handled in very specific ways, there is one item that seems to be overlooked. A common item found in many households that, if not disposed of correctly, could severely injure small children and animals. Yep, I’m talking about plastic pop top rings.
Sure, they may be perfect for lugging around a six pack of plastic soda bottles but that’s where their usefulness ends. Unless you use them in crafts or some sort of creative way, plastic rings are usually tossed in the waste receptacle or recycling bin. It became a habit years ago for folks to take scissors and cut the rings into pieces because animals were getting tangled in them and being strangled to death. Some, like the famous turtle shot, are even being severely crippled or deformed because they can’t get rid of the tough plastic. Even small children can find them and become injured by playing with them as necklaces, bracelets or even chewing and swallowing them.
Eventually, companies made the rings photodegradable, which means they essentially dissolve in the sun after several weeks. Due to this advancement, many people stopped cutting them believing that the sun would take care of it for them. Sadly, the process can take up to 90 days which is plenty of time for an animal or child to become hurt or worse. Even if you hear that something is 100% biodegradable, why take the risk?
All it takes is 20 seconds of your time to potentially save the life of an animal or even a child. Isn’t that worth everything? Cut those rings up!
Our Dumpster Tip of the Week is Courtesy of the Schaumburg Dumpster Rental Service! Thanks, Gang!
