Hey, it’s Dan

In Today’s Issue:

• I took a bag of plastics to the store bin

• Asked what they actually recycle (no one knew)

• Decoded signage like I was on an episode of CSI: Clamshell Edition

• And why I might start making “Plastics That Lie to You” mini-guides

🌎 Our Mission

Eco Hustle is about helping people get paid to save the planet—one plastic project at a time.
We’re testing weird ideas in public, turning trash into something giftable, and figuring out how to make reuse actually profitable (even if the first kit flopped).

♻️ Which Plastics Does the Store Actually Recycle? I Asked — It Got Weird.

It started with a simple idea: drop off a pile of questionable plastics at my local grocery store’s “Recycle Plastic Bags Here” bin. You know, the crinkly stuff. Bread bags. Frozen veggie packs. Whatever that shiny bubble wrap stuff is.

But then... curiosity kicked in.
Do they really recycle this?
Who takes it? What happens after?

So I asked.

And it got weird.

The first employee looked at me like I’d asked where babies come from. The second said, “Uhh... yeah I think it all gets recycled.”
And the third?
She said, “Honestly... we just send it somewhere.”

Somewhere.

So I did what any reasonable person would do: I took photos of the bin, decoded the fine print, and Googled like a gremlin at 1AM.

Here’s what I found:

• Most store bins only take #2 and #4 plastics (think: grocery bags, newspaper sleeves, dry cleaning bags).

• Cling wrap, chip bags, salad mix pouches? Total imposters. They’re not recyclable—even if they feel like they should be.

• A lot of what does get collected... still ends up in the landfill due to contamination or lack of demand.

• “Store drop-off” ≠ recycling. It just means maybe, if stars align, and nobody throws a banana peel in the bin.

So yeah, I recycled. But not really.

Money Breadcrumb: This whole mess has me thinking—what if I made a “Plastics That Lie to You” mini-guide? Just quick PDF explainers that help people stop wish-cycling and start reusing what they can. Trust builds followings. Followings build revenue. We’re getting there.

💡Pro Tip (From a Beginner)

If the plastic has a zipper, metallic sheen, or crinkles loudly—it’s probably landfill-bound.
When in doubt, reuse it. Or don’t buy it again.

You Pick, I Plarn

One Last Tangle

Next week I’m trying something new: testing a few ways to reuse frozen veggie bags—some might become plarn, others... questionable experiments.

Also finally attempting a photo guide for what is and isn’t store-bin safe. If I don’t break my brain, I’ll share it.

P.S. I Read Every Reply

Ever asked a store what happens to your recycling?
What’d they say?
Tell me. Bonus points if it involved confusion, shrink wrap, or mild existential dread.