Coat Hangers (Plastic) Landfill Plastic Hangers Are Not Recyclable Very few plastic hangers are made of just one kind of plastic, making them difficult to recycle. If you are in doubt about whether or not a hanger is recyclable, it is safer to just throw away. Otherwise it could contaminate your recycling stream, which is a detriment to the rest of your recycling. Did You Know? The Health Hazards of Plastic Hangers Since they’re not really recyclable, plastic hangers generally wind up in landfills, where they leach toxic chemicals, some that are known to cause cancer, into the ground, air and water. Eco-Friendly Hangers Since most hangers are nearly impossible to recycle, some companies have begun working on more eco-friendly hangers. Take Ditto Hangers, for instance, which created both paper and easily recyclable plastic hangers to replace traditional hangers.