Originally published on June 5, 2018, this post was updated in February 2022. The categories that were developed were as follows. Clean wrappers can be dropped off at a box in the store. The presence on an item of a recycling code, a chasing arrows logo, or a resin code, is not an automatic indicator that a material is recyclable; it is an explanation of what the item is made of. Symbol 3: PVC or Vinyl Plastic material that exhibit symbol 3 with the letter "V" represent PVC plastic or polyvinyl chloride. In fact, not all plastic products can be recycled, despite having a three chasing arrow symbol as we usually see on recyclable items. Resin identification code. Plastic has been around now for the last 60-70 years, and in that time we have managed to incorporate it into practically every part of our lives. This type of plastic is often clear in colour. Plastics with codes 1 and 2 are easy to process so they are taken by almost all recycling facilities. Find Plastic recycling codes stock images in HD and millions of other royalty-free stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the Shutterstock collection. It is commonly accepted by curbside recycling. Recycle BC November 27, 2014 If you take a close look at the bottom of a plastic bottle or jar, you might notice a symbol consisting of a number surrounded by a triangle or three arrows in the shape of a trianglethis is called the resin identification code. PP is used in packaging and manufacturing large moulded parts for automotive products. The goal is to collect 50 . Plastic Recycling Codes Number 1 Code - Polyethylene Terephthalate, PETE Number 2 Code - High Density Polyethylene, HDPE Number 3 Code - Polyvinyl Chloride, PVC Number 4 Code - Low Density Polyethylene, LDPE Number 5 Code - Polypropylene, PP Number 6 Code - Polystyrene, PS Number 7 Code - Other Background The presence of a resin code doesn't necessarily mean that the product can be recycled. You can identify plastic number 7 by the chasing arrows with a seven inside. The number 7 code is used for plastics other than 1 through 6, or for multilayer combinations of plastics, such as 5-gallon water containers. Below we explain each of the recycling codes and what they actually mean. Code 1 is considered safe, but it is best to avoid this plastic. Plastic #5 - PP (Polypropylene) Plastic #5 is also among the safer plastics one can recycle. PETE or PET (#1) - the first of the plastic recycling numbers. Although it is common to find this category of plastic in sunglasses and DVDs, it is also used for some types of water bottles and even food packaging. It's the number inside the triangle that counts, because each number corresponds to a different type of plastic. If a ketchup bottle has plastic recycling code 7 molded into the bottom of the bottle, what kind of plastic is the bottle made from? It was created for workers in the plastic and recycling industry to be able to sort and recycle plastics more efficiently. NUMBER 7: OTHERS (MIX OF OTHER PLASTICS) Code number 7 includes a wide variety of plastics which are very difficult to recycle. Thousands of new, high-quality pictures added every day. It is always advisable to avoid this type. PET is easily recycled via curbside recycling pickup services. The number 5 with the recycling symbol indicates polypropylene, often just shortened to PP. Vaillancourt says. PVC is also cheap, so it's . 20. Our photo (left) shows an image of the plastic recycling code #7. . A recycling symbol is an identification code that uses a plastic recycling number to identify the type of plastic used in that product. [citation needed] The recycling symbol on the bottom of a plastic product does not necessarily indicate that the item can be recycled. Almost all plastic products bear the general recycling symbol: a triangle formed by three circling arrows. Its use in foam is due to its high melting point, which can prevent fires from spreading or releasing toxic fumes during accidents. In the case of ABS, the recycling code is 7. ExxonMobil is expanding its ability . Some plastics leech endocrine-disrupting chemicals, cause endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, nervous system damage, and cancer. You may come across this plastic in bubble foils, and trays for sweets and fruit. Each number identifies the composition and recyclable characteristics of the respective plastic packaging material. 1: PET or PETE This is the thin, clear plastic used for bottled water, soda, juices, condiments, etc. This is a very informative article from EarthEasy helping us understand the codes and number used on plastics. It is a resin identification code which is usually mistaken as a recycling symbol because of the stark similarity between the two. This plastic is recycled into compost bins, panelling, trash can liners and cans, floor tiles, and shipping envelopes. PLASTIC RECYCLING PROCESSES The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) introduced a code system in 1988 that helps with recycling plastic by numbers. Additionally, it is also found in most food packaging. To help you understand the different categories, here's a breakdown of those tiny numbers. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is trying to push through a new plastic recycling code system that is more consumer-friendly. Codes have been developed for batteries, biomatter/organic material, glass, metals, paper, and plastics. Plastic Number 1 - PETE (Polyethylene Terephthalate) Cyclyx, ExxonMobil and LyondellBasell are members of the Houston Recycling Collaboration whose mission is to help the city of Houston significantly increase plastic recycling rates, leveraging new technologies and infrastructure, such as this Cyclyx facility, to recycle nearly all plastics. The Resin Identification Code (RIC) was developed in 1988 by the Plastics Industry Association. Limit your use of plastics. Codes 2, 4, and 5 are the plastics considered to be the safest in terms of human and animal consumption. The types of plastics accepted for recycling vary by location, and wishcycling does more harm than good. If a ketchup bottle has plastic recycling code 7 molded into the bottom of the bottle, what kind of plastic is the bottle made from? Each RIC corresponds to a specific type of resin used in a plastic product. Why is plastic recycling important? The chasing arrow symbol with a number inside is the indicator . Plastics with Code 1 is considered safe to recycle, but it can be recycled only once. Not all plastics are the same, however, and this means that not all of them can be disposed of and recycled in the same manner. RIC Codes are used to identify seven different types of plastic resins, which are numbered 1-7. But it also helps recycling collectors determine what items they can accept and which ones go in the trash. There are seven recycle codes that are used on plastic products that show what kind of plastics are used in each product. Use this simple guide to plastic recycling codes and look for the recycling indicator or label on your plastic container. Classification of the 7 identification codes for plastics. The number is a resin identification code, used to help recycling plants sort materials.Recyclable plastics are labeled with numbers 1-7 to tell workers what kind of plastic it is, and how it should be processed. those little numbers inside the triangle made with arrows most often found on the bottom of a plastic product designate which plastics are more toxic and which are safer. Back in 1988, the recycling symbol code was created and designed by The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) to help provide a standard and uniform method to identify different types of plastics. 3 Plastic Recycling Symbol #3: PVC or V. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and V (vinyl) is tough and weathers well, so it's commonly used for things like piping and siding. If you want to know about the other plastic recycling codes, here are some links plastic by Numbers overview, plastic No 1 - PET, plastic No 2 - HDPE, plastic No 3 - PVC, plastic No 4 - LDPE, plastic No 5 - PP, plastic No 6 - PS. That number surrounded by chasing arrows is a resin identification code and tells users what kind of plastic they're holding. Check with them before recycling. There are seven types of plastic recycling codes ranging from one to seven and each one has different purposes, properties, and ways to recycle it. The plastics industry has been criticised for lobbying for the expansion of recycling programs, even while industry research showed that most plastic could not be economically recycled and simultaneously increasing the amount of virgin plastic, or plastic that has not been recycled, being produced. These numbers are placed inside the equilateral triangle, with . [1] It is abbreviated from Polyethylene Terephthalate, it is most commonly found in soda, water, and juice bottles. Plastic Recycling Codes - Article & Infographic. Here is a quick explanation of what kinds of plastics the resin identification codes identify. Many people think that this symbol means that the package can be recycled. The recycling codes a.k.a. Comments Off on Understanding the Plastic Recycling Codes. There are seven resin codes, 1-7, to identify plastic products. How2Recycle 's plastic recycling symbols are labels that have clear instructions on how to treat a specific item, instead of the complicated RIC numbered system. 1: Polyethylene terephthalate (PETE / PET) This number represents the most commonly recycled. Understanding the Plastic Recycling Codes; Blog Post. Each number represents a different type of plastic and how/where it can be disposed. This code ensures that the numbers inside the recycling symbol on plastic containers are the only numbers valid for the purpose of recycling. You can find it in high-quality products and single-use throw . What are the Different Plastic Recycling Codes? That's . Plastics with Codes 3,6 and 7 cannot be recycled under standard recycling procedures and may pose harm to health and the environment. A product made of plastic is often stamped with a resin code, which is a number between one and seven inside a small triangle made of arrows. HDPE or PE-HD When the little triangle has a 2 inside and the code of either HDPE or PE-HD under it, you know that the plastic it adorns is made from high-density polyethylene. shampoo bottles, milk jugs, oil cans 03 PVC foils, food containers, soft drink bottles 02 HDPE High-density polyethylene i.e. The recycling code of plastic is a number used to designate the material with which a plastic object is made from to help streamline the recycling process. The number (1-7) in the triangle holds the clue to the type of plastic you're dealing with. According to a Greenpeace report, U.S. households generated about 51 million tons of plastic waste last year - or about 309 pounds per person - but only 2.4 million tons were recycled. Plastic is a component of many consumer products, accounting for much of the manufacturing industry's output and final produce. The scary thing is that no plastic is 100% safe, but some plastics are worse than others. The #7 category was designed as a catch-all for polycarbonate (PC) and "other" plastics, so reuse and recycling protocols aren't standardized within this category. These should be Avoided. No. Uncategorized. plastics with the number 6 recycling code can be recycled through various curbside collection schemes.insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, vents, rulers, foam packaging, and carry-out containers are some of the products that may be made from recycled materials.in the form of foam goods, polystyrene is more often recognized by its Like PET plastics, HDPE plastics are picked up by most curbside recycling companies. Yes, recycle plastic codes #1 and #2 Recycling codes #1 (hard) and #2 are the most widely accepted. [12] [13] Contents 1 History It's important to become familiar with an item's SPI (Society of the Plastics Industry) code, which is also known as a resin identification number and is used to classify the different types of plastic. The ASTM International Resin Identification Coding System, often abbreviated RIC, is a set of symbols appearing on plastic products that identify the plastic resin out of which the product is made. Codes 3, 6, and 7 are generally not recyclable. Understanding the Plastic Recycling Codes. Plastic Recycling Symbol #1: PET or PETE PET (or PETE) is short for Polyethylene Terephthalate, which is the chemical name for polyester. 1 - Polyethylene terephthalate ( PETE or PET ) 2 - High density polyethylene ( HDPE ) 3 - Polyvinyl chloride ( PVC ) 4 - Low density polyethylene ( LDPE ) 5 - Polypropylene ( PP ) 6 - Polystyrene ( PS ) 7- Others, including . Recycling-Codes: Materials Identification Here are the classifications for each material and each type's recycling information. In rigid applications, polystyrene is found in consumer products such as cups, as Styrofoam. Question: 19. Plastic number 7 often recycles to material such as . If you cannot avoid using some plastics. These are (1) polyethylene terephthalate, (2) high-density polyethylene, (3) polyvinyl chloride, (4) low-density polyethylene, (5) polypropylene, (6) polystyrene, and (7) other plastics. Plastic Recycling Code 6 PS Polystyrene is a popular plastic for creating foam, but can also be used in rigid applications. Plastics with codes 3, 4, 5, and 6 are more difficult to recycle so it depends on your local facility. Additionally, expanded PVC foam board is used for a wide variety of commercial applications. Plastic-Recycling Recycling number 01 PET Description Polyethylene terephthalate i.e. The material is clear, strong, and has a barrier to moisture. Bee Joyful Shop, at 243 S. Kalamazoo Mall in downtown Kalamazoo, is collecting candy wrappers to be recycled. Polypropylene lid of a Tic Tac box, with a living hinge and the resin identification code, 5, under its flap. Recycling centers have the equipment to process these plastics, and there are plenty of manufacturers willing to buy them. The number in the triangle indicates the type of plastic. 10 May. 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