plastic recycling symbols

HDPE plastic is used for a number of different purposes but is widely considered the plastic of choice for containers for items like cleaning agents, milk, detergents, and washing soap thanks to its low weight and high strength. How to recycle it: HDPE can often be picked up through most curbside recycling programs, although some allow only containers with necks. Just like we mentioned under HDPE, plastic shopping bags can often be returned to stores for recycling. It is represented with a 'chasing arrows' symbol surrounding a a number between 1 and 7 that defines the resin used. Found in: Squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning, and shopping bags; tote bags; furniture. It was the late 1980s, and the plastics industry was under fire. Bill Loyd and Gary Anderson designing the recycling symbol. This plastic is recycled into compost bins, paneling, trash can liners and cans, floor tiles, and shipping envelopes. Plastics. The PIC (Plastics Identification Code) makes it easy to identify different plastics with the symbol being embossed into most plastic made products. There are a handful of symbols for aluminum recycling and recycled aluminum; in addition to the symbol shown here, there's also a configuration of two curved arrows surrounding the letters \"alu.\" Aluminum recycling is one of the environmental movement's great success stories -- in many places, over 95 percent of all aluminum is recycled. This plastic is recycled into compost bins, paneling, trash can liners and cans, floor tiles, and shipping envelopes. Most food packaging and other plastics are stamped with a recycling symbol, even if they are not commonly accepted for recycling. 1 Plastic Recycling Symbol #1: PET or PETE PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) is the most common plastic for single-use bottled beverages, because it's … Recycled into: Decks, paneling, mud-flaps, roadway gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps, mats. Plus, how to recycle the different types of plastics. For symbol 7 plastics, be sure to confirm with your local recycling program. We are open & shipping products during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recycled into: Trash can liners and cans, compost bins, shipping envelopes, paneling, lumber, landscaping ties, floor tile. Symbol 7 including the word “OTHER” stands for “other plastics,” which include, but are not limited to, acrylic plastic, polycarbonate plastic, polylactic fibers, nylon, and fiberglass. To aid consumers in their recycling efforts, The Society of the Plastics Industry (now known as the Plastics Industry Association) devised a system of symbols that identifies the type of plastic used, and you'll find these symbols on the bottom of all plastic products. PP, or polypropylene plastic, , is appropriately marked by the number five symbol including the acronym PP. It can be reused to make containers, carpet, and furniture. Most hard plastics coded 1-7 can be recycled in your yellow lidded recycling bin … The versatile material is in our cars, toys, packaging, clothing, home goods, food utensils, and so much more — but it's also littering our streets, clogging our waterways, and choking marine life. The material was long on environmentalists' hit lists for dispersing widely across the landscape, and for being notoriously difficult to recycle. That means anything made with LDPE (like toothpaste tubes) can be thrown in the trash. These compostable plastics have the initials “PLA” on the bottom near the recycling symbol. From helping you decode eco-friendly claims to sharing the winners of our first-ever Sustainable Packaging Awards, we're here to help you make smarter decisions for your home and the environment. There are many use cases for acrylic-–you may be able to find it in use for food storage—many food containers are made of acrylic for their strength and transparency. The Möbius Loop which is represented by three green arrows in a triangular formation means that the item is suitable for plastic waste recycling. LDPE (low density polyethylene) is a flexible plastic with many applications. PLA (polylactic acid), which is made from plants and is carbon neutral, also falls into this category. By understanding the number classifications, we can then determine the appropriate disposal route for our plastic products. With that said, we’re highlighting how these unique numbers can indicate the type of plastic, and what they mean when it’s time to recycle them. Also known as PETE, this symbol represents polyethylene terephthalate, which is commonly used for soft drink bottles, mineral water containers, and fruit juice containers, and cooking oil containers. Symbol 2 with the acronym HDPE indicates one of the most commonly used plastics in the United States, HDPE (which stands for high-density polyethylene). Plastic #5 – PP (Polypropylene) Increasingly becoming accepted by curbside recycle programs, plastic #5 is also one of the safer plastics to look for. Plastic Recycling Symbol When the three arrows surround a number, that indicates the material is a type of plastic resin that can be recycled. In the decades since this time, the Universal Recycling Symbol has vastly grown in use, being internationally recognized and actually becoming the universal symbol for recycling. Recycling can be tough knowing that the items in your recycle bin sometimes end up in landfills. Because chlorine is part of PVC, it can result in the release of highly dangerous dioxins during manufacturing. Numbers 3 to 7: Check your council's recycling advice. The symbols—then collectively called the Resin Identification Code (RIC)—were developed in 1988 by the organization now known as the Plastics Industry Association. Once you find a recycling center near you, it’s worth having a conversation about all seven recycle symbols. The number to found on the bottom of plastics is not a recycling symbol but rather a plastic or resin identification code. Additionally, expanded PVC foam board is used for a wide variety of commercial applications. Plastics aren't so great for the environment or our health. The Mobius Loop with a number in the centre and a letter code bellow signifies what kind of plastic the packaging is made from. Recycled into: Laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, pens, recycling containers, floor tile, drainage pipe, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencing, shampoo bottles. Recycled into: Plastic lumber and custom-made products, The Best Last-Minute Christmas Gifts to Buy, A Definitive List of All the Best Christmas Movies, 16 Virtual Gift Ideas You Can Send From Afar, Stay Organized in 2021 With These Cute Planners, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Historically, it hasn't been accepted through most American recycling programs, but more and more communities are starting to accept it. HDPE sheets can also be easily recycled into pipes, oil bottles, pens, and detergent bottles. Symbol 1 with the acronym PETE PETG plastic. However, acrylic is also used in signs, shelving, and showcases for its durability. Recycled into: Signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, trays. Numbers 1 and 2: Recycling bin. This plastic is commonly used in toys, hard packing, refrigerator trays, cosmetic bags, costume jewelry, CD cases, and vending cups. It carries low risk of leaching and is readily recyclable into many types of goods. Plastic recycling is the process of recovering scrap or waste plastic and reprocessing the material into useful products. Styrene monomer (a type of molecule) can leach into foods and is a possible human carcinogen, while styrene oxide is classified as a probable carcinogen. Remember, if it's plastic it’s at ACME PLASTICS. How to recycle it: PET or PETE can be picked up through most curbside recycling programs as long as it's been emptied and rinsed of any food. Essentially, most thermoplastics (which are flexible and are typically containers for packaging consumer goods like drink bottles) can and should be recycled. This type of plastic is not usually recycled, but it can be converted into floor tiles and shipping envelopes. First, read up on recycling tips from our environmental experts. This dot does not mean that the packaging is recycled or recyclable. Since foam products tend to break apart into smaller pieces, you should place them in a bag, squeeze out the air, and tie it up before putting it in the trash to prevent pellets from dispersing. In fact, returned packaging is burned or dumped massively. Its recycling rates remain relatively low (around 20%), even though the material is in high demand by manufacturers. Unfortunately, a lot of consumer goods are enclosed in the stuff. First, you need to know that on most plastic packaging products, including containers and jars, you’ll see a recycling logo printed typically on the bottom. Many plastics can be readily recycled, but according to National Geographic, a whopping 91% of plastic has never even been recycled. Plastic Recycling Symbols With so many different plastics in circulation and virtually no way of identifying them to the untrained eye a plastics identification system has been developed. Found in: Some yogurt containers, syrup and medicine bottles, caps, straws. How some plastics contaminate the recycling stream. In the survey, 73% of respondents knew this, although even if an item is recyclable, not all local authorities will have suitable facilities, so still may not accept it. The universal recycling symbol (U+2672 ♲ universal recycling symbol or U+267B ♻ black universal recycling symbol in Unicode) is an internationally recognized symbol used … While not all plastics can be recycled, you can still recycle most—and the best way to determine which ones is by understanding the plastic recycling symbol system. It took Gary Anderson ‘a day or two’ to come up with his design. Mixed plastics and other types of plastics Many other types of plastic, such as vinyl banners, disposable Tyvek® clothing (shoe and boot covers, coveralls, hoods, lab coats, aprons, sleeves and pants), and large quantities of other plastics may be recyclable. It shows that the producer has financially contributed to the recovery and recycling of packaging. With all the different rules and symbols, it can be confusing for consumers to figure out exactly what each plastic recycling symbol means and how to recycle it. Plastic Recycling The symbol above may contain a number which can be used to identify different types of plastic. Sometimes it seems like everything in modern America is made of plastic. Our expansive warehouse and manufacturing facility combined with experienced personnel assure that you receive the service and prices that you deserve. So, to help, here you’ll learn about the different types of plastic recycling symbols and what they mean. 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