Friday, April 22, 2011

What do the plastic recycling numbers mean?

Happy Earth Day!
 I thought I would share a website I found that explains what the numbers mean on the bottom of the plastic containers.  It explains which numbers are easily recyclable and which are harmful if used with food! I copied and pasted this to a word document and printed it out.  I keep it on my fridge to remind me which is which when I am recycling!
-Kerry

1 comment:

  1. Good idea, keep spreading the word about recycling plastic, the more people realise how much we need to reduce our dependancy on new raw material the better.

    So next time you put your waste plastic in the bin, see if you can spot the plastic identification code, currently there is no legal requirement for plastic manufacturers to label their products but the majority do so, possibly ahead of future legislation that may come in to force.

    Type 1 is polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) - Fizzy Drink Bottles / Oven Ready Meals

    Type 2 is high-density polyethylene (HDPE) – Milk and Washing up Bottles

    Type 3 is polyvinyl chloride (PVC) = Shampoo, Squash Bottles, Cling Film

    Type 4 is low-density polyethylene (LDPE) – Carrier Bags & Bin Liners

    Type 5 is polypropylene (PP) – Micro Meals & Margarine Tubs

    Type 6 is polystyrene (PS) – Yoghurt Pots, Toys, Electronic Goods

    Type 7 is other (usually PC or ABS) – Headlight Lenses, Safety Glasses, Melamine

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