Plastic Resin Identification Codes On Plastic Containers

No doubt you’ve seen them on the bottom or top of plastic containers – the little numbers contained in a triangular, three-arrowed recycling symbol. These “plastic numbers” are a simple code that tells you what sort of plastic you’re dealing with, just in case you don’t have a degree in organic chemistry. They were adopted in the late 1980s by the plastic industry to improve their public image and assist with recycling efforts.

There are six generalized categories that do, or are expected to, respond to the same type of recycling procedures. It is important to note that not all of these are actually recyclable at the present time.

1. Polyethelene or PET – polyester fibers, pop and water bottles and the plastic straps that hold bundles together
2. High-density polyethelene or HDPE – the hard plastic found in bins, equipment and other rigid plastics
3. PVC – water and electrical pipes
4. Low density polyethelene or LDPE – plastic bags, tubing and some bottles
5. Polypropelene – ducting, auto parts, food containers
6. Polystyrene – styrofoam, rigid knick-knacks, video cases

There is a seventh category that includes everything else such as poly-carbonate, acrylic, fiberglass, nylon and many others you may not have even heard of. As such, the #7 designation is more of a “none of the above” that tells you what you can’t put in the bin, rather than giving an indication of what you can do with it.

For more plastic recycling information visit our: ‘Plastic Recycling Guide‘

Are Plastic Bags Really That Bad?

Absolutely yes! When it comes to making recycling difficult and causing a massive amount of litter, plastic bags are an environmental disaster.

For starters, the 100 billion or so plastic bags that were consumed in North America in 2006 alone required the equivalent of 12 million barrels of oil to produce. Most of these are eventually sent to the few remaining landfills, but because they so readily take flight, plastic bags are one of the most common forms of litter in both urban and rural areas.

Plastic bags are a bane to recyclers, most of whom do not take them in their sorting facilities that would seem to take nearly everything else. Instead, those that do end up there are a threat to the proper function of most sorting machines.

On the rare occasion they are recycled, these bags are turned into “plastic lumber” or other inherently non-recyclable materials.

For more information on plastic recycling visit our  – ‘Plastic Recycling Guide‘

Also receive our free report on ‘Recycling Works – Simple Daily Plan‘

Recycling Plastic Is Just As Important As Other Waste

Plastic has become a common material in many areas of our lives. It has been introduced to replace more expensive types of materials. Yet there is an abundance of it being wasted each day. There is no reason not to college various types of plastic so they can be recycled. Those milk jugs you go through each week, crates, holders, and anything else you can think of that is made from plastic can be melted down and molded into something new.

It is extremely expensive to recycle plastic though. This is due to the elaborate sorting process that has to take place. There are too many different types of plastic out there. They can’t all be lumped tighter or you will have products that are new but not of good quality. One way to take care of this is to sort them out by the resin code. They have been placed on all plastic materials since 1988. The lids often have to be removed as well because they are likely from a different type of material other than plastic.

One of the largest contributors of plastic waste comes from shopping. Most retail stores and grocery stores now use plastic bags instead of paper. Yet if you just through these bags away they can really add up quickly. Many people save them at home and use them for small trash cans and to carry supplies in. Some of these stores also have plastic bag recycle bins in the front. You can take what you have collected back the next time you shop.

Of all the products out there that are wasted, plastic has one of the highest percentages. If more people took an interest in recycling it though that number would decrease. There are many locations where you can drop of plastic to be recycled. If you don’t know where yours are then contact your local health department or Chamber of Commerce. If your community doesn’t participate in such recycling efforts then make a motion to get it started.

Recycling plastic is one area where more information needs to be getting into the right hands. Too many people don’t recycle plastic simply because they don’t think about it. If you are already recycling glass and paper then simply add a place to store plastic for recycling as well.