By The Numbers (Or Do You Know Your Plastics?)

[classic33]

The well-recognized “chasing arrows” symbol we see on plastic containers and products does not mean the product is recyclable. The little number inside the triangle tells the real story.

Within each chasing arrows triangle, there is a number which ranges from one to seven. The purpose of the number is to identify the type of plastic used for the product, and not all plastics are recyclable or even reusable. There are numerous plastic-based products that cannot break down and cannot be recycled.

Understanding the seven plastic codes will make it easier to choose plastics and to know which plastics to recycle. For example, water bottles that display a three or a five cannot be recycled in most jurisdictions in the US. A three indicates that the water bottle has been made from polyvinyl chloride, a five means that it’s been made of polypropylene, two materials that are not accepted by most public recycling centers.

1 – PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)
One of the most commonly used plastics in consumer products, and is found in most water and pop bottles, and some packaging.
2 – HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)
Used to make milk jugs, detergent and oil bottles, toys, and some plastic bags. HDPE is the most commonly recycled plastic and is considered one of the safest forms of plastic.
3 – PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
sed to make clear plastic food wrapping, cooking oil bottles, teething rings, children’s and pets’ toys, and blister packaging for myriad consumer products.
4 – LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)
Often found in shrink wraps, dry cleaner garment bags, squeezable bottles, and the type of plastic bags used to package bread.
5 – PP (Polypropylene)
When you try to open the thin plastic liner in a cereal box, it is polypropylene. This keeps your cereal dry and fresh. PP is also commonly used for disposable diapers, pails, plastic bottle tops, margarine and yogurt containers, potato chip bags, straws.
6 – PS (Polystyrene)
Most often used to make disposable styrofoam drinking cups, take-out “clamshell” food containers, egg cartons, plastic picnic cutlery.
7 – Other (BPA, Polycarbonate and LEXAN)
The "#7" category was designed as a catch-all for polycarbonate (PC) and “other” plastics.
Used to make baby bottles, sippy cups, water cooler bottles and car parts. BPA is found in polycarbonate plastic food containers.



http://learn.eartheasy.com/2012/05/plastics-by-the-numbers/

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I have found the following pictures quite useful at explaining plastics but I have to say that I'm shocked to read that some 76% of all plastics in the UK are still not recycled. That it's a considerable quantity. www.bpf.co.uk/sustainability/plastics_recycling.aspx

In addition to little things like the numbers and what country will recycle what, note a 3 is recycled in some places in the UK, you also have the issue of some places not taking black plastic! My local council is one of them. Apparently, so we were told, it is because the device that scans for the recycling numbers can read black particularly well, so our kerb side collectors will return your recycling to you if you include any black plastic in your recycling! Ironically the readers have been updated and can now read black plastic but our keen side collectors still refuse black plastic despite our composting/kitchen waste being allowed to be in a normal plastic bag. They went to the trouble of installing, at great expense, a device that removes plastic bags from kitchen waste just to increase the amount of kitchen waste recycled because people would not purchase the plastic looking bags that are designed for kitchen waste that are actually made from corn starch and break down inside 6 months of contact with kitchen waste!

 

[welsh dragon]

Most of the problems we have over here in the UK is because of plastics that cant be re cycled. All plastic should be able to be re cycled. Nappies, and tetra milk cartons are probably the biggest bug bear as far as this is concerned.

 

[Bakemehappy]

After this categorization was made a new set of plastics were developed but they are so diverse like the BPA free plastics and those that uses organic material. I think they should further classify them and not just put them all in one category which is number 7

 

[sidevalve]

Of course if we stopped using so much plastic and went back to other packaging then recycling would be much simpler. I remember GLASS milk bottles and GLASS pop/soda bottles [the pop bottles even had a few pence deposit on them so that they would be returned]. Carrier bags were paper - easy to recycle and even if not they were easily degradable and could be made if necessary from any scrap wool or timber pulp. As for nappies - do we really need disposables ALL the time ? Progress ?

 

[classic33]

Of course if we stopped using so much plastic and went back to other packaging then recycling would be much simpler. I remember GLASS milk bottles and GLASS pop/soda bottles [the pop bottles even had a few pence deposit on them so that they would be returned]. Carrier bags were paper - easy to recycle and even if not they were easily degradable and could be made if necessary from any scrap wool or timber pulp. As for nappies - do we really need disposables ALL the time ? Progress ?

IrnBru stop their refundable deposit next month. One of the last companies to do so.