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.
