Recycling Symbols on Plastics - What Do Recycling Codes on Plastics Mean
Sometimes everything in modern America seems to be made of plastic. The versatile material is contained in our cars, toys, packaging, clothing, household goods, food utensils and much more - but it also pollutes our streets, clogs our waterways and suffocates marine life. Actually, a study for 2016 noticed, that 32% of plastic packaging ends up in our oceans every year.
Many plastics can be easily recycled, but after National Geographic whopping 91% of the plastic has never been recycled. With all the different rules and symbols, it can be confusing for consumers to find out exactly what each plastic recycling symbol means and how it can be recycled. While the universal plastic resin symbol (three tracking arrows that form a triangle) remains the same, the numbers one through seven make a significant difference inside. For your information: Just because a product has the symbol for tracking arrows does not mean that it is recyclable - it is only an indicator of the type of plastic.
Adam Gault
Here in Good Housekeeping InstituteOur team is passionate about sustainability and the environment. To help from you Decode environmentally friendly claims to share the winners of our very first Awards for sustainable packagingWe are here to help you make smarter home decisions and the environment. First, find out about recycling tips from our environmental experts.
How to know which plastics can be recycled
Every city has different recycling programs, so you often need to check the rules of your location to find out exactly what you can recycle. "There are times when your recycling program may change what it collects," says Mike Brown of Brown and Wilmanns Environmental, one of our environmental consultants. Even if there is no way for your city to recycle a certain material, there is still the possibility that you will still collect it and either store or dispose of it.
Of course, the symbols themselves must also be explained. Here's what each plastic recycling symbol means, along with examples of where to find it and how to recycle it.
2nd
Plastic recycling symbol no.2: HDPE
4th
Plastic recycling symbol no.4: LDPE
7
Plastic recycling symbol no.7: miscellaneous
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