Know Your Plastic Recycling Codes

Since we’re living in a plastic era and it seems that we’re far from getting over them, it is only logical to at least know the next best thing to save Mother Earth and that is reusing and recycling these plastics instead of making them each and everytime the need arises.

Have you ever wondered what went wrong when you visit a grocery store and aisle upon aisle, you see plastic containers and plastic what-not? This is because—to manufacturer’s delight–they are cheaper to make and can be very dependable to use. What they don’t know is that, plastics as we all know cannot be broken down for the next hundred years to come and it costs much more to recycle. Not to mention how it damages the environment further when it undergoes certain recycling steps that are still a subject of debate worldwide.

Plastics, as we receive them, can be reused. In fact, it’s the best way to reduce plastic wastes if receiving them can no longer be avoided. Unfortunately, not all plastics are made equal hence reusing some types can even be hazardous for your health and well-being. Below is a compilation of plastic recycling codes to guide you on how to treat them upon encounter. These codes are usually located at the bottom part of any plastic products available in the market today:

·    Number 1 plastics:  PET or PETE. These are your usual food and beverages containers. They are thin in composition and very light. These plastics are safe to be used again.
·    Number 2 plastics:  HDPE. These types of plastics are thicker than number one plastics because they hold detergents and household cleaners. They don’t break easily and they are also safe to be used again.
·    Number 3 plastics:  V or PVC. Number 3s are usually used for insulation such as wires because they can endure weather changes. Some PVC can also be found in kitchen utensils. Be careful when using PVCs because they emit toxins that are dangerous to the human body. Moreover, they are rarely recycled.
·    Number 4 plastics:  LDPE. If you can squeeze the bottle, you’re holding a number 4. LDPEs are pliable and it can be reused again.
·    Number 5 plastics:  PP. These plastics cannot be melted easily so they are the top choice for containers which will potentially hold hot substances. It is also the manufacturers’ for car parts and accessories. Although some PPs cannot be reused, they can be recycled.
·    Number 6 plastics:  PS. These are your regular Styrofoams. Number 6s are environmentalists’ number one enemy as well since there are evidences showing that they emit harmful toxins while holding food. Furthermore, styros are very hard to recycle.
·    Number 7 plastics:  Others. Plastics that don’t belong to any of the above mentioned groups belong to this classification.

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One Response to “Know Your Plastic Recycling Codes”

1. » Know Your Plastic Recycling Codes | Eco Green Projects says:

   August 1, 2009 at 3:56 pm

   [...] Read the original:  Know Your Plastic Recycling Codes | Eco Green Projects [...]