Plastic By The Numbers

Each triangle of chasing arrows contains a number from one to seven. Since not all plastics are recyclable or even reusable, the number serves to identify the specific type of plastic used in the manufacturing of the product. Many items are made from plastic that will never decompose or be recyclable.

Learning the seven plastic codes will simplify the process of selecting plastics and sorting them for recycling. For instance, in the United States, water bottles labeled with a three or five cannot be recycled in the vast majority of regions. Water bottles with a 3 indicate they are made of polyvinyl chloride; those with a 5 indicate they are made of polypropylene; none of these plastics are accepted at most community recycling centers.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

Most water and soda bottles, as well as various types of packaging, are made of PET, making it one of the most ubiquitous polymers in consumer goods. Because of the potential for leaching and bacterial growth, it is designed for one-time use only. Decontaminating PET material is challenging, as it requires the use of harsh chemicals. Carcinogens may seep out of polyethylene terephthalates.

About a quarter of all PET bottles sold in the United States are currently recycled. The plastic is recycled into new PET bottles or polyester fiber by being crushed and shredded into small flakes. Fleece clothing, carpeting, pillow stuffing, and life vest stuffing are just a few of the textile goods that utilize recycled fiber.

High-Density Polyethylene or HDPE

Milk jugs, soap and oil bottles, toy containers, and several types of plastic bags are all made from HDPE plastic because of its rigidity. One of the safest plastics available, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), is also the most recycled plastic. Recycling HDPE plastic for a new purpose is a straightforward and cheap technique.

HDPE plastic is extremely durable and does not degrade when subjected to sunlight or temperature changes (both high and low). Picnic tables, plastic lumber, trash cans, park seats, truck bed liners, and more are all made from HDPE because of its long lifespan and resistance to the elements. In addition, recycled plastic raised garden beds are becoming increasingly common. HDPE products can be recycled and reused indefinitely.

Since only roughly 30-35% of HDPE plastic used annually in the US is recycled, reducing consumption is preferable. You can help the environment by switching from single-use to reusable bags for your groceries.

Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC.

Clear plastic food wrapping, cooking oil bottles, teething rings, children’s and pets’ toys, and blister packaging are just some of the many commonplace items that benefit from PVC’s soft, flexible plastic. Common applications include the casing of computer cables, plumbing pipes and fittings, and garden hoses. PVC is used to create window frames, garden hoses, arbors, raised beds, and trellises due to its resistance to sunshine and weather.

PVC has been given the nickname “poison plastic” because of the toxins it can release at any point in its lifespan. Almost no PVC items are made from recycled plastic; almost all are made with virgin plastic.

PVC plastic goods cannot be recycled. Some PCV products are suitable for reuse, but PVC items should not be used in conjunction with food or by children.

If you want to avoid PVC plastic, try switching to reusable beeswax wrappers for your food, plush animals made from recycled wool instead of plastic toys, and a PVC garden hose.

Plastic with a low density (LDPE)

Shrink wrap, dry cleaner garment bags, squeeze bottles, and bread packaging bags are all common places to find LDPE. LDPE plastic is used to make the shopping bags found in most stores today. It’s also used to make some pieces of furniture and some types of clothes.

When compared to other polymers, LDPE has a lower toxicity level and is therefore safer for everyday use. However, this is beginning to change as more plastic recycling programs in many areas begin accepting this material. Plastic lumber, landscaping boards, trash can liners, and floor tiles are all made from LDPE plastic that has been recycled. Recycled LDPE plastic does not yield products that are as tough or rigid as recycled HDPE plastic.

Although LDPE plastic products can be reused, they are not necessarily recyclable. If you have an item made of LDPE plastic and want to recycle it, you should contact your local collection service to see if they accept it.

Swap out your plastic supermarket bags with reusable cloth ones, and bring a reusable bag with you the next time you buy bread from the bakery to reduce your reliance on LDPE. Platinum silicone sandwich bags, in contrast to plastic sandwich bags, can withstand high temperatures without melting.

Polypropylene (PP).

Polypropylene plastic has great heat resistance and is both strong and lightweight. It prevents the infiltration of liquids, oils, and other contaminants. The thin plastic liner you get in a box of cereal is made of polypropylene. Cereal will remain fresh and dry in this container. Disposable diapers, pails, plastic bottle caps, margarine and yogurt containers, potato chip bags, straws, packing tape, and rope are all common uses for PP.

Some curbside recycling programs accept polypropylene, although only around 3 percent of PP items are recycled at this time in the United States. Landscaping border strips, battery cases, brooms, buckets, and trays are just some of the many uses for recycled PP. However, recyclers are now more open to accepting #5 plastic.

Reusing PP is safe and recommended. To find out if your community’s curbside recycling service will take PP items, search online.

Reduce your use of PP by switching to reusable alternatives like metal straws, glass water bottles, and cloth diapers.

Polystyrene PS

Polystyrene is a versatile plastic that may be used in many applications due to its low cost, light weight, and ease of shaping. Disposable “peanut” foam chips are used to fill shipping boxes, and they are also used to produce foam packaging, picnic baskets, egg cartons, and takeout “clamshell” food containers. Rigid foam insulation and underlay sheeting for laminate flooring made from polystyrene are also commonly utilized in residential construction.

Polystyrene’s structural weakness and ultra-low weight mean that it quickly disintegrates and spreads out in the environment. Bits of polystyrene can be seen washing up on beaches all over the world; this plastic has been consumed by an unknown number of marine species, with devastating effects on their health.

There is concern that polystyrene packaging (especially when heated in a microwave) may leak styrene, a probable human carcinogen, into food. Chemicals found in polystyrene have been linked to human health and reproductive system malfunction.

Polystyrene has a limited recycling infrastructure. Polystyrene, which makes up around 35% of US landfill debris, is not accepted by most curbside pickup providers. While the infrastructure to recycle polystyrene exists, there is currently only a limited demand for doing so. However, consumer education has improved, and polystyrene is now being recycled at a higher rate than ever before. Foam packing chips can be reused by shipping companies like Mailboxes Etc., but finding a recycler for PS might be challenging.

Use a reusable coffee cup, compostable or reusable picnic utensils, and stainless steel takeout containers to reduce the amount of polystyrene you throw away.