RecyclING Logos FOR PLASTIC CONTAINERS
With a little bit of care much plastic can be recycled, and collection of plastics for recycling is increasing rapidly. Plastic recycling faces one huge problem: plastic types must not be mixed for recycling, yet it is impossible to tell one type from another by sight or touch. Even a small amount of the wrong type of plastic can ruin the melt. The plastic industry has responded to this problem by developing a series of recycling symbols, commonly seen on the bottom of plastic containers. These markers do not mean the plastic can be recycled, these makers do not mean the container uses recycled plastic. Despite the confusing use of the chasing arrow symbol, these markers only identify the plastic type.
Virtually everything made of plastic should be marked with a code. Not all types can actually be recycled. Type 1, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and Type 2 High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) are widely accepted in container form, and Type 4 Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is sometimes accepted in bag form.
Type 7 is for mixed or layered
plastic with virtually no recycling potential. You
should place in your bin only those types of plastic
listed by your local recycling center.
