http://www.care2.com/greenliving/what-do-all-those-recycling-symbols-mean-anyway.html
What Do All Those Recycling Symbols Mean Anyway?
Most of us are familiar with the little green recycling symbols that appear on so many products these days, but how many of us actually understand what the codes that go with them mean? HDPE, PETE, LDPE? I sure didn’t when I started collecting trash last year and so I decided to do a little investigating. I’m going to hit the highlights here, but there are a ton of good sources of info out there like the one at The Daily Green. Also, if you are trying to figure out where to recycle ANYTHING at all near you, check out Earth 911. Enjoy!
Number 1 Plastics: PET or PETE (polyethelene terephthalate)
PETE is most commonly found in soda and water bottles but is used to make peanut butter jars and veggie oil containers as well. It is usually downcycled to make items like polar fleece, tote bags, fibers and carpet. Most beverage bottles are made of this stuff as it is inexpensive and lightweight, but shockingly the recycle rates are only at around 20percent.
Number 2 Plastics: HDPE (high density polyethylene)
This stuff is a bit heavier and is most commonly found in milk jugs, household cleaner bottles, shampoo bottles, some garbage bags, and cereal box liners. HDPE is generally recycled into laundry detergent bottles, plastic lumber, pens, and floor tiles to name a few.
Number 3 Plastics: PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
PVC is found in clear food packaging, some window cleaner and detergent bottles, and the outer jacketing of electrical cables (think ethernet). It’s not as readily recycled and is pretty nasty stuff as its manufacture and burning releases toxins into the atmosphere. When it is taken for recycling, it can be turned into mudflaps, cables, speed bumps and floor mats. PVC can contain a softener (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)) which has been shown to be an endocrine disruptor and human carcinogen - so you may want to avoid it altogether. Good times!
Number 4 Plastics: LDPE (low density polyethylene)
This is the stuff we probably see the most of, after PETE in water bottles, as it’s what goes into those plastic shopping bags. Other uses are squeezy dispenser bottles, bread and frozen food bags, and some clothing and furniture. LDPE is becoming easier to turn in for recycling and can be used to make trash can liners, shipping containers, composters and envelopes.
Number 5 Plastics: PP (polypropylene)
You’ll see PP 5 in bottle caps, plastic drinking straws, some plastic food containers and medicine bottles. Polypropylene is one of the more commonly accepted plastics for recycling and can become signal lights, brooms and brushes, ice scrapers, and landscaping borders. Because it has a high melting point, it is commonly used in things that will come into contact with heat.
Number 6 Plastics: PS (polystyrene)
Another commonly found one, PS is used in carry out containers, compact disc cases, egg cartons, and “disposable” cups and plates. It is fairly hard to recycle this stuff (many areas do not accept it) and has been proven to leach carcinogenic toxins in many instances. Polystyrene is most commonly found in Styrofoam (they inject it with air to make it light and give it that texture) and can be turned into insulation, light plate switches, foam packing, egg cartons and carry out containers.
Number 7 Plastics: Everything else
Ok, this is a weird one. In an attempt to label everything, they came up with number 7 for things that don’t fit in 1-6. Some of the products that carry a 7 are 5 gallon water jugs, bulletproof material (hopefully you won’t need to recycle this stuff), computer cases, dvds, and a whole host of other things. A lot of local recycling programs won’t take number 7 for the obvious reason that they don’t immediately know what’s what. This is a bummer because as of right now, many compostable products carry a number 7 on them and are therefore getting tossed. Crazy but it’s true. It should also be noted that Polycarbonate which carries a number 7 and is used in many baby bottles and reusable sports bottles (think Nalgene), as well as those office water jugs, can contain the hormone disruptor bisphenol-A which has been shown to leach out due to age or heating over the long term. Ain’t science fun?
So there you have it. This is only meant as an overview but I think it’s worth noting that many of the plastics listed above are not truly recycled (turned back into what they were originally intended for) but instead downcycled (turned into other stuff). As a result, while the plastic is getting a longer life, eventually it’s still going to end up in that landfill and they’re just going to have to keep on starting the chain over from the top every time. All of this requires a tremendous amount of energy, creates a tremendous amount of waste, and adds a ton of pollutants to the planet. So while we all need to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, it seems like we should add Refuse to the head of that list and not use these products to begin with.
Food for thought.
Dave Chameides is a filmmaker and environmental educator. His website and newsletter are designed to inspire thought and dialogue on environmental solutions and revolve around the idea that no one can do everything, but everyone can do something. “Give people the facts, and they’ll choose to do the right thing.”
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19 comments
add your comment »Good list! Something that should be printed, no doubt! But you can also use metal waterbottles. They don't solve everything but they've taken out a shit load of guess work from my life, that's for damn sure!
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Thanks for that useful post and you're right about adding "refuse" to the mix. - Holly Fisher www.greenofficeprojects.org/blog
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I guess the best way to avoid all this plastic nightmare is to get your own water filter ( water bottles are the most popular ones). That's a start!!
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The thing about re-using plastic bottles is that the longer they're in use, the more can leach out of them. Stainless steel bottles are easy to find on-line - just google stainless steel water bottle, you'll come up with lots of options. Another option is to reuse glass juice or tea bottles. I reuse the ones from HonestTea - they're a good size for carrying. I really think we have to reduce our use of plastic as much as possible. Even the ones that supposedly don't leach, are still toxic in the making.
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Mason jars are a bit difficult to carry with you. And I haven't seen any stainless-steel water jugs for sale where I live. A plastic water bottle CAN be refilled (I do it often). And plastic beverage bottles on shelves now might well have been plastic beverage bottles before!
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i don't quite understand why so many people are "excited" that certain plastics can even be recycled and that they are made into all of these other products... it still causes a waste of energy to produce the initial plastic item (think petroleum) and the recycling process itself is awful to the environment (check out the pacific gyre). each of us should just NOT use the stuff at all!!! or TRY my friends... it's pretty easy once you realize the importance on our health, the health of our children (and children's children and so on....) and the current and continuous health of our poor mother earth. at this moment, i am very upset because i see people praise themselves for recycling (which yay, it is far better than not)... just choose to love yourself and mother earth enough not to choose the silly convienence of plastic - i love you all for continuing the education on such issues, but if anyone is reading this post, then they read this article and should no longer be buying plastic whenever possible and it is easily possible to grab yourself a mason jar or stainless steel water jug and help the world be a better place. GEEZ!!! and be proud to do such things... anything that creates betterment for human beings and the earth we live on will be respected and appreciated. so, please let's all do our best!!!
"we did not inherit this earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children" - Lakota proverb (so best as I remember it)
much love, dianna
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Hi Dave, I tried to email you but it bounced back. Thank you for adding the song and video - my husband researched and wrote it. I always appreciate your articles. Thanks for the good work you do. Julie
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So...does anyone want to tell us the number 7 plastics that are actually compostable?...
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i've said it before but if everyone recycles, yet nobody buys recycled products, what good is it. recycled is more expensive, but products do go on sale from time to time. you can use coupons and you can buy recycled every other time or every third time you shop. also, the key really is to buy less. my mom used to stockpile bargains, but they aren't bargains if you never use them.
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I refill my water bottle and reuse it as often as I can. Soda bottles I keep for recycling (instead of putting them out in our regular recycling bin). However, while we are encouraged to recycle our cans and bottles (and charged a redemption value when we buy the drinks), there aren't very many recycling centers around. Since I started, four such centers have closed down. The city where I live won't permit one that was closed to be reopened.
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