The confusion over what you may can and cannot recycle continues to confuse consumers. Plastics are specifically complicated, as a variety of plastic involve different refinement to be re-formulated and re-used as raw material. Some facilities allow all sorts of plastic for recycling, while others only accept jugs, containers and bottles with selected codes stamped on their bottoms.
Lets recycle via the Numbers
The recycling symbol we're familiar with, a single-digit ranging from 1 to 7 and surrounded by a triangle of arrows was created by The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) in 1988 to allow the general public and recyclers to recognize different kinds of plastics while providing an uniform coding system for manufacturers.
The numbers, which 39 US. states now mandate to be molded or impressed on all eight-ounce to five-gallon containers that can allow the half inch minimum size symbol, distinguish the kind of plastic. According to the American Plastics Council , an industry trade group, the tokens also help recyclers do their jobs more efficiently.
Straight Forward Plastics to Recycle
The easiest and most basic plastics to recycle are constructed with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and are therefore assigned the number one. Examples include water bottles, medicine containers, and several other general consumer package containers. Once it's been harvested by the processing plant, PET can become fiberfill for winter clothes, sleeping-bags and life vests. It can also be used to make beanbags, string, automobile bumpers, tennis ball felt, hair combs, tapes, sails, pieces of furniture and, naturally, other plastic containers.
Number Two is reserved for high density polyethylene plastics. For instance , heavier containers that hold laundry detergents and bleaches and additionally milk, shampoo and motor oil. Plastic branded using the number two is commonly recycled into kids gadgets, piping, plastic lumber and rope. Like plastic labeled number 1, it is typically accepted at recycling facilities.
Yet another Practical Plastic to Recycle
Number 6 goes on polystyrene (PS) items such as coffee cups, trays for meats, peanut packaging and insulation. It is widely received for the reason that it can become re-processed into many items, which includes audio cassettes and various kinds of insulation.
Plastics Less Likely Recycled
Polyvinyl chloride , frequently used in plastic pipes, showering curtains, medical tubes, vinyl dashboards, and sometimes even baby bottle nipples, is imprinted with the number three. Like numbers 4 (wrapping films, supermarket and sandwich bags, and various containers produced with low-density polyethylene ) and five (polypropylene packing containers used in Tupperware, among other products), only a handful of municipal recycling centres will accept it due to its very low rate of recyclability.
Most challenging Plastics to Recycle
Lastly,there are goods crafted from different combos of the formerly discussed plastics or from distinctive plastic products not typically seen. These are typically imprinted with the number seven which stands for "others".These plastics are the most challenging to recycle and, as such, are hardly ever amassed or recycled. More committed eco-minded consumers can be at liberty to send back such items to the product producers to prevent making contributions to the community waste stream. Instead, you can put stress on the manufacturers to recycle or dispose of the items appropriately.
Author Resource:
I'm a plastic recycler with more than six years experience working in the scrap plastic industry.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")