The whole truth about plastic numbers*

You have actually no idea of the secret life of plastic. It is wilder than most of us would ever think! The truth lies in the plastic numbers.

Perhaps there are some amongst you, like me not long ago, who will make a big revelation about plastic and it’s recycling. I was silly for a loooooong time to think that the three chasings arrows, which looks like the recycling sign, means that the product is recyclable. Whoops! No! Stop! Think again.

Anyway, coming back to these signs and the numbers inside of them aka plastic numbers. As they all have it inside, which is what tells you the whole truth about this particular item. You can find such triangles composed of three chasing arrows from 1 to 7. The purpose of the number is to identify the type of plastic used for the product, and unfortunately, not all plastics are recyclable or even reusable.

Plastic numbers i.e. codes

Code 1: PETE or PET: Polyethylene Terephthalate – soft drink bottles, mineral water, fruit juice, cooking oil, salad dressing containers, mouthwash bottles, and peanut butter containers.

Code 2: HDPE: High-Density Polyethylene – milk jugs, cleaning agents, laundry detergents, shampoo bottles, washing and shower soaps, cereal box liners, butter tubs.

Code 3: PVC: Polyvinyl Chloride – trays for sweets, fruits, bubble foil, food wrap, medical equipment.

Code 4: LDPE: Low-Density Polyethylene – shopping bags, highly resistant sacks, wrappings, frozen food, and bread bags.

Code 5: PP: Polypropylene – furniture, luggage, toys, the lining of cars, Alpro yogurt containers, mixing bowls, ketchup bottles, syrup bottles, and medicine bottles.

Code 6: PS: Polystyrene – toys, hard packing, fridge trays, cosmetic bags, costume jewelry, CD cases, vending cups.

Code 7: Others (including polycarbonate, bioplastic, and acrylic) – other plastics, acrylic, nylon, fiberglass, etc.

By understanding these simple classifications, we can best use plastics to our advantage. While minimizing the health and disposal issues that may otherwise arise. Below is some information about the seven classifications for plastics, and the recycling and reuse information for each type.

#1 – PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)

PET is one of the most commonly used plastics in consumer products, and is found in most water and pop bottles, and some packaging. It is intended for single-use applications; repeated use increases the risk of leaching and bacterial growth. Polyethylene terephthalates may leach carcinogens.

PET plastic is recyclable and about 25% of PET bottles are recycled. The plastic is crushed and then shredded into small flakes. Which are then reprocessed to make new PET bottles, or spun into polyester fiber. This recycled fiber is used to make textiles such as fleece garments, carpets, stuffing for pillows and life jackets, and similar products.

NB! Products made of #1 (PET) plastic should be recycled but not reused.

#2 – HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)

HDPE plastic is the stiff plastic used to make milk jugs, detergent and oil bottles, toys, and some plastic bags. You can tell a difference easily if compared to PET. Luckily this is the most commonly recycled plastic and is considered one of the safest forms of plastic. It is a relatively simple and cost-effective process to recycle HDPE plastic for secondary use.

HDPE plastic is very hard-wearing and does not break down under exposure to sunlight or extremes of heating or freezing. For this reason, HDPE is used to make picnic tables, waste bins, park benches, bed liners for trucks and other products which require durability and weather-resistance.

NB! Products made of HDPE are reusable and recyclable.

#3 – PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

PVC is a soft, flexible plastic used to make clear plastic food wrapping, cooking oil bottles, teething rings, children’s and pets’ toys, and blister packaging for myriad consumer products. It is commonly used as the sheathing material for computer cables, plastic pipes and parts for plumbing. Because PVC is relatively impervious to sunlight and weather, it is used to make window frames, garden hoses, arbors, raised beds and trellises.

PVC is dubbed the “poison plastic” because it contains numerous toxins which it can leach throughout its entire life cycle.

Products made using PVC plastic are not recyclable.

#4 – LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)

LDPE is often found in shrink wraps, dry cleaner garment bags, squeezable bottles, and the type of plastic bags used to package bread. The plastic grocery bags used in most stores today are made using LDPE plastic. Some clothing and furniture also use this type of plastic.

LDPE is considered less toxic than other plastics, and relatively safe for use. It is not commonly recycled. However, although this is changing in many communities today as more plastic recycling programs gear up to handle this material. When recycled, LDPE plastic is used for plastic lumber, landscaping boards, garbage can liners and floor tiles. Products made using recycled LDPE are not as hard or rigid as those made using recycled HDPE plastic.

Products made using LDPE plastic are reusable, but not always recyclable.

#5 – PP (Polypropylene)

Polypropylene plastic is tough and lightweight and has excellent heat-resistance qualities. It serves as a barrier against moisture, grease, and chemicals. When you try to open the thin plastic liner in a cereal box, it is polypropylene. This keeps your cereal dry and fresh. PP is also commonly used for disposable diapers, plastic bottle tops, margarine and yogurt containers, potato chip bags, straws, packing tape and rope.

Polypropylene is recyclable through some curbside recycling programs. But only about 3% of PP products are currently being recycled in the US, for example. Recycled PP is used to make landscaping border stripping, battery cases, brooms, bins, and trays. However, #5 plastic is today becoming more accepted by recyclers.

PP is considered safe for reuse, but not always recyclable.

#6 – PS (Polystyrene)

Polystyrene is an inexpensive, lightweight and easily-formed plastic with a wide variety of uses. It is most often used to make disposable styrofoam drinking cups, take-out “clamshell” food containers, egg cartons, plastic picnic cutlery, foam packaging and those ubiquitous “peanut” foam chips used to fill shipping boxes to protect the contents. Polystyrene is also widely used to make rigid foam insulation and underlay sheeting for laminate flooring used in home construction.

Because polystyrene is structurally weak and ultra-lightweight, it breaks up easily and is dispersed readily throughout the natural environment. Beaches all over the world have bits of polystyrene lapping at the shores, and an untold number of marine species have ingested this plastic with immeasurable consequences to their health.

Polystyrene may leach styrene, a possible human carcinogen, into food products (especially when heated in a microwave). Chemicals present in polystyrene have been linked with human health and reproductive system dysfunction.

Recycling is not widely available for polystyrene products. While the technology for recycling polystyrene is available, the market for recycling is small. Awareness among consumers has grown, however, and polystyrene is being reused more often.

NB!! Polystyrene should be avoided where possible.

#7 – Other (BPA, Polycarbonate, and LEXAN)

The #7 category was designed as a catch-all for polycarbonate (PC) and “other” plastics. So reuse and recycling protocols are not standardized within this category. Primary concern with #7 plastics, however, is the potential for chemical leaching into food or drink products packaged in polycarbonate containers made using BPA (Bisphenol A). BPA is a xenoestrogen, a known endocrine disruptor.

Number 7 plastics are used to make baby bottles, sippy cups, water cooler bottles, and car parts. BPA is found in polycarbonate plastic food containers often marked on the bottom with the letters “PC” by the recycling label #7. Some polycarbonate water bottles are marketed as ‘non-leaching’ for minimizing plastic taste or odor. However, there is still a possibility that trace amounts of BPA will migrate from these containers, particularly if used to heat liquids.

A new generation of compostable plastics, made from bio-based polymers like corn starch, is being developed to replace polycarbonates. These are also included in category #7, which can be confusing to the consumer. These compostable plastics have the initials “PLA” on the bottom near the recycling symbol. Some may also say “Compostable.”

NB! #7 plastics are not for reuse unless they have the PLA compostable coding. When possible it is best to avoid #7 plastics, especially for children’s food. Plastics with the recycling labels #1, #2 and #4 on the bottom are safer choices and do not contain BPA. PLA coded plastics should be thrown in the compost and not the recycle bin since PLA compostable plastics are not recyclable.

Are your eyes open now?

Okay this is something, isn’t it? Why nobody told us this truth about plastic numbers earlier, right? And all these plastic names are really complicated. I found it easier to remember the number and whether they can be recycled and are they safe to reuse.

After obtaining this information I went to our kitchen and I looked through the few plastic items we had looking for plastic numbers. I found two plastic bowls, which we got for free from somebody. For some reason, I have always disliked them. So, they are good to go now and find another use as a flowerbed or collecting green waste. The other few containers we had were all number 5 PP i.e. Polypropylene.

Let’s wrap the plastic up: which recycling numbers to avoid and which are “safest”

You probably agree after reading this post that it’s really best to avoid using all plastics if you’re able. But at the very least:

• Avoid recycling symbols 3, 6, and 7. While Number 1 is considered safe, it is also best to avoid this plastic.
• Look for symbols 2, 4, and 5, as these plastics are considered to be safest. These are the plastics to look for in terms of human and animal consumption.

Recommendations to keep in mind while buying plastic:

1. Look for the numbers of safer plastic: 2, 4, 5 and 1.  Avoid codes 3, 6, 7.
2. Code 1 plastics are the easiest and most common plastics to recycle) and Code 7 –  the most difficult to recycle.
3. Avoid heating any grade plastic, not even in the microwave.
4. PET is widely used for plastic bottles for water and carbonated soft drinks. These bottles are meant for single use only and then recycled.
5. Avoid using disposable food containers e.g cups and plates. They are made up of Polystyrene or Styrofoam. When heated they may emit styrene to your food and drinks, which can damage your nervous system and is carcinogenic.
6. Look for plastics labeled “BPA- free”.
7. Opt for substitutes of plastics e.g glassware, jute or paper bags, metal containers.
8. Always recycle or throw away containers once they start to crack or break.
9. Don’t use the containers which are used to deliver food or carry food after a single-use.

Unfortunately, plastics will be used. But you can certainly limit your use of the product. Hopefully, this post shed some light on this crazy material, which seems to surround us everywhere.

Most of the information in this article is coming from a true eye-opener article by Earth Easy.

If you are not familiar with the term curbside recycling, please CLICK HERE to find out more.

*Pictured are different plastic containers we found in our household after we were informed about the real truth about plastic numbers. All these were harmful to health. So we discarded them. There is a number of similar trays we use to arrange things in the drawers and keep different containers tidy. Find a way to use the plastic you already have and avoid buying more.