#Recycle sign how to
#Recycle sign code
#Recycle sign plus

#Recycle sign how to

How to know what plastics can be recycledĮvery town and city has different recycling programs, so you'll often have to check your location's rules to find out exactly what you can recycle.

#Recycle sign plus

Here, our environmental experts share what each plastic recycling symbol means, plus examples of where each symbol is found and how to recycle it. From helping you decode eco-friendly claims to sharing the winners of our Sustainable Innovation Awards, we're here to help you make smarter decisions for your home and the environment. Here at the Good Housekeeping Institute, our team is passionate about sustainability and the environment. FYI: Just because a product has the chasing arrows symbol, doesn't mean it's recyclable - it's just an indicator of the type of plastic While the universal plastic resin symbol (three chasing arrows forming a triangle) remains the same, the numbers one through seven inside make a significant difference. With all the different rules and symbols, it can be confusing for consumers to figure out exactly what each plastic recycling symbol means and how to recycle it. Many plastics can be recycled in theory, but according to the UN, only about 9% of plastic waste generated has ever even been recycled. In fact, a recent study says that about 8 million tons of plastic packaging end up in our oceans every year. The versatile material is in our cars, toys, packaging, clothing, home goods, food utensils and so much more - but it's also littering our streets, clogging our waterways and choking marine life. Prior to this, we predominantly only saw plastic quality depreciating with the chop and wash method each time it is recycled.Sometimes it seems like everything in modern America is made of plastic.

This means that it can be turned into a plastic of any level on the quality chain, up or down.

#Recycle sign code

Chemical recycling of plastic will allow plastic bottles for example, (PET) Recycling code 1, to be converted back into monomers and then be remade again into new polymer. There are currently new advances in modern technology like the emerging chemical recycling process. With this point in mind, it’s crucial that we actively reduce our waste to remove the need for the plastics to be recycled in the first place. Plastic recycling stations are far from sufficient, with only 12% of plastic currently being recycled in Australia. Completely eliminate single-use plastic and It’s projected that by 2050, we’ll have more plastic in the ocean than fish! We cannot let that happen. However this comes at a cost as plastic waste, especially single-use plastic, makes up a ridiculous percentage of our landfill and if it’s not directed there, it’s getting swept into the oceans. It allows us the quality of healthcare, food safety and sanitation systems that we have become accustomed to in our modern society. Plastic has become an important part of modern society, we use it in all aspects of our lives. The symbols were developed by The European Commission and you can find them on any types of plastic that are suitable for recycling. The plastic recycling symbols have been around since 1997 and are used internationally as well as here in Australia. To do this we need to first understand what the recycling symbols mean, what types of plastic your local recycling service can recycle and also make sure your recycling is in the right state to be recycled. Using less plastic and recycling it properly is critical! But as we know, the problem with plastic is that it doesn’t break down easily and can take up to 500 years to fully decompose. You can find it in high-quality products and single-use throw-away items, it’s used in our toys, cars, clothing, and food storage.īut in that time we’ve also managed to create vast amounts of plastic waste, we’re filling up our landfills and clogging up our oceans with the stuff. Plastic has been around now for the last 60-70 years, and in that time we have managed to incorporate it into practically every part of our lives. A recycling symbol is an identification code that uses a plastic recycling number to identify the type of plastic used in that product. If you take a look at the bottom of your water bottle or plastic packaging you will see a recycling symbol with a number in the centre, this is the products recycling symbol.