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In the UK (and possibly elsewhere) recyclable plastic objects are usually marked with a triangular symbol containing a number. What are such symbols called and what do each of the possible numbers represent?
Question
#79300. Asked by gmackematix. (Apr 22 07 9:11 PM)
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wendypj
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The symbol is the Mobius loop and the number represents what percentage of the product is made from recyclable materials.
I should add that if it doesn't contain a number, it means that the product can be recycled. The number inside means that it is made from recycled materials.
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Baloo55th
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Sorry, wendy, the triangle symbol is for recycling and doesn't refer to the amount of recycled stuff in it. The number in the triangle indicates the type of plastic:
1 - PET (Polyethylene terephthalate);
2 - HDPE (high density polyethylene);
3 - PVC (polyvinyl chloride);
4 - LDPE (low density polyethylene;
5 - PP (polypropylene);
6 - PS (polystyrene);
7 - anything else (mostly less recyclable).
 http://www.wasteonline.org.uk/resources/InformationSheets/Plastics.htm#_Types_of_plastic
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wendypj
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Ah, apologies Baloo. I used to work for a frozen food manufacturer and I was referring to the symbols and numbers on cardboard packaging - I presumed they were the same for all recyclable packaging. Apparently not, but you live and learn eh?
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MonkeyOnALeash
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Oh, but not so fast!!!!!!! You are both right. It is not the presence of the Symbol that denotes recycled content, it is the color!
The Symbol along with the number lets Recyclers sort post-consumer waste for the recycling process.
"The American Paper Institute originally promoted four different variants of the recycling symbol for different purposes. The plain Möbius loop, either white with outline or solid black, was to be used to indicate that a product was recyclable. The other two variants had the Möbius loop inside a circle — either white on black or black on white — and were meant for products made of recycled paper, with the white-on-black version to be used for 100% recycled fiber and the black-on-white version for products containing both recycled and unrecycled fiber."
All-in-all there is NO Universally accepted, codified recycling system.
Someday....Maybe
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davejacobs
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The question did mention the UK, and plastic, so Balloo's answer seems to cover the facts completely.
The symbol is not a Mobius loop, but a triangle made of three bent arrows going clockwise, the ends being halfway along each side.
The symbol is usually raised, part of the moulding of the container.
Colour doesn't come into it, as in any case most recyclable plastic containers are transparent.
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Baloo55th
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Monkey, there's no Möbius loop on UK plastics. The raised triangle on plastics seems to be called nothing in particular, except possibly a recycling logo. As it is on plastic packaging, it has the colour of the packaging. The problem with recycling plastic is that only clear can be used for remaking into clear or any colour. Any coloured plastic has to be positively identified as being of a certain colour to remake in that colour, and failing that it can only be used for making black products. Black colour overrides all others in manufacture. For example, supermarket bags come back as black bin bags because the colour in them wouldn't allow white bags to be made for overprinting. As with glass (in the UK), clear is worth far more than coloured. (The UK exports large quantities of clear glass - with whisky in it - and imports quantities of green and brown - with wine in it. Hence the clear is in short supply, as some people only seem to recycle bottles and not jars. Weird...) (I have worked in injection moulding, with a firm making such diverse products as gully boots, red balls, bird feeders, barrel skirts and Diddy Men amongst others...)
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gmackematix
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A polymerised Y-A-Y-...-A-Y for that Baloo.
The number system is called the SPI resin identification coding system and was introduced in 1988.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resin_identification_code
I'll also add that the code is American in origin and the numbers form part of the International Universal Recycling Codes.
The numbers 1 to 7 for plastics continue from 8 onwards for classifying batteries, metals, cardboard and so on.
There is a link to these other codes on the Wikipedia page.
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