This plastic is one of the 3 plastics considered to be safe, and has a lower risk of leaching.

Plastic #2 is typically opaque and picked up by most curbside recycling programs.

Plastic #2 – HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)

Plastic #1 is recycled into tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, fiber, and polar fleece.

It’s found mostly in soda bottles, water bottles, beer bottles, salad dressing containers, mouthwash bottles, and peanut butter containers.Some consider it safe, but this plastic is known to allow bacteria to accumulate. Picked up by most curbside recycling programs, plastic #1 is usually clear and used to make soda and water bottles.Try to recycle everything you can - but don’t assume that you should toss something into your recycling just because it has a symbol on it.Here is some information on the various recycling symbols and numbers: The Recycling Symbols Plastic #1 – PETE or PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) Remember that you can look an item up in our recycling guide at any time, even from your phone.

It’s helpful to have these symbols memorized, but even if you do, they’ll never be as accurate as our local program information. For example, check out the instructions on the frozen food package below. The How2Recycle label also tells you what materials the item is made from, which parts can be recycled and if you need to prepare the item for recycling, such as by rinsing it out. households might not be able to recycle items designated as “widely recyclable,” it’s wise to check our local guide no matter what. It indicates if an item is recyclable widely, in limited areas, not at all, or if it needs to be dropped off at a store. Since up to 40 percent of U.S. The How2Recycle label is becoming more common, and it’s carefully regulated to provide you with accurate information. Industrial facilities can handle items that might never break down in a backyard compost. Also, do not try to compost items with this symbol at home unless the label says you can. Please note that compostable items are not recyclable. Compostable (But Probably Not in Your Backyard)Īn item carrying this symbol is compostable in an industrial compost facility. However, not all industrial compost programs accept all materials, so you will still have to check with the facility you are bringing materials to. The other types of plastic are more commonly recycled, but it depends on the local recycling program.Ĥ. Among all plastics #1-#7, #3 and #7 are rarely recyclable. The symbol doesn’t stand for recycling at all - it stands for the type of plastic the item is made from. Items with this symbol are not necessarily recyclable. The Plastic Resin Code, or Type of Plastic Cardboard, however, could still be recycled.ģ. Napkins, for example, are end-of-use products, meaning it’s the end of the road for those super-short paper fibers, and you’re going to have to throw them away.

However, even though it looks like the recyclable symbol, not all products with this symbol can be recycled. Used by paper products such as cardboard and napkins, this symbol means that the item was made from materials that have already been recycled.

This symbol, the recycling sign over a dark circle, is more specific. Or it might say “Made from recycled materials.” Items made from recycled materials are sometimes recyclable but sometimes not. In this case, it might have a number in the middle indicating the percentage of recycled materials used to make it. This symbol is also used to indicate that an item is made from recycled materials. Sometimes a recycling symbol will be accompanied by the phrases “please recycle” or “widely recyclable,” which means it is likely that you can recycle it curbside, but you still need to check the recycling guide to ensure it is accepted by our program. In other words, it’s possible that it’s recyclable in Stockton, but it’s not definite. It has multiple meanings, and typically means that an item is recyclable somewhere. This symbol doesn’t necessarily mean that an item is always recyclable. But did you know the recycling symbol doesn’t always mean an item is recyclable? In fact, there are multiple recycling symbols, and each has a different meaning. First created in 1970, it seems to turn up everywhere these days.

Recycle sign