Plastic #4 LDPE and Plastic #5 PP

#4 LDPE (low density polyethylene)
Found in: Squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags; tote bags; clothing; furniture and carpet.
Recycled: LPDE is not often recycled through curbside pickup programs, but some communities will accept it. Plastic shopping bags can be returned to many stores for recycling.
Recycled into: Trash can liners and cans; compost bins; shipping envelopes; paneling; lumber; landscape ties and floor tiles.
Note: LDPE is a flexible plastic with many applications.


#5 PP (polypropylene)
Found in: Some yogurt containers; syrup bottles; ketchup bottles; caps; straws; medicine bottles.
Recycling: Number 5 plastics can be recycled through some curbside programs.
Recycled into: Signal lights; battery cables; brooms; brushes; auto battery cases; ice scrapers; landscape borders; bicycle racks; rakes; bins; pallets and trays.
Note: Polypropylene has a high melting point and so is often chosen for containers that must accept hot liquid. It is gradually becoming more accepted by recyclers.

Plastic #2 HDPE and Plastic #3 V or PVC

#2 HDPE (high density polyethylene)
Found in: Milk jugs; juice bottles; bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; butter and yogurt tubs; cereal box liners.
Recycling: Picked up through most curbside recycling programs; although some allow only those containers with necks.
Recycled into: Laundry detergent bottles; oil bottles; pens; recycling containers; floor tile; drainage pipe; lumber; benches; doghouses; picnic tables and fencing.
Note: HDPE is a versatile plastic with many uses, especially for packaging. It carries low risk of leaching and is readily recyclable into many goods.

#3 V (Vinyl) or PVC (THE POISON PLASTIC)
Found in: Window cleaner and detergent bottles; shampoo bottles; cooking oil bottles; shower curtains; clear food packaging; wire jacketing; medical equipment, siding, windows and piping.
Recycled: Rarely recycled; accept by some plastic lumber makers.
Recycled into: Decks; paneling; mud flaps; roadway gutters; flooring; cables; speed bumps and mats.
Note: PVC is tough and weathers well, so it is commonly used for piping, siding and similar applications. PVC contains chlorine, so its manufacture can release highly dangerous dioxins. If you must cook with PVC, don’t let the plastic touch food. Also never burn PVC, because it releases toxins. That clean smell you get when you open and hang a new shower curtain…that smell is toxins. Look for eco friendly shower curtains.
The link below is worth a look. It will show you how plastic #3 gets into our home and around our family without us noticing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpmE_b90XTU&feature=user (copy and paste this link to your brouser)

PET or PETE Plastics

PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate)

Found in: Soft drink, water and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing and vegetable oil containers; oven-able food trays.
Recycling: Picked up through most curbside recycling programs and accepted at your local recycling centers.
Recycled into: Polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, (occasionally) new containers.

PET plastic is the most common for single-use bottled beverages, because it is inexpensive, lightweight and easy to recycle. It poses low risk of leaching breakdown products. Recycling rates of Pet plastic remain relatively low (around 20%), though the material is in high demand by many remanufactures.

On Thursday we will take a look at HDPE #2 plastic (high density poltethylene).

What Do All of Those Recycling Symbols Mean Anyway?

How do we make sense of all the different types of recycling symbols? I will cover each type of plastic symbol with hopes of taking the confusion away. If you do not think its worth looking at, take a look around you. Our streets are littered; our waterways are clogged and let’s not forget about our marine life being choked. We can start cleaning up by just educating ourselves. Knowledge is power! So with that being said, let’s get started.



1 - PET or PETE (Polyethylene Terephthalate) - Fizzy drink bottles and oven-ready meal trays.

2 - HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) - Bottles for milk and washing-up liquids.

3 - PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) - Food trays, cling film, bottles, mineral water, plumbing parts & outdoor decking/fencing, just to name a few.

4 - LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) - Carrier bags and bin liners.

5 - PP (Polypropylene) - Margarine tubs, microwaveable meal trays.

6 - PS (Polystyrene) - Yogurt pots, foamed meat or fish trays, hamburger boxes, egg cartons, vending cups, plastic cutlery, protective packaging for electronic goods and toys.

7 - OTHER (Any other plastics) that do not fall into any of the above categories, which is A Lot of different types.

In the next few weeks, I will look at each recycling code, what it is found on, how it is recycled and what it is recycled into.