Plastics Recycling Symbols
To cut down on energy wasting and pollution, plastics (polymers) should be recycled. Most plastic objects have a recycling code on them somewhere so they can be easily sorted.
The letter codes refer to the names of common plastics/polymers.
| Number | Letter Code | Recycling symbol | Name | Common Uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PETE |  |
Polyethylene terephthalate | Soft drink bottles and polyester fibres |
| 2 | HDPE |  |
High-density polyethylene | Bottles, grocery bags, recycling bins, farming pipe and some plastic toys |
| 3 | V or PVC |  |
Polyvinyl chloride | Pipe, fencing, shower curtains, picnic chairs, non-food bottles and some plastic toys |
| 4 | LDPE |  |
Low density polythene | Plastic bags, 4 or 6 pack rings, various containers and bottles |
| 5 | PP |  |
Polypropylene | Car parts, synthetic rope, crates, food containers, and dishware |
| 6 | PS |  |
Polystyrene(also called Styrofoam) | Catering trays, plastic utensils, toys, packaging, insulation and other expanded polystyrene products |
| 7 | Other |  |
Other polymers such as nylon and Perspex | Bottles, car headlight lenses and safety glasses and car tyres |