The Digg Crew wants to hear your thoughts!
Please take our short survey about Digg and potential feature ideas.
What Do Recycling Symbols on Plastics Mean?
thedailygreen.com — Plastic is Everywhere! But, many people don't know there are different grades of plastic, some that are recyclable and some that aren't. For the most part, plastics can be readily recycled, but how do consumers make sense of all the different types and rules?
Bukowsky- 830 diggs
- digg it
- TEHxINTERWEBS, on 03/27/2008, -20/+4High school chem class...easy stuff...
- Desolite, on 03/27/2008, -9/+3its a Mobius strip
- dotvexed, on 03/27/2008, -15/+5
- jm4847, on 03/27/2008, -9/+2A liberal sacrament, like abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia and hiring underqualified minorities.
- queenstarsha, on 03/28/2008, -1/+1i was initially tempted to say that underqualified minorities certainly beat you republicans' underqualified rich white men (george w. bush). but then i remembered clarence thomas. we're stuck with that idiotic ***** for possibly decades.
- astrotrain, on 03/27/2008, -2/+4Its a way to help the Earth and future generations from living in a garbage heap.
- jm4847, on 03/27/2008, -2/+1lol @ this mindset. Watch Penn & Teller's show on recycling. Don't dismiss it without watching just for who they are. Recycling is useless and unnecessary. We could put all the garbage produced by the US in a relatively small area.
- bitcloud, on 03/27/2008, -1/+2We could also put all the toxins released into the atmosphere into a relatively small area...
you could eat some arsenic and just put it in a relatively small area of your body... hey.. get bitten by a spider? just put the poison in your big toe!
funny how it doesn't work like that...- jm4847, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Funny how you didn't even look up what I said and just dismissed it.
- bitcloud, on 03/27/2008, -1/+2We could also put all the toxins released into the atmosphere into a relatively small area...
- jm4847, on 03/27/2008, -2/+1lol @ this mindset. Watch Penn & Teller's show on recycling. Don't dismiss it without watching just for who they are. Recycling is useless and unnecessary. We could put all the garbage produced by the US in a relatively small area.
- jm4847, on 03/27/2008, -9/+2A liberal sacrament, like abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia and hiring underqualified minorities.
- 4rp4n3t, on 03/27/2008, -13/+1Under the entry for HDPE (number 2), it claims that this plastic can be recycled into *lumber*. O RLY - we can make wood out of plastic now?
- ynohtnalude, on 03/27/2008, -4/+2off the top of my head... probably means products like particle board.
- DeFex, on 03/27/2008, -4/+6If you go in to home depot, they have plastic deck "lumber" which is supposed to last longer and not need repainting. i wouldn't build a plastic deck myself, or use Astroturf on my garden, or put pink flamingos or gnomes in front of my house.
- jgzman, on 03/27/2008, -0/+6Actually, that plastic lumbar is GREAT stuff. I know a guy with a deck made of it, and it is wonderfull. It can be cleaned with a garden hose, because nothing sticks to it. My old employer sold furnature made from the same stuff. Again, very nice stuff.
I would, however, prefer a wooden one, as long as I had someone to maintain it for me.- grail1973, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Lumber, fencing, decking, even moldings and trim are increasing being made from polymers, wood-fiber/flour composites. They are sturdier, last longer, easier to maintain, and use less energy to make. PVC, HDPE are routinely used due to the ease of use and the great properties they bring. The composite decking is fantastic, e.g. Trex. Awesome stuff.
- grail1973, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Lumber, fencing, decking, even moldings and trim are increasing being made from polymers, wood-fiber/flour composites. They are sturdier, last longer, easier to maintain, and use less energy to make. PVC, HDPE are routinely used due to the ease of use and the great properties they bring. The composite decking is fantastic, e.g. Trex. Awesome stuff.
- jgzman, on 03/27/2008, -0/+6Actually, that plastic lumbar is GREAT stuff. I know a guy with a deck made of it, and it is wonderfull. It can be cleaned with a garden hose, because nothing sticks to it. My old employer sold furnature made from the same stuff. Again, very nice stuff.
- OneLess, on 03/27/2008, -0/+5Lumber doesn't have to be made from wood...
- 4rp4n3t, on 03/27/2008, -2/+1Really?
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lumber- OneLess, on 03/27/2008, -0/+3Well as long as an online dictionary says it, it must be true. I heard it on the Internet!
- 4rp4n3t, on 03/27/2008, -2/+2Well, give me your postal address. I'll tear a page out of a real dictionary and mail it to you. Alternatively, check one yourself.
- OneLess, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Do you mean like Merriam-Webster's where it says that lumber can refer to structural materials similar to wood lumber?
- OneLess, on 03/27/2008, -0/+3Well as long as an online dictionary says it, it must be true. I heard it on the Internet!
- 4rp4n3t, on 03/27/2008, -2/+1Really?
- arcooke, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood-plastic_composit ...
Go to a hardware store someday.
- furto, on 03/27/2008, -8/+2i have never noticed this up until now
- LightGrenades, on 03/27/2008, -4/+13Awesome read. It's cool to see what else it's then created into, I've always wondered that before.
- halobender, on 03/27/2008, -11/+6Lamest comments I've seen in a long time.
- OdinThor, on 03/27/2008, -6/+1I love my polycarbonate Nalgene water bottle (#7). I just hope it doesn't give me moobs.
- CedEx, on 03/27/2008, -1/+2It'll give you Bisphenol A leeching... supposedly.
- grail1973, on 03/27/2008, -1/+3I would suggest to everyone that they should study a little more before thinking that all chemicals are bad. Polycarbonate is made by reacting and polymerising bisphenol A. Therefore inhibiting it. No risk of bisphenol leaching or unpolymerizing unless your are putting strong organic solvents in your nalgene bottles. Then again a good swig of MEK for some people might be what's needed to reduce the stupidity in the world.
- grail1973, on 03/27/2008, -1/+3I would suggest to everyone that they should study a little more before thinking that all chemicals are bad. Polycarbonate is made by reacting and polymerising bisphenol A. Therefore inhibiting it. No risk of bisphenol leaching or unpolymerizing unless your are putting strong organic solvents in your nalgene bottles. Then again a good swig of MEK for some people might be what's needed to reduce the stupidity in the world.
- CedEx, on 03/27/2008, -1/+2It'll give you Bisphenol A leeching... supposedly.
- corde5, on 03/27/2008, -0/+4A lot of the types listed in the article said curbside acceptance was rare. But in my city they accept all of them (1-7). I wouldn't bet money that they actually recycle it all, but at least it's not filling up my garbage can.
- rockstarhour, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1That's awesome. I wish Houston recycled more.
- bradleyland, on 03/27/2008, -0/+3A lot of municipalities accept all types of plastics to encourage recycling. One of the biggest barriers recycling programs face is consumer acceptance. It's hard enough to get people to separate plastics, paper, and glass. If you ask them to look for the little symbol and separate out the different types, they'll just not do it at all.
If you inquire with your local solid waste authority, they may be able to give you more details so you may opt to do some of the sorting yourself. Keep in mind that you should update any information you have regularly so that you can be sure to include any items that may be recycled.
- WilliamDavis, on 03/27/2008, -2/+2Do those symbols mean it can be recycled? Or that it was already recycled?
- BeforeSputnik, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1RTA: The symbols tell what type / grade of plastic it is. Your city / recycling center will tell you which ones they will accept, i.e. plastics 1,2, & 5 are commonly recyclable.
- TheSpook, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2Why do you ask a question that has an entire article devoted to its answer?
- queenstarsha, on 03/28/2008, -0/+1it can be. how easily you can recycle each type of plastic in your area varies with local government policies.
i'm withholding rtfa because this is important, and you're curious. that's good.
- artliquide, on 03/27/2008, -1/+5It's amazing to me how often stores don't even ask if a person wants a plastic bag, since they can't be recycled. Sometimes they'll try to put one tiny item in this huge plastic bag and look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I can carry it with my bare hands. Also, unless you're walking, it's not difficult to bring a canvas bag with you (sturdier than plastic bags anyway) to skip the plastic bags for a large number of items (not that plastic bags make it easier if you're walking anyway). Last time I went grocery shopping (trader joe's), I brought 2 for a cartful of stuff. It's not difficult to consume fewer non-recyclable items, you just have to be aware and think about what you're wasting. Some stores also have incentive programs to make the lazy a little more willing ;)
- astrotrain, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2I recycled my plastic bags, and invested into canvas bags. Once you get in the habbit of carrying them to the store its like second nature. And its better for the environment. You know how much oil it takes to make a plastic bag (Answer: 37 million barrels of crude oil to make three billion plastic bags). And most people just chuck the plastic bags into the garbage or litter them on the streets.
After a while, they look like *****, they are bad for the environment. If you gotta use them just bring them back to the store. Most stores offer recycling barrels for plastic bags. Otherwise, invest a few bucks into the canvas bags. - TheSpook, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1I agree on the plastic bags except that they cannot be recyclable. Our local Walmarts take plastic shopping bags for recycling. We dump them off there once in awhile.
I love the canvas bags, and they're not even that bad if you get one that folds up. Our local grocery, as well as Target, sell decent-sized canvas bags that fold up and stay closed with a snap, making them convenient to store. Be ware of the smaller ones, though, that don't have a flat bottom (they suck). The small ones usually sell for $1 around here, and the nice ones usually for $2. Our grocery store also gives a $0.05 discount for every canvas bag you use. Not really huge, but it will pay off after 40 trips to the store (which will happen). - rockstarhour, on 03/27/2008, -0/+0Yeah, I know what you mean, and you have the right idea. My roommate and I try not to be wasteful. And when we do get plastic bags we always save them and reuse them. But you're right. That's still wasteful. Thanks for recommending some alternatives.
also, one of my favorite stores offers tokens where you can donate 5 cents to charity instead of taking a plastic bag. i wish more stores would do stuff like that.- artliquide, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Yeah, actually that's something I forgot. A tip for people with babies, if you happen to have grocery bags lying around anyway, use those for diapers instead of garbage bags. It's also nice to be able to get rid of the stink faster than waiting for a bigger garbage bag to fill up.
- astrotrain, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2I recycled my plastic bags, and invested into canvas bags. Once you get in the habbit of carrying them to the store its like second nature. And its better for the environment. You know how much oil it takes to make a plastic bag (Answer: 37 million barrels of crude oil to make three billion plastic bags). And most people just chuck the plastic bags into the garbage or litter them on the streets.
- ShyGuy91284, on 03/27/2008, -1/+1I remember that one of the numbers means "fun to burn" as long as you don't inhale the fumes.... Although I suppose for some that might be half the fun....
- jm4847, on 03/27/2008, -1/+1"Sometimes it seems like modern America is one colossal plastic palace. The versatile material is in our cars, toys, packaging, clothing, home goods, food utensils, medical devices and so much more."
ZOMG REALLY??? I HAD NO IDEA!!!1 - Jade10145, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Just think, years ago all this stuff would just be in your landfill, then again we probably didn't have this much stuff years ago. Either way, I am glad were getting somewhat better with reuse of materials.
- cadmiumpaint, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1i've read mixed reviews on wether recycling actually does anything for us in terms of energy and resources spent vs its return.
- BeforeSputnik, on 03/27/2008, -1/+1The gov't should limit the amount of new plastic that can be created every year (not that we need more regulation). That would really get companies on the Recycling bandwagon.
- grail1973, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Companies, especially those involved in the plastics industry are all for recycling. Raw material is the biggest cost to manufacturers and if they can get their product back to make into something else it's better for them financially. There is a competitive market for regrind, reclaim, and recycled materials. The problem comes from logistics and getting things back from the consumer. Everyone doesn't need more government.
- bitcloud, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1oooh the scary "big government"
thats us you're talking about... our right to not have our water and atmosphere polluted... you want to take away that right?
Yes, corporations DO need to be held accountable... in some instances it is more cost effective for a corp to recycle materials, but in a lot of instances it's much much cheaper to mine and manufacture new materials.
- bitcloud, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1oooh the scary "big government"
- grail1973, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1Companies, especially those involved in the plastics industry are all for recycling. Raw material is the biggest cost to manufacturers and if they can get their product back to make into something else it's better for them financially. There is a competitive market for regrind, reclaim, and recycled materials. The problem comes from logistics and getting things back from the consumer. Everyone doesn't need more government.
- cadmiumpaint, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2when in doubt i just recycle it...if they can't use it they separate it out at the processing plant.
- astrotrain, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2Recycling works....takes only a few minutes to separate your plastics, metal and paper.... in the long run you feel better about what you did today, tomorrow, 50 years from now.
- cadmiumpaint, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2thats not something we have to do in my city. they give us a giant blue bin and tell us to put, bottles, cans, papers etc in it. it gets separated out for us at some remote place.
- astrotrain, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2Recycling works....takes only a few minutes to separate your plastics, metal and paper.... in the long run you feel better about what you did today, tomorrow, 50 years from now.
- moisie, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2We're having a big clearout of our house, getting rid of everything - selling, donating, recyling etc. We had a load of boxes for old computers and the like which we'd already disposed of, we checked the website for our local recycling centre and it said they accepted 6 plastics, so we took a load down. As we were unloading some other stuff one of the attendants offered to take the box of polystyrene from us. By chance I noticed he had gone to the general waste container and chucked it in. I had a word with him and discovered that they don't recycle it, they just dump it with everything else which isn't recyclable. It pissed me off.
- astrotrain, on 03/27/2008, -0/+3Three is a magic number..... you need to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
- verticalQ, on 03/27/2008, -1/+2I had always just assumed that if it had that symbol on it, it could be recycled. I knew the numbers meant something, but I thought it was more of a thing for the plant to use. Wow, guess I was wrong. Maybe they should come up with a different symbol so it's less confusing.
- bradleyland, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1The symbol indicates that recycling is _possible_. Different facilities support different types of plastics, so there can be no ubiquitous symbol for all recyclables.
- bradleyland, on 03/27/2008, -0/+2I put these in to a format that you can use to stick over your recycle container. There are yes/no boxes for each type so you can tell which to recycle and which not to recycle. Print it on reycled paper! :)
http://www.bradlanders.com/recycle-chart.pdf - queenstarsha, on 03/28/2008, -0/+1i recently discovered that you can use #6 (think salad bar takeout) plastic to make shrinky dinks! i tried it, and it does work!
http://www.doscience.com/act_archive/home_activiti ... - Myztry, on 03/28/2008, -0/+2All these plastics are recyclable. We produce AU$6 million per year worth of goods using mixed post consumer and industrial waste plastics.
Of all the plastics, it's the 2 main clear types (PET - soft drink bottle & PVC - Cordial bottles) that need to be recycled separately. Pet has a high melt (and it tends to crystallize without special treatment) which makes it unsuitable for mixed recycling. PVC has a low melt point and produces acidic by-products when it burns. They are the most valuable plastics, but unsuitable to our application.
All the rest of the plastics can essentially just be mixed as they have very close melting points. It does help to know the ratio of each plastic type as they have different properties (such as shrinkage, hardness, flexibility, etc) but they generally average out to a reasonably predictable consistency.
Polystyrene and shopping bags are recyclable but due to poor yield and difficulties handling such lightweight materials, it is infeasible to do so.
Plastic recycling is not simply a matter of saving landfill space but also has distinct advantages such as weight (vs. concrete), durability (no rotting, or weather cycle splitting), flexibility (less prone to cracking), formability (can be made to shape, rather than machined to shape).
It is especially useful for replacing hard wood which is often used is damp areas, takes a long time to grow, and invariable ends up rotting anyway. Just realize that plastic is a unique material with it's own advantages and can replace other traditional materials to better effect. - winkyman, on 09/14/2008, -0/+0We shouldn't have to figure it out. I pay enough in taxes so the government should sort it for me. Nuff' said.
The Digg Toolbar for Firefox lets you Digg, submit content, and keep track of Digg even when you're not on the Digg site. Download the official 
© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is