♻ Plastic Number Codes list used for recycling: ♳ ♴ ♵ ♶ ♷ ♸ ♹

♺ This guide summarizes those small arrows, with numbers, embedded or stamped in the bottom of plastic bottles and containers, describing what the plastic is known as, and what types of products it is used in.

This list helps explain why "milk bottles" cannot be "thrown in" with "Coke bottles" when you recycle.

The Society of the Plastics Industry introduced its resin identification coding system in 1988 at the urging of recyclers around the country. These are the little codes you see on the bottom of many plastic items.

Source:  SPI

Universal recycling symbols:

♻  - is the universal recycling symbol (may not be visible on older computers)
♼  - Recycled paper symbol
♽  - Partially recycle paper symbol
♺ - is used on plastics

♳ Type "1" Plastic: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, PETE).

PET is clear, tough, and has good gas and moisture barrier properties. Commonly used in soft drink bottles and many injection molded consumer product containers. Other applications include strapping and both food and non-food containers. Cleaned, recycled PET flakes and pellets are in great demand for spinning fiber for carpet yarns, producing fiberfill and geo-textiles. Nickname: Polyester.

Applications: Plastic soft drink, water, sports drink, beer, mouthwash, catsup and salad dressing bottles. Peanut butter, pickle, jelly and jam jars. Ovenable film and ovenable prepared food trays.

♴ Type "2" Plastic: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE).

HDPE is used to make bottles for milk, juice, water and laundry products. Unpigmented bottles are translucent, have good barrier properties and stiffness, and are well suited to packaging products with a short shelf life such as milk. Because HDPE has good chemical resistance, it is used for packaging many household and industrial chemicals such as detergents and bleach. Pigmented HDPE bottles have better stress crack resistance than unpigmented HDPE bottles.

Applications: Milk, water, juice, cosmetic, shampoo, dish and laundry detergent bottles; yogurt and margarine tubs; cereal box liners; grocery, trash and retail bags.

♵ Type "3" Plastic: Vinyl (Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC)

In addition to its stable physical properties, PVC has excellent chemical resistance, good weatherability, flow characteristics and stable electrical properties. The diverse slate of vinyl products can be broadly divided into rigid and flexible materials. Bottles and packaging sheet are major rigid markets, but it is also widely used in the construction market for such applications as pipes and fittings, siding, carpet backing and windows. Flexible vinyl is used in wire and cable insulation, film and sheet, floor coverings synthetic leather products, coatings, blood bags, medical tubing and many other applications.

Applications: Clear food and non-food packaging, medical tubing, wire and cable insulation, film and sheet, construction products such as pipes, fittings, siding, floor tiles, carpet backing and window frames.

♶ Type "4" Plastic: Low Density Polyetylene (LDPE)

Used predominately in film applications due to its toughness, flexibility and relative transparency, making it popular for use in applications where heat sealing is necessary. LDPE is also used to manufacture some flexible lids and bottles and it is used in wire and cable applications

Applications: Dry cleaning, bread and frozen food bags, squeezable bottles, e.g. honey, mustard.

♷ Type "5" Plastic: Polypropylene (PP)

Polypropylene has good chemical resistance, is strong, and has a high melting point making it good for hot-fill liquids. PP is found in flexible and rigid packaging to fibers and large molded parts for automotive and consumer products.

Applications: Catsup bottles, yogurt containers and margarine tubs, medicine bottles

♸ Type "6" Plastic: Polystyrene (PS)

Polystyrene is a versatile plastic that can be rigid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene is clear, hard and brittle. It has a relatively low melting point. Typical applications include protective packaging, containers, lids, cups, bottles and trays.

Applications: Compact disc jackets, food service applications, grocery store meat trays, egg cartons, aspirin bottles, cups, plates, cutlery.

♹ Type "7" Plastic: OTHER

Other. Use of this code indicates that the package in question is made with a resin other than the six listed above, or is made of more than one resin listed above, and used in a multi-layer combination.

Applications: Three and five gallon reusable water bottles, some citrus juice and catsup bottles.