Recycling codes on products

Recycling codes are used to identify the materials out of which the item is made, to facilitate easier recycling process. The presence on an item of a recycling code, a chasing arrows logo, or a resin code, is not an automatic indicator that a material is recyclable; it is an explanation of what the item is made of. Codes have been developed for batteries, biomatter/organic material, glass, metals, paper, and plastics. Various countries have adopted different codes. For example, the table below shows the polymer resin (plastic) codes. In the United States there are fewer, because ABS is placed with "others" in group 7.

A number of countries have a finer-grained system with more recycling codes. For example, China's polymer identification system has seven different classifications of plastic, five different symbols for post-consumer paths, and 140 identification codes.^[1] The lack of a code system in some countries has encouraged those who fabricate their own plastic products, such as RepRap and other prosumer 3-D printer users, to adopt a voluntary recycling code based on the more comprehensive Chinese system.^[2]

Resin identification codes and codes defined by the European Commission

Symbol	Code[3]	Description	Examples
Plastics (see resin identification code[4][5]) [6]
[lower-alpha 1]	1 PET(E)	Polyethylene terephthalate	Polyester fibers, soft drink bottles, food containers (also see plastic bottles)
[lower-alpha 1]	2 PEHD or HDPE	High-density polyethylene	Plastic milk containers, plastic bags, bottle caps, trash cans, oil cans, plastic lumber, toolboxes, supplement containers
[lower-alpha 1]	3 PVC	Polyvinyl chloride	Window frames, bottles for chemicals, flooring, plumbing pipes
[lower-alpha 1]	4 PELD or LDPE	Low-density polyethylene	Plastic bags, Ziploc bags, buckets, squeeze bottles, plastic tubes, chopping boards
[lower-alpha 1]	5 PP	Polypropylene	Flower pots, bumpers, car interior trim, industrial fibers, carry-out beverage cups, microwavable food containers, DVD keep cases
[lower-alpha 1]	6 PS	Polystyrene	Toys, video cassettes, ashtrays, trunks, beverage/food coolers, beer cups, wine and champagne cups, carry-out food containers, Styrofoam
[lower-alpha 1]	7 O (Other)	All other plastics	Polycarbonate (PC), polyamide (PA), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), acrylic plastics/polyacrylonitrile (PAN), bioplastics
	ABS	Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene	Monitor/TV cases, coffee makers, cell phones, calculators, most computer plastic, Lego bricks, most FFF 3D printed parts that are not bioplastic such as PLA
	PA	Polyamide (Nylon)	Toothbrush bristles, socks, stockings, etc.
Batteries (see also battery recycling)
	8 Lead	Lead–acid battery	Car batteries
	9 Alkaline	Alkaline battery	TV Remote batteries, flashlight batteries
	10 NiCD	Nickel–cadmium battery	Older batteries
	11 NiMH	Nickel–metal hydride battery
	12 Li	Lithium battery	Cell phone batteries, computer batteries, camera batteries
	13 SO(Z)	Silver-oxide battery
	14 CZ	Zinc–carbon battery	Flashlight batteries
Paper[6]
	20 PAP	Corrugated fiberboard (cardboard)	Cardboard boxes
	21 PAP	Non-corrugated fiberboard (paperboard)	Cereal and snack boxes
	22 PAP	Paper	Newspaper, books, magazines, wrapping paper, wallpaper, paper bags, paper straws
Metals
	40 FE	Steel	Food cans
	41 ALU	Aluminium	Soft drink cans, deodorant cans, disposable food containers, aluminium foil, heat sinks
Biomatter/Organic material
	50 FOR	Wood	Furniture, chopping boards, brooms, pencils, cocktail sticks, wooden spoons
	51 FOR	Cork	Bottle stoppers, place mats, construction material
	60 COT	Cotton	Towels, t-shirts, cotton buds/swabs, cotton pads
	61 TEX	Jute	Clothing
	62-69 TEX	Other textiles
Glass
	70 GL	Clear Glass	Food storage jars
	71 GL	Green Glass	Wine bottles
	72 GL	Brown Glass	Beer, light-sensitive products
	73 GL	Dark Sort Glass
	74 GL	Light Sort Glass
	75 GL	Light Leaded Glass	Televisions, high-end electronics display glass like in calculators
	76 GL	Leaded Glass	Older televisions, ash trays, older beverage holders
	77 GL	Copper Mixed/Copper Backed Glass	Electronics, LCD display heads, clocks, watches
	78 GL	Silver Mixed/Silver Backed Glass	Mirrors, formal table settings
	79 GL	Gold Mixed/Gold Backed Glass	Computer glass, formal table settings
Composites (80—99)
	80 Paper	Paper and miscellaneous metals
	81 PapPet	Paper + plastic	Consumer packaging, pet food bags, cold store grocery bags, Icecream containers, cardboard cans, disposable plates
	82	Paper and fibreboard/Aluminium
	83	Paper and fibreboard/Tinplate
	84 C/PAP (or PapAl)	Paper and cardboard/plastic/aluminium	Liquid storage containers, juice boxes, cardboard cans, cigarette pack liners, gum wrappers, cartridge shells for blanks, fireworks colouring material, Tetra Brik.
	85	Paper and fibreboard/Plastic/Aluminium/Tinplate
	87 CSL (Card-Stock Laminate)	Biodegradable plastic	Laminating material, special occasion cards, bookmarks, business cards, flyers/advertising
	90	Plastics/Aluminium	Plastic toothpaste tubes/some vacuum packed coffee bags
	91	Plastic/Tinplate
	92	Plastic/Miscellaneous metals
	95	Glass/Plastic
	96	Glass/Aluminium
	97	Glass/Tinplate
	98	Glass/Miscellaneous metals
	99	other

Chinese codes for plastics products

The Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China (SAC) has defined material codes for different types of plastics in the document GB 16288-2008. The numbers are consistent with RIC up to #6.^[8]

Alternative recycling labels

The following recycling label projects are designed with the consumer in mind while SPI or Resin Identification Codes are designed to be recognized by waste sorting facilities. They provide an alternative that eliminates confusion as people often mistake any resin code to be recyclable, but this is not necessarily true. The recyclability of the numbers depends on the abilities of the facilities in the community.^[9] Thus, they are not all automatically recyclable.

How2Recycle is a project that started in 2008.^[10] The label provides information about the packaging material and clearly indicates whether it is recyclable, partially or totally. If it is not recyclable at all, it is shown by a diagonal line going through the recycling label.

On-Pack Recycling Label used in the UK.^[11] It is very simple and only states whether it is recyclable or not.

See also

• Resin identification code
• Japanese recycling symbols
• Waste hierarchy
• Waste management
• Food safe symbol
• Bag It (documentary)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Recycling symbols.

• Christie Engineering Standard – Packaging Labeling and Design for Environment Guidelines Includes lists of material codes in several countries.
• Packaging Material Codes Includes lists of material codes in Germany.