What do plastic identification (resin) codes mean? An explanation of the PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS and Other (7) symbols and their recyclability.
The numbers 1–7 inside the triangle of arrows that we often see on plastic products are resin identification codes. These codes indicate which type of plastic the product is made of; they make sorting, collection and recycling processes easier. Correct sorting directly affects both the efficiency of recycling and the quality of the resulting raw material.
Water and beverage bottles, food packaging. One of the most commonly recycled plastics; it is washed and turned into flakes or granules to be reused.
Detergent/shampoo bottles, drums, crates. It is durable and highly suitable for recycling.
Pipes, profiles, some packaging. Because of its composition, it needs to be collected separately and processed specially; it should not be mixed into other streams.
Bags, stretch and packaging films. Being light and bulky, it is often processed in recycling together with a densification step such as agglomeration.
Caps, containers, furniture and automotive parts. It has a wide range of uses and is recyclable.
Single-use containers, some packaging and foam products. Its recyclability varies depending on the form of the material.
Covers plastics that do not fall into the groups above or that are mixed (for example, some multi-layer packaging). Because this group is heterogeneous, its recycling is more complex.
The type of plastic determines how the crushing, washing, separation and drying stages are configured. For PET, for example, hot washing and sink-float separation come to the fore; for film-heavy LDPE streams, agglomeration and extrusion become important. Correct identification is the first step toward designing the line correctly.
Which codes are the easiest to recycle? In general, 1 (PET) and 2 (HDPE) are recycled widely and efficiently.
Does the code mean that the product will definitely be recycled? No; the code only indicates the type of material. Actual recycling depends on collection infrastructure, contamination and local facilities.
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