Alexei Volkov
Plastic is everywhere, and plastic waste is a key concern for environmentalists, governments and organisations. Plastic can take hundreds of years to biodegrade, so recycling plastic is critical to improving the environment and bettering waste management solutions. However, not all plastic is widely recyclable. There are seven types of plastic resin, identified by a number from 1 to 7, usually found inside a small triangle. The lower the number, the more likely the plastic is to be easily recyclable. This article will explore the different grades of plastic and whether they can be recycled.
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What You'll Learn
Plastic resin codes
- Polyethylene terephthalate (PET): This is the most commonly recycled plastic and is used for clear plastic bottles, soda bottles, water bottles, cooking oil containers, peanut butter jars, and other food containers. It has a high recycling market value and can be turned into products of similar quality. It can also be recycled into polyester fabric and filling for fleeces, carpets, and cushion fillings.
- High-density polyethylene (HDPE): This is another widely recycled plastic and is used for milk jugs, shampoo bottles, detergent containers, and oil bottles. It is a very common and safe plastic that is fully recyclable. It is a durable, hard plastic that can withstand most solvents and has a high market value.
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): This is a soft, flexible, and durable plastic used for plastic tubing, kids' toys, plastic trays, and furniture. It is also used for plastic food wrapping. PVC products are generally not recycled and should be avoided for reuse, especially for food or children's products, as they contain toxins that can leach.
- Low-density polyethylene (LDPE): This plastic is commonly used for plastic bags, shrink wraps, dry cleaner garment bags, grocery bags, and bags for fresh produce. LDPE bags are not typically recycled but can be reused and are safe to repurpose.
- Polypropylene (PP): This plastic is used for margarine and yoghurt containers, potato chip bags, cereal bags, and other similar products. PP products can sometimes be recycled.
- Polystyrene (PS): Styrofoam products are made from this type of plastic, including disposable coffee cups, packing peanuts, coolers, and to-go food containers. PS products can sometimes be recycled, but many recycling programs do not accept them due to the specialised handling required.
- Other: Plastics with the code 7 are made from a type of plastic other than the previous six, or they are a mixture of plastics. This category includes bioplastics, composite plastics (like crisp wrappers), plastic-coated wrapping paper, and polycarbonate (which contains BPA). These plastics are not typically recyclable through normal collections.
It is important to note that the recyclability of plastic items depends on the facilities and guidelines of your local municipality or recycling centre. While some plastics may be technically recyclable, it may not be economically feasible for recycling companies to process them. Therefore, it is always good to check with your local facilities to see what types of plastics they accept.
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HDPE plastic
Plastic is one of the most widely used materials in the world, and also one of the most harmful to the environment. Plastic can take anywhere from 500 to 1000 years to biodegrade, and it is therefore essential to recycle it where possible.
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a thermoplastic polymer made from petroleum. It is one of the most versatile plastic materials and is used in a wide range of applications, including plastic bottles, milk jugs, shampoo bottles, bleach bottles, cutting boards, and piping. HDPE is known for its high tensile strength and large strength-to-density ratio, and it has a high-impact resistance and melting point.
HDPE is fully recyclable and has the number "2" as its resin identification code. It is one of the safest types of plastic to use and is commonly used for food and beverage containers. HDPE is also used for cell liners in sanitary landfills, where it forms a chemical-resistant barrier to prevent the pollution of soil and groundwater by liquid waste.
HDPE is an excellent material for recycling, as it is cost-effective and environmentally responsible. It is lightweight yet sturdy, and its nonporous surface makes it easier to clean than materials like wood, making it ideal for food safety.
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LDPE plastic
LDPE, or low-density polyethylene, is a lightweight, soft, and flexible plastic. It is a type of thermoplastic in the polyethylene family, formed of long chains of ethylene molecules called monomers. LDPE is produced using a high-pressure process via free radical polymerization, which involves extreme heat and pressure. It is important to note that LDPE is not suitable for applications requiring stiffness, high-temperature resistance, or structural strength.
LDPE is commonly used in the manufacturing of various containers, dispensing bottles, plastic bags, wash bottles, tubing, and plastic parts for computer components. It is often chosen for its flexibility, durability, corrosion resistance, and low cost. LDPE is also used in juice and milk cartons as a laminate of paperboard, providing a waterproof layer.
When exposed to consistent sunlight, LDPE produces significant amounts of the greenhouse gases methane and ethylene. Its lower density, due to more branching in its molecular structure, also means it breaks down more easily than other plastics. This breakdown process increases the surface area, leading to an accelerated rate of greenhouse gas emissions.
LDPE is identified by the number 4 resin code, usually found inside a small triangle on the bottom or side of the item. LDPE is recyclable, but it is not as commonly recycled as No. 1 (polyethylene terephthalate) or No. 2 plastics (high-density polyethylene). The EPA estimates that only 5.7% of LDPE is recycled in the United States. Some companies and recycling centers are investigating alternatives and ways to recycle LDPE due to its harmfulness to the environment.
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PVC plastic
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is one of the most widely used plastics worldwide due to its chemical stability, durability, and flexibility. It is used in a variety of products, including plastic plumbing pipes, vinyl flooring, kayaks, cables, pharmaceutical packaging, medical tubes, windows, credit cards, food wrap, tiles, and medical equipment.
PVC is seldom recycled by most consumer recyclers due to the high chlorine content in raw PVC (around 56% of the polymer's weight) and the high levels of hazardous additives added to achieve the desired material quality. These additives, which include plasticizers, increase the plastic's fluidity and flexibility. As a result, PVC requires separation from other plastics before mechanical recycling, which involves grinding the material into smaller particles. The resulting granules, called recyclate, can be melted and remolded into different products, usually the same product from which it came.
However, when different kinds of PVC waste are fed into a mechanical recycler, the resulting product's composition is difficult to predict due to variations in PVC products and manufacturers. This poses a significant challenge to the recycling process, as the feed should ideally have a uniform material composition to produce high-quality recyclate.
Despite these challenges, PVC recycling has become one of the most advanced processes in mechanical recycling. Most PVC can be recycled up to 6 or 7 times, and with a product life of 100 years, recycled PVC has the potential to last up to 600 years. Specialized programs recycle PVC into flooring, paneling, and roadside gutters, among other products.
To recycle PVC, it needs to be taken to a facility that specializes in PVC recycling and mechanical recycling, rather than being placed in commercial recycling bins.
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PP plastic
Polypropylene (PP), also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer with a wide variety of applications. It is the second-most widely produced commodity plastic, after polyethylene. PP is a rigid, semi-crystalline thermoplastic with a slippery, tactile surface. It is reasonably economical and has good resistance to fatigue. It is also highly flexible, has a lighter density, and can adapt to a range of fabrication techniques.
PP is used in plastic packaging, plastic parts for machinery and equipment, and even fibres and textiles. It is also used in plastic furniture, first aid products, and more. PP's flexibility and toughness make it ideal for use in packaging, machinery parts, and electrical components. Its lightweight and mouldable nature make it suitable for plastic hinges and bottle tops.
PP has a high chemical resistance and can be dissolved in nonpolar solvents such as xylene, tetralin, and decalin at elevated temperatures. It has a density between 0.895 and 0.93 g/cm3, making it the commodity plastic with the lowest density. This lower density allows for the production of more parts with a given mass of plastic. PP's melting point varies and is determined by finding the highest temperature on a differential scanning calorimetry chart.
PP is sometimes recyclable, but this may depend on your local recycling facilities.
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