Sofia Martinez
Plastic is everywhere, and while most of us know to recycle it, the specifics of how to do so are less clear. The numbers 1–7 found on plastic products are resin identification codes, indicating the type of plastic the product is made from. Generally, plastics labelled 1 and 2 are the easiest to recycle, while the remaining numbers are more complicated. However, this is not a hard-and-fast rule, and the recyclability of different types of plastic depends on the capabilities of local recycling centres.
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What You'll Learn
The most widely recycled plastic is PET
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most widely recycled plastic in the world. PET is an inexpensive, lightweight, and durable material that can be easily moulded into a variety of products. It is most commonly used for single-use packaging materials, such as disposable consumer items and packaging.
PET is one of the seven standard classifications for plastics, with the number "1" inside a small triangle of arrows usually stamped on the product. It is safe and widely accepted for recycling, with a global collection of approximately 7.5 million tons of PET in 2011. The recycling rate of PET bottles and jars was 29.1% in 2018, which is relatively small compared to the overall amount of recycled plastics.
PET is highly sought after for recycling due to its ability to be recycled into its original uses. Using recycled PET (rPET) instead of new plastic reduces environmental impact by lowering total energy consumption and limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Recycled PET can be transformed into new bottles, as well as fashion items such as polar fleece clothing, backpacks, and carpets.
In addition to these traditional uses, recycled PET is also gaining popularity as a construction material in developing nations. Plastic bottles are filled with sand, stacked, and cemented or mudded together to form walls, providing an innovative and sustainable building solution.
Despite the ease of recycling PET, some countries struggle to achieve high recycling rates. While India, Europe, and South Korea have rates above 50%, other nations like the US and China are working to improve their numbers.
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HDPE is one of the easiest plastic polymers to recycle
The recycling of plastics is a complex issue, with many different types of plastics and varying local recycling practices. However, one plastic polymer that is widely accepted at recycling centres and is relatively easy to recycle is High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE).
HDPE is a popular plastic type due to its strength, flexibility, and toughness. It is used to make a wide range of products, including milk and shampoo bottles, pipes, and wheelie bins. It is also used for building materials such as plastic lumber, fencing, and decking. Despite being a hard-wearing plastic, it can be recycled and is accepted at most recycling centres worldwide.
The process of recycling HDPE involves several steps. First, the HDPE products are sorted into clean and contaminated batches, and any other materials are removed. The HDPE is then cleaned to remove contaminants and ensure high-quality material. It is then separated again to ensure no other polymers are present. Near-Infrared Radiation (NIR) techniques are used to identify and separate any non-HDPE plastic. The bottles and thicker items are also separated from the film, bags, and thinner HDPE. The sorted HDPE is then shredded and melted down to refine the polymer, and it is then cooled and formed into pellets. These pellets can then be used in manufacturing processes to create new HDPE products.
HDPE is recyclable in all its forms, including bottles, bags, tanks, film, offcuts, and sheets. It has a plastic code number of 2 and is accepted in most domestic recycling bins. However, it is always good to check with local authorities, as practices can vary. Recycling HDPE is beneficial for the environment and can also save businesses money on plastic disposal. It can be recycled into a variety of new products, including new pipes, crates, film, plastic lumber, and even recycling bins.
Overall, HDPE is one of the easiest plastic polymers to recycle, and its recycling can have significant environmental and economic benefits.
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LDPE can be recycled but is not financially worthwhile
Plastic is everywhere, and while it is commonly known that plastic can be recycled, not all plastics are created equal when it comes to their ability to be recycled. LDPE, or low-density polyethylene, is a type of plastic that can be recycled but is not always accepted by recycling programs due to financial constraints. LDPE is commonly used in plastic shopping bags, bread bags, food wrappings, squeezable bottles and tops for plastic containers. It is also found in agricultural settings as a covering for fresh produce like strawberries, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
LDPE is a very cheap and low-quality plastic, and its recycling is not always financially worthwhile. This is due to several reasons. Firstly, LDPE products like grocery bags can get tangled in recycling machinery, requiring routine maintenance and potentially causing damage to equipment. Secondly, LDPE is often contaminated by its use in agriculture or by the items it packages, necessitating a proper cleaning and sorting process before it can be recycled, which can be time-consuming and costly.
Despite these challenges, some companies and recycling centers are actively working to recycle LDPE due to its harmfulness to the environment. When recycled, LDPE can be transformed into bin liners and packaging films. Recycling LDPE is a growing industry in the UK, and companies like Plastic Expert offer services to help businesses recycle LDPE efficiently and cost-effectively.
LDPE recycling also faces complexities depending on the nature of the plastic. For example, flexible products, like bags, are more difficult to recycle and can get stuck in the teeth of general recycling machines. However, special LDPE recycling machines can process this plastic into small pellets, which can then be reformed into various products, often with added virgin LDPE to improve strength and reliability.
While LDPE can be recycled, the financial constraints and technical challenges mean that it is not always accepted by recycling programs. However, with the growing awareness of plastic pollution and its impact on the environment, there is an increasing emphasis on finding solutions to recycle LDPE effectively and sustainably.
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Polypropylene recycling is difficult and expensive
Polypropylene, or PP, is a thermoplastic polymer widely used in various applications, from bottle caps and straws to textiles and automotive parts. However, despite its versatility and demand, PP presents several challenges that make its recycling difficult and expensive.
Firstly, PP is sensitive to high heat, which is often used in the mechanical recycling process. This causes PP to lose significant chemical integrity, strength, and flexibility during the extrusion process. As a result, recycled PP often has inferior properties compared to virgin PP, including a lower melt-flow rate (MFR), molecular weight, and thermal stability. This degradation of properties makes it less desirable for certain applications and contributes to the higher cost of recycled PP.
Another challenge in PP recycling is the removal of odours from the previously housed product. It can be difficult and costly to eliminate offensive scents, such as gasoline or mouldy yogurt, from recycled PP. The recycled material also often ends up in dark colours like black or grey, which makes it less appealing for packaging and other visible applications. This limits the potential market for recycled PP, as companies want to signal safety and cleanliness to consumers through the use of certain colours.
The recycling process for PP bags further illustrates the complexity and expense of PP recycling. PP bags must be collected, sorted, shredded, separated by colour, and then compounded before they can be effectively processed. This sortation process is costly, and the poor performance of PP in mechanical recycling has led to a lack of focus on improving waste sortation technologies specifically for PP.
Additionally, the economics of PP recycling can be daunting. The price of recycled PP is around 80% higher than virgin PP due to factors such as the extensive testing and additives required for food-grade certification and the high capital costs of certain technologies like supercritical butane. Without dedicated large-scale recycling facilities, PP recycling continues to face challenges in achieving economies of scale.
Despite these difficulties, companies like Purecycle are innovating in the space with solvent dissolution technology, which can effectively remove contaminants from PP and retain its chemical purity for commercial applications. These advancements offer hope for improving the recyclability of PP and reducing its environmental impact.
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Plastic #7 is challenging to recycle and often excluded
Plastic products are often stamped with a resin code, a number between one and seven inside a small triangle made of arrows. Each number corresponds to a different type of plastic, with numbers 1 and 2 being the most commonly recycled. Plastic #7 is challenging to recycle and is often excluded from recycling programs.
Products stamped with a 7 are typically made from multiple plastic types or other challenging-to-recycle plastics. They can be hard to identify, especially if they lack a recycling number. When in doubt, a plastic that doesn't fit the first six categories is likely a #7 plastic. Some examples of #7 plastics include bio-based plastics made from potato, sugar, or corn derivatives, and polylactic acid (PLA) plastic.
Knowing how to recycle plastic #7 depends on its material composition. If its component parts fit within plastic resin categories 1 through 6, those recycling instructions can be followed. However, if the plastic #7 item cannot be identified or separated into its component parts, it generally cannot be recycled. Some curbside recycling programs may accept #7 plastic items if they can be identified as such.
The recyclability of plastics also depends on the capabilities of local recycling facilities. While some facilities may have the means to recycle certain types of plastics, others may not. Therefore, it is essential to check with your local recycling center to understand their specific guidelines and capabilities.
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Frequently asked questions
The most widely recycled plastic in the world is PET, also known as PETE or polyethylene terephthalate. It is relatively easy to recycle and is used to make plastic bottles, peanut butter jars, and cooking oil containers. Other plastics that are widely recycled include HDPE, PP, and LDPE.
There are seven standard classifications for plastics, numbered from 1 to 7. Plastics #1 and #2 are the easiest to recycle and are accepted by most recyclers, while plastics #3 to #6 are more difficult to recycle and may not be accepted by all recycling centers. Plastic #7 is the most challenging to recycle and is often excluded from recycling programs.
To determine if a plastic product is recyclable, look for the recycling symbol, which is usually a triangle made of chasing arrows with a number inside. The number indicates the type of resin used to produce the plastic. Keep in mind that the presence of the symbol does not always mean that the product is recyclable, as it depends on the capabilities of your local recycling center.
