The Plastic Identification Code is a system used to distinguish plastic products. This was done by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) in 1988, in order to promote and give more efficiency to recycling.
The different types of plastic are identified with a number from 1 to 7 located inside the classic recycling sign (triangle of arrows in follow-up). Let’s see how they are classified and what their characteristics are.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET):
PET is mainly used in the production of beverage bottles. Through its recycling, fibers are mainly obtained for filling sleeping bags, rugs, ropes and pillows.
PET plastic is recyclable and about 25% of PET bottles in the US today are recycled. The plastic is shredded and then shaped into small flakes which are then reprocessed into new PET bottles or spun into polyester. This recycled fiber is used to form textiles such as woolens, rugs, stuffing for pillows and life jackets, and similar products.
Products made from #1 plastic (PET) should be recycled but not reused.
To use less PET plastic, consider switching to reusable beverage containers and replacing disposable food containers with reusable alternatives.
High Density Polyethylene ( HDPE) (HDPE) :
HDPE or HDPE is normally used in milk containers, detergent, motor oil, plastic baskets, buckets, stowage, etc. After being recycled it is used for pots, garbage containers and detergent bottles.
HDPE plastic is the rigid plastic used to make milk jugs, detergent and oil bottles, toys, and some plastic bags. HDPE is the most commonly recycled plastic and is considered one of the safest types of plastic. It is a comparatively simple and cost-effective process for recycling HDPE plastic for secondary use.
HDPE plastic is extremely strong and will not break down on exposure to sunlight or extreme heat or freezing. For this reason, HDPE is used to form picnic tables, plastic lumber, garbage cans, park benches, truck bed liner, and other products that require durability and weather resistance. It is also a much-loved material for raised garden beds made of recycled plastic. Products made from HDPE are reusable and recyclable.
However, since only about 30-35% of the HDPE plastic used in the United States is recycled annually, it’s all about using as little as possible. To cut down, consider replacing your disposable produce bags with reusable alternatives.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) :
PVC is used in PVC pipes, boots, cables, signaling cones, etc. It can be recycled as drainage and irrigation pipes, swamp boots, shoe soles.
PVC is a soft, flexible plastic used to package food containers, vegetable oil bottles, teething rings, children’s and pet toys, and blister packs for a myriad of products. It is commonly used as a jacketing material for computer cables, to form plastic pipe and plumbing parts, and in garden hoses. Because PVC is comparatively impervious to sunlight and weather, it is used to make window frames, garden hoses, pergolas, raised beds, and trellises.
PVC is known as the “poison plastic” because it contains numerous toxins that can leach throughout its entire life cycle. Most products that use PVC require virgin material for their construction; but 1% of PVC material is recycled.
Products made from PVC plastic are not recyclable. While some PCV products are often reused, PVC products should not be reused for direct food contact or for use by children.
To avoid items made with PVC plastic, consider replacing plastic food wrap with reusable beeswax wrappers; plastic toys with reclaimed wool stuffed animals; and its PVC hose with a drink-safe hose.
Low Density Polyethylene ( LDPE) (PEBD) :
It is found in grocery bags, bread bags, plastic wrap, irrigation hose. LDPE can be recycled as grocery bags again.
LDPE is typically found in shrink wrap, laundry bags, squeeze bottles, and therefore the type of plastic bags used to package bread. The plastic grocery bags used in most stores today are made from LDPE plastic. Some clothes and furniture also use this type of plastic.
LDPE is considered less toxic than other plastics and comparatively safe to use. However, it is not commonly recycled, although this is often changing in many communities today as more plastic recycling programs manage to handle this material. When recycled, LDPE plastic is used for plastic lumber, landscape boards, garbage can liners, and floor tiles. Products made from recycled LDPE are not as hard and rigid as those made from recycled HDPE plastic.
Products made from LDPE plastic are reusable, but not always recyclable. You should check with your local collection service to see if they accept LDPE plastic items for recycling.
To reduce the amount of LDPE you consume, try replacing your plastic bags with cloth alternatives, and take a cloth bag to your local bakery the next time you buy a loaf of bread. It will also replace plastic sandwich bags with platinum silicone alternatives, which are heat resistant.
Polypropylene (PP):
PP is used in most yogurt containers, straws, bottle caps, chairs, pots, plastic lids, etc. After recycling it is used as plastic joists, steps for drainage manholes, car battery boxes.
Polypropylene plastic is tough and lightweight, and has excellent heat resistant qualities. It is a barrier against moisture, grease and chemicals. When you try to open the thin plastic liner on a box, it’s polypropylene. This keeps your cereal dry and fresh. PP is also commonly used for disposable diapers, pails, plastic bottle caps, margarine and yogurt containers, potato chip bags, straws, packaging tape, and cordage.
Polypropylene is recyclable through some curbside recycling programs, but only about 3% of PP products are currently recycled within the US. Recycled PP is used to form garden edging, battery boxes , brooms, containers and trays. However, #5 plastic is becoming more accepted by recyclers.
PP is considered safe for reuse. To recycle products made from PP, check with your local curb program to make sure they now accept this material.
To reduce the proportion of PP you consume, choose reusable straws over plastic ones, reusable water bottles, and cloth diapers.
Polystyrene (PS):
This is found in disposable cups for hot drinks, inside refrigerators and in advertisements.
Styrofoam is an inexpensive, lightweight, easily formed plastic with a good variety of uses. Styrofoam disposable cups for hot beverages, takeout trays and containers, egg cartons, plastic picnic cutlery, foam packaging, and the ubiquitous foam chips used to fill boxes are commonly made. shipping to protect the contents. Polystyrene is also widely used to make rigid foam insulation and underlayment for laminate flooring used in home construction.
Because polystyrene is structurally weak and ultralight, it breaks easily and is easily dispersed throughout the natural environment. Beaches all over the planet have bits of Styrofoam on their shores, and untold numbers of marine species have ingested this plastic with immeasurable health consequences.
Styrofoam can leach styrene, a possible human carcinogen, into food products (especially when heated in a microwave). The chemicals present in Styrofoam are linked to human health and endocrine and reproductive system dysfunction.
Recycling is not widely available for Styrofoam products. Most curbside pickup services don’t accept Styrofoam, which is why Styrofoam makes up about 35% of people’s landfill. While the technology to recycle Styrofoam exists, the market for recycling is small. However, consumer awareness has increased and Styrofoam is being reused more often. While it’s hard to find a recycler for Styrofoam, some companies like Mailboxes Etc. who provide shipping services are happy to take foam packaging chips for reuse.
Styrofoam should be avoided whenever possible.
To eliminate Styrofoam from your trash, try an always- reusable mug , tumbler or cooler , reusable picnic cutlery, and chrome-plated steel to-go containers .
OTHERS:
Generally these are classified in a mixture of some plastics. As examples we have Polycarbonate CDs, sauce bottles, microwave dishes. It should be noted that these plastics are not recycled. In some cases, the resins they contain are not even known with certainty.
Category #7 was designed as a catchall for polycarbonate (PC) and “other” plastics, so reuse and recycling protocols are not standardized within this category. However, the main concern with #7 plastics is the potential for chemicals to leach into food or beverages packaged in polycarbonate containers made with BPA (bisphenol A). BPA may be a xenoestrogen, a known endocrine disruptor.
Number 7 plastics are used to make baby bottles, sippy cups, device bottles, and automotive parts. BPA is found in polycarbonate plastic food containers, often marked “PC” on the bottom next to the #7 recycling label. Some polycarbonate water bottles are marketed as “non-leaching” to minimize plastic taste or odor, however, there is still the potential for small amounts of BPA to migrate from these containers, especially if they are used to heat liquids.
A new generation of compostable plastics, made up of bio-based polymers like corn starch, is being developed to interchange polycarbonates. These are also listed in category #7, which can be confusing for the buyer. These compostable plastics have the initials “PLA” in the background near the recycling symbol. Some may also say “Compostable.”
#7 plastics are not to be reused. When possible, it is best to avoid #7 plastics, especially for children’s food. Plastics with the #1, #2, and #4 recycling labels on the bottom are safer options and are BPA-free.
Source: https://www.reciclajemapres.com/post/como-identificar-el-pl%C3%A1stico