In the United States, most products have a recycling code printed somewhere on the surface. This includes all types of packaging, including plastic packaging, cardboard packaging, glass and metal. Each of these codes identifies what materials were used to create the products and they are helpful to those who work at recycling facilities. Here is some information about the different codes and what they mean.
The codes might look all the similar, just a number or two inside of a triangle. To identify the actual materials used for making the item, it is the number embossed inside the triangle which is the key. The numbers ranging from 1 to 7 are used solely for plastics and will refer to the resin identification codes or basically the types of polymers that were used. For example, with polyethylene terephthalate, the mark you will see would be a triangle with the number 1 or 01 in it and this means it is a thermoplastic that is usually used for making products like soda bottles and water bottles. The number 9 is also used in addition to the seven numbers for the kind of plastic called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Sometimes the letters ABS are used instead, and this plastic is used to make computer and cellular phone parts.
Paper is another item that shows up in large amounts at recycling facilities. The numbers 20, 21, 22 and 23 are used to identify different types of paper products. A 20 identifies the item as cardboard, and 21 as paper such as magazines and mailed items. Regular paper, such as notebook and printer paper, is part of the category that is identified by number 22. Paperboard, which is thick paper used to make book covers, greeting cards and poster board is known by the number 23.
The number 40 or 41 are used for metals. Steel uses the number 40 while for aluminum the number 41 is used. Sometimes though the number 41 is not used for aluminum but instead there are letters used - ALU. Aluminum can be used again and again to create products because it is the most recyclable metal on the planet. Almost all "tin" cans are made by using aluminum due to its abundance and malleability.
Organic materials such as wood, cork and cotton also have their own number designations. For example, wood has been given a code of 50. Cork is listed as number 51 and it's not just used to preserve wine. Cork is also used for flooring, in musical instruments and sometimes even in printers. Cotton is designated as number 60 and you might be surprised to know that some cotton actually can be recycled.
There is another material though that is separated by different categories and that is the glass which many recycling facilities identify them with ten different versions. Separated by color, glass is generally differentiated with categories like clear glass, green glass, dark glass and so on. There is also a section for composites which could include an item that is a combination of paper and plastic. In many places, only aluminum and plastics with a 1 or a 2 printed on them can be recycled, although potentially all thermoplastic packaging can be recycled, it's just a question of having a facility to recycle these materials.
The codes might look all the similar, just a number or two inside of a triangle. To identify the actual materials used for making the item, it is the number embossed inside the triangle which is the key. The numbers ranging from 1 to 7 are used solely for plastics and will refer to the resin identification codes or basically the types of polymers that were used. For example, with polyethylene terephthalate, the mark you will see would be a triangle with the number 1 or 01 in it and this means it is a thermoplastic that is usually used for making products like soda bottles and water bottles. The number 9 is also used in addition to the seven numbers for the kind of plastic called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Sometimes the letters ABS are used instead, and this plastic is used to make computer and cellular phone parts.
Paper is another item that shows up in large amounts at recycling facilities. The numbers 20, 21, 22 and 23 are used to identify different types of paper products. A 20 identifies the item as cardboard, and 21 as paper such as magazines and mailed items. Regular paper, such as notebook and printer paper, is part of the category that is identified by number 22. Paperboard, which is thick paper used to make book covers, greeting cards and poster board is known by the number 23.
The number 40 or 41 are used for metals. Steel uses the number 40 while for aluminum the number 41 is used. Sometimes though the number 41 is not used for aluminum but instead there are letters used - ALU. Aluminum can be used again and again to create products because it is the most recyclable metal on the planet. Almost all "tin" cans are made by using aluminum due to its abundance and malleability.
Organic materials such as wood, cork and cotton also have their own number designations. For example, wood has been given a code of 50. Cork is listed as number 51 and it's not just used to preserve wine. Cork is also used for flooring, in musical instruments and sometimes even in printers. Cotton is designated as number 60 and you might be surprised to know that some cotton actually can be recycled.
There is another material though that is separated by different categories and that is the glass which many recycling facilities identify them with ten different versions. Separated by color, glass is generally differentiated with categories like clear glass, green glass, dark glass and so on. There is also a section for composites which could include an item that is a combination of paper and plastic. In many places, only aluminum and plastics with a 1 or a 2 printed on them can be recycled, although potentially all thermoplastic packaging can be recycled, it's just a question of having a facility to recycle these materials.
About the Author:
Lenna Stockwell loves blogging about how stuff is made. For more details about custom packaging solutions or to discover more about retail product packaging options, please visit the Indepak.com site now.
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