We deal with many plastic products in our daily lives, and it often becomes difficult to know what plastic items can be recycled and which items need to go to landfill..Plastic products often contain a number between one and seven inside a triangle made of arrows. This is referred to as a resin code. The presence of such a symbol on the plastic item however does not mean that the product can be recycled. The number depicted inside the triangle on the product indicates the type of plastic it contains and as such, whether it is widely recycled, sometimes recycled, or perhaps e not recycled at all. Plastic can be the most complex material to recycle, because the public doesn’t know what types can be recycled and how best to dispose of the non-recyclable plastics..Below is a guideline that can be used.
Number 1 Plastics : PET or PETE (Polyethylene terephthalate)
Number 1 PET or PETE Plastic products CAN be recycled
PET or PETE is mostly used for single-use bottled beverages, because it’s lightweight, inexpensive and easily recycled. This highly demanded plastic does not degrade easily during the recycling process.
Examples: Soft drink, water and other drink bottles, peanut butter containers, tomatoe sauce (ketchup) plastic containers, salad dressing bottles, mouthwash bottles and vegetable oil containers.
Recycling:: Most recyclers and recycling drop off points accept PET and PETE plastic products
Number 2 Plastics: HDPE (High density polyethylene)
Number 2 Plastic products CAN be recycled
HDPE is a versatile plastic, used in goods and packaging. As a result it is widely available with many uses. It carries low risk of leaching and is easily recyclable.
Examples: Bleach, detergent, household cleaner bottles, sturdy cosmetic bottles, fruit juice bottles, plastic milk containers, shampoo and conditioner bottles; certain trash bags and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; yogurt tubs, butter an margarine containers.
Recycling: Most recyclers and recycling drop off points accept HDPE plastic products
Number 3 Plastics: PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) and V (Vinyl)
Number 3 Plastic products (PVC & V) are RARELY recycled
PVC is a flexible, soft plastic that can be used for a large number of household products and packaging. PVC and Vinyl are cheap, tough and weather well,
Examples: Plastic tubing, PVC piping and siding, blister packaging, kids toys, plastic trays, some garden furniture and wire jacketing (insulation).
Recycling:: PVC and V are seldom recycled. However with almost 50 PVC recyclers that operate throughout South Africa it is worthwhile checking if there is one near you. To find a South African PVC/Vinyl recycler near you consult the following website: https://southern-african-vinyls-association.mailchimpsites.com/general-1
WARNING: PVC products should NEVER be burnt, because it releases toxins, due to the chlorine contained in PVC.
Number 4 Plastics: LDPE (Low density polyethylene)
Number 4 Plastic products (LDPE) are SOMETIMES recycled
A large number of plastic wrappings and bags are made of LDPE plastic, mainly because of its flexible properties.
Examples: Sliced bread loaf packets, squeezable bottles, fresh produce bags, frozen food packets, dry-cleaning plastic, some shopping bags, tote bags and some furniture.
Recycling: Some (but not all) recyclers and recycling drop off points accept LDPE plastic products, while plastic shopping bags can often be reused or returned to stores for recycling. Toothpaste tubes can be thrown into the trash.
Number 5 Plastics: PP (Polypropylene)
Number 5 Plastic products (PP) are SOMETIMES recycled
Polypropylene has a high melting point and is suitable for containers that may hold hot liquids. It is often used to make food containers
Examples: Straws, some bottle caps and lids, some medicine bottles rope, carpets and food containers (margarine tubs, sour cream, syrup and yogurt containers)
Recycling: PP plastic is becoming more accepted by recyclers. Ensure that containers are well washed and cleaned. Lids should be left on all containers and not separated as they can slip through screens in the recycling process.
Number 6 Plastics: PS (Polystyrene)
Number 6 Plastic products (PS) are Seldom recycled
Polystyrene can be made into foam or rigid products. Styrofoam is one of the plastics made from polystyrene
Examples: Disposable coffee cups and picnic plates, egg cartons, meat trays, fast food take away containers, coolers, packing peanuts, CD covers (cases) and aspirin bottles.
Recycling: Very few recyclers and drop off points accept polystyrene products in foam form, because it’s 98% air. If a recycler can be identified, ensure all items are washed before they are handed over. Due to the nature of these foam products (breaking into small pieces), they should be placed in a sealed bag before putting them into the rubbish bag.
WARNING: The Styrene monomer molecule can leach into foods and is a possible human carcinogen, while styrene oxide is classified as a probable carcinogen. (Cancer risk)
Number 7 Plastics: Other
Number 7 Plastic (other) are Sometimes recycled
All plastic items that don’t fit into one of the first six categories, are classified as type 7 plastics. These plastics are normally made out of many plastic types or out of another type of plastic not previously classified. Most are not easily recycled.
Examples: Eye glasses, baby bottles, plastic CDs, plastic jars, tubs, exterior lighting fixtures and certain car parts..
Recycling: What makes this category difficult is that it includes recyclable, non-recyclable, and biodegradable plastics. Rigid number 7 plastic containers such as jars, tubs, bottles and cups may be recyclable. Such items must be empty and rinsed clean. Lids can in most cases be left on. Consult your recycler or drop off point to see what they may accept..
SUMMARY
Probably the biggest problem with recycling plastic is that consumers automatically assume that all items that contain a recycling triangle can be recycled. This is definitely not the case. In South Africa a large amount of plastics cannot yet be recycled. This sadly means it ends up in landfill. You will also find that what can be recycled often depends on what is profitable for recyclers. Small towns will in most cases have no or very few recycling options while larger cities often have numerous recyclers.
In some cases plastics may contain no recycling symbol or guideline on the product, which makes it a bit of a guessing game. You will also find that recycling businesses are similar to retailers with some being specialists like in the case of paper, glass or metal recyclers. On the other hand you also have the general recyclers who accept a wide range of different recyclables.
In order to recycle most of your recyclables it may require going to more than one recycle point to dispose of your items. This is often cumbersome and time concuming, often leading to extra fuel costs. The other alternative is to find a recycling company that will collect all of your recyclables for a fee.
Please make the effort to recycle what you can, because every little bit is a step in the right direction.
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