What Types of Plastics Can Be Recycled?

Plastic recycling directly affects a range of

Plastics are identified by numbers 1 through 7. The plastic identifier is typically located on the bottom of the packaging. This code corresponds to the specific type of plastic. The list below illustrates examples of the identifier and examples of products that fall within each group.  

#2 HDPE (High-density polyethylene) – Milk bottles, detergent bottles, yogurt and margarine tubs, cereal box liners and grocery, trash and retail shopping bags. 

#3 PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) – Cling free film (plastic wrap), vegetable oil bottles, loose-leaf binders and plastic pipes  

#4 LDPE (Low-density polyethylene) – Dry cleaning bags, produce bags, trash can liners, newspaper bags, bread bags, frozen food bags and squeezable bottles, such as mustard and honey  

#5 PP (Polypropylene) – Medicine bottles, ketchup bottles, medicine bottles, aerosol caps and drinking straws 

#6 PS (Polystyrene) – Retail compact disc jackets, grocery store meat trays, egg cartons, aspirin bottles, foam packaging peanuts and plastic tableware         

#7 Other - Three- and five-gallon reusable water bottles, certain kinds of food containers and Tupperware. Generally considered all other forms of plastic not included in #1 - #6.