What do recycling symbols mean?

Question

What does a recycling symbol with a 4 under it mean?

Answer 1

I'm not sure what you mean by this, but lets take plastics as an example. Most plastic items have their basic make-up indicated on the packaging eithe embossed, or printed.

For instance, Coke bottles are made from PETE (Poly-ethyl-tetra-ethylene) which is recycled and made into fleece material (yes, really) and this plastic compound comes in various forms and hardnesses, depending on the amount of  plasticizing agents used, but essentially, most plastics are recyclable.

Supermarkets are making an effort to reduce the amount of plastic bags they use (up to 5 billion a year) to reduce landfill. Recent developments in plastics have led to some bags being made from degradeable plastic. I have purchased a couple of  heavy-duty plastic bags so that I minimise the number of bags I 'collect' whenever I do my weekly shop. These bags have thus far saved me having to recycle up to 4 of the thinner bags a week, and even the ones I have are used over and over until they can't be used again.

Check out the links for more.

Answer 2

Plastic products have recycling codes that indicate what they are made of which, in turn, indicates how they need to be recycled.  For example, the "4" on your plastic indicates that it is made of low-density polyethylene which can be recycled into things like shipping envelopes, indoor garbage bags and outdoor lumber.

For more information go to this website: http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_plast...

And, an extentions of that website is this chart, indicating what each resin number means: http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_plast...

Answer 3

I am sorry but I have to correct a previous response.  

For plastics, the number inside the symbol tells you what type of plastic it is.  Not all plastic is the same.  

Which can be recycled?  This depends on your local recycling program.  For example, my recycler accepts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7.  They can not accept 6 because they have no use for it yet.

So contact your local recycler and see which plastics they can accept.

Answer 4

that means that it is not recycleable. only 1s and 2s mean that they are able to be recycled. the triangle means reduce reuse and recycle

Answer 5

It is a plastic made of LDPE, or "Low Density Polyethylene".  It is recyclable, but not all municipalities take it.  To find out if yours does, just call your local waste management office.

There is a ton of information about LDPE.  Wikipedia, is a start.

Answer 6

There are many different recycle symbols!

This website has a lot of explanation in simple terms---

http://www.earthodyssey.com/symbols.html