Over dinner, I share something surprising I recently learned: the recycle symbol on plastic isn’t a guarantee your item is ...

Plastic recycling symbols only tell you what type of plastic an item is made from — not that the item is recyclable. Plastics 1, 2, and 5 are typically recyclable, while 3, 4, 6, and 7 can ...

Besides their good habits of buying items with minimal packaging, their city offers comprehensive curbside recycling and composting — and it’s strongly expected that everyone know how to use them ...

#4 LDPE—Low-Density Polyethylene This flexible plastic is finding its way into more recycling programs nationwide. It's used to make plastic wrap, tote bags, grocery bags, and squeezable bottles.

What went wrong But not every plastic with the symbol on it can be easily recycled. Inside the chasing arrows symbol sits a small number, called a resin identification code, or RIC.

Understand the recycling symbols' meaning and what plastics can't be recycled with our helpful plastic recycling symbols chart. PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) is the most common plastic ...

A potent symbol The reason for the confusion is the resin identification code — a number from 1 to 7 encircled by the chasing arrows appearing on plastic products since early 1990s. Nearly 40 ...

The symbols are meant to signify what type of resin plastic the container is made of, so consumers know whether or not they can recycle them.