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The Meaning of the 7 Plastic Recycling Numbers
Last Updated: 28 May 2025
Plastic is everywhere—used in everything from cars and toys to packaging, clothing, and household items. Its versatility is unmatched, but so are the environmental challenges it creates. From clogged streets and polluted waterways to the growing threat plastic poses to marine life, the impact is hard to ignore. That’s where recycling comes in.
By recycling plastic, we can cut down on pollution, reduce landfill waste, and conserve natural resources—using far less energy than it takes to produce new plastic from scratch. But not all plastics are created equal. To recycle effectively, it helps to understand the 7 plastic recycling numbers—what they mean, and how they guide us in making smarter and greener choices.
Plastic Recycling Numbers and Their Meanings
Here are some key points to start with:
Plastic Recycling Symbol No. 1: Pet or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate)
Pet or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) represents a standard plastic found in water bottles, food containers, and more. This plastic is recyclable. You can recycle PETE into items such as food containers, bottles, furniture, carpets, polar fleece, straps, panelling, fibre, and eco-friendly bags.
Plastic Recycling Symbol No. 2: HDPE (high-density polyethylene)
HDPE (high-density polyethylene) appears in milk jugs, grocery bags, and boxes. You can recycle HDPE into floor tiles, shampoo containers, oil bottles, laundry bottles, picnic tables, pens, benches, and dog houses.
Plastic Recycling Symbol No. 3: PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is often used in pipes, tubing, and building materials. Recycling PVC allows the production of new products such as pipes, flooring, siding, gutters, mats, decks, roadway gutters, cables, and speed bumps.
Plastic Recycling Symbol No. 4: LDPE (low-density polyethylene)
LDPE (low-density polyethylene) is primarily used to make bags, wraps, and food packaging. Recycling LDPE also produces products like garbage bags, envelopes, shopping bags, shipping envelopes, landscaping ties, panelling, floor tiles, and lumber.
Plastic Recycling Symbol No. 5: PP (polypropylene)
Due to its high melting point, polypropylene (PP) is used for containers that hold hot liquids. Furthermore, you’ll find PP containers like yogurt containers, medicine bottles, straws, and caps. Additionally, recycled PP transforms into trays, signal lights, pallets, battery cables, bins, brooms, rakes, brushes, ice scrapers, bicycle racks, and more.
Plastic Recycling Symbol No. 6: PS (polystyrene)
PS (polystyrene) often exists in foam cups, packing peanuts, and small items. Due to its lightweight nature, it is great for packaging and easy shipping. Additionally, recycling polystyrene leads to products like insulation, roofing shingles, packing crates, light switch plates, egg cartons, foam packing, vents, rulers, and carry-out containers.
Plastic Recycling Symbol No. 7: Miscellaneous
This symbol covers plastics that don’t fit the previous categories. Polycarbonate falls into this category as well. This clear, hard plastic is found in items such as bullet-proof materials, water bottles, computer cases, DVDs, sunglasses, signs, displays, and nylon. Hence, recycling this plastic can create custom-made products and plastic lumber.
Get Your Custom Eco Friendly Products Now!
At Cubic Promote, we get that choosing the right promotional products matters—not just for your brand, but for the planet too. That’s why we offer a wide selection of custom merchandise made from recycled and sustainable materials. Whether you’re after eco-friendly clothing, reusable straws, bags, sticky notes, or stationery, we’ve got you covered. We know there are a lot of options out there, and it can be overwhelming. That’s why we focus on making the choice easier by providing high-quality, thoughtfully made custom eco friendly products you can feel good about. When you work with us, you’re not just promoting your brand—you’re making a positive impact too.
