5, 6, 7, 9? Do You Know Your Plastic Number?

I admit, it's hard for me to remember all the plastic numbers when recycling, and I wish we have a plastic bin for every number because not all plastics are created equal since all plastics are made of different materials and do not melt as the same temperature. But perhaps a bigger issue than improper recycling is that US residents do not recycle enough:


Here are some tips in recycling and numbers:

Paper: Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, all the junk snail mails you receive everyday like your local store ads and coupons, colored paper, (staples are ok) corrugated cardboards, egg cartons made out of cardboards, shoe boxes, even pizza boxes (but not if there is food or is very greasy!)

Glass, plastic metal in another bin:
Plastic bottles, jugs and glass jars, metal cans, aluminum foil wrap and trays, wire handers, pots, tools, curtain rods and other household metals, cabinets and metal appliances.

Remember:
Milk cartons, juice boxes, soy milk containers and similar boxes for liquid go with glass, plastic and metal (plastic nozzles are okay).

Paper plates, napkins, cups and tissues are not accepted.

Always empty and rinse containers before putting them in the recycling.

Did you know no other glass other than jars and bottles are accepted?

Also, from Healthy Child.org, here is a list of numbers you should remind yourself of:

What to Do

The best thing to do is to reduce your use of plastic. Look for natural alternatives like textiles, solid wood, bamboo, glass, stainless steel, etc. Also, look for items with less (or no) plastic packaging. If you do buy plastic, opt for products you can recycle or re-purpose (e.g. a yogurt tub can be re-used to store crayons). And, get to know your plastics – starting with this guide:

The most common plastics have a resin code in a chasing arrow symbol (often found on the bottom of the product).

 PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate): AVOID
Common Uses: Soda Bottles, Water Bottles, Cooking Oil Bottles
Concerns: Can leach antimony and phthalates.

 HDPE (High Density Polyethylene): SAFER
Common Uses: Milk Jugs, Plastic Bags, Yogurt Cups

 PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride, aka Vinyl): AVOID
Common Uses: Condiment Bottles, Cling Wrap, Teething Rings, Toys, Shower Curtains
Concerns: Can leach lead and phthalates among other things. Can also off-gas toxic chemicals.

 LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene): SAFER
Common Uses: Produce Bags, Food Storage Containers

 PP (Polypropylene): SAFER
Common Uses: Bottle Caps, Storage Containers, Dishware

 PS (Polystyrene, aka Styrofoam): AVOID
Common Uses: Meat Trays, Foam Food Containers & Cups
Concerns: Can leach carcinogenic styrene and estrogenic alkylphenols

 Other this is a catch-all category which includes:
PC (Polycarbonate): AVOID - can leach Bisphenol-A (BPA). It also includes ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), SAN (Styrene Acrylonitrile), Acrylic, and Polyamide. These plastics can be a safer option because they are typically very durable and resistant to high heat resulting in less leaching. Their drawbacks are that they are not typically recyclable and some need additional safety research. New plant-based, biodegradable plastics like PLA (Polylactic Acid) also fall into the #7 category.