What the plastic recycling numbers really mean
Ever wonder what the recycling numbers you see on plastic materials actually mean? You're not alone! These numbers are everywhere, but no one has ever sat you down and walked you through, what each of them means, until now. To help you recycle more and waste less, we’re spilling the beans on plastic recycling numbers to help set you up for success. So what do they mean?
The key thing to remember is that the numbers indicate what it's made of, not that it's necessarily recyclable.
To be recyclable, a plastic type has to be:
Simple to sort
Easy to process into a new raw material
In demand with an end-market available for it’s post-recycled state.
While #1 and #2 plastics are relatively easy to recycle, the other five present more challenges.
This is where we can help with our handy guide to the numbers you’ll find on plastics and what you can do with them!
#1 Plastic
Where will I find this type of plastic? Water bottles, clamshell containers, condiment containers
What is it made of? Polyethylene-terephthalate (PET)
Is it easy to recycle curbside? In general, yes. This type of plastic is easy to recycle. There are readily available end markets for the resin, allowing most curbside recycling programs to accept it. The exception is plastic clamshells, which, while made of the same material, are harder to recycle since they have a different density, melt differently, and are too light to be easily sorted at many recycling facilities.
Can Ridwell take it? It depends. Ridwell can accept #1 clear plastic clamshells in some areas where members cannot recycle them curbside. Ridwell does not accept bottles, condiment containers and other #1 plastics as they are already widely accepted in curbside recycling programs
What can it be recycled into? #1 plastic is easy to turn into plastic pellets which can become new plastic bottles or fiber to make fleece jackets. Our partner, Green Impact Plastics, turns the clear plastic clamshells we collect into new plastic clamshells.
#2 Plastic
Where will I find this type of plastic? Shampoo bottles, laundry detergent containers, cereal bags, some grocery bags, and milk jugs
What is it made of? High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
Is it easy to recycle curbside? This is one of the easier-to-recycle types of plastic out there thanks to its high density; it can be recycled up to 10 times! Most curbside programs accept #2 plastic containers, but not #2 plastic film or bags.
Can Ridwell take it? Some of it! Ridwell can take #2 plastic film like grocery bags or cereal bags, #2 materials not accepted in most curbside recycle bins.
What can it be recycled into? #2 rigid plastic usually becomes new containers, toys, pens, or floor tiles. Ridwell turns all of our #2 and #4 plastics into decking and furniture thanks to our partner Trex.
#3 Plastic
Where will I find this type of plastic? Plastic plumbing pipes, some gift cards
What is it made of? Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Is it easy to recycle curbside? No. This type of plastic is hard-to-recycle, though some vinyl recycling facilities do exist.
Can Ridwell take it? In some areas! We run trials of new materials often, usually as featured categories. If you’re a Ridwell member, check your dashboard to see your local upcoming featured categories.
What can it be recycled into? The 3# plastic we pick up goes to our partner ByFusion to become alternative building materials. It can also be made into pipes, fencing, and non-food bottles.
#4 Plastic
Where will I find this type of plastic? Bread bags, bubble wrap
What is it made of? Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
Is it easy to recycle curbside? Not usually, but check your local recycling guidelines. Most curbside recycling services do not accept this plastic type. Because it’s so light, thin, and stretchy #4 plastic can often tangles up the sorting machinery at a recycling facility..
Can Ridwell take it? Yes! This type of plastic film is one of our core categories.
What can it be recycled into? Ridwell sends all of your #2 and #4 plastic film to our partner Trex, who turns it into decking and furniture.
#5 Plastic
Where will I find this type of plastic? Yogurt containers, prescription pill bottles
What is it made of? Polypropylene (PP)
Is it easy to recycle curbside? No. Polypropylene is hard to clean and once recycled becomes an unappealing color for packaging, making it less economical to recycle.
Can Ridwell take it? In some areas!
What can it be recycled into? #5 plastic can be turned into battery cables and cases, brooms, brushes, bicycle racks, and ice scrapers. Ridwell sends pill bottles of all colors to Merlin Plastics for recycling. Merlin uses state of the art recycling technology to sort and separate the plastics by type and color, then pelletizes them for reuse as a PCR (post consumer resin) in new products.
#6 Plastic
Where will I find this type of plastic? Styrofoam, including insulated takeout food boxes, rigid electronics packaging, and insulated coffee cups
What is it made of? Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) aka Styrofoam
Is it easy to recycle curbside? No. Since Styrofoam is so light, fragile and bulky, it breaks up easily, making it hard to sort and recycle. This also makes it likely to break down and end up in our oceans, making it extra important to keep it out of the environment.
Can Ridwell take it? In some areas, yes! We offer Styrofoam pickup as an add-on service in many areas.
What can it be recycled into? Our partners turn #6 plastic like Styrofoam into crown molding, picture frames, and desk organizers.
#7 Plastic
Where will I find this type of plastic? A truly wild grab bag of things including car parts, baby bottles, medical equipment, electrical wiring, cosmetics containers, and multi-layer flexible food bags like the ones beef jerky comes in.
What is it made of? #7 literally means “other” and, more confusingly, is often not labeled at all. Plastic in this category can be made of many different types of plastic resins or even a blend of several types of plastics.
Is it easy to recycle curbside? No. Since #7 contains such a wide variety of different types of plastic resins, sometimes mixed into one material, it’s almost impossible to recycle these plastics at scale.
Can Ridwell take it? Yes! We pick up multi-layer plastic packaging as a core category on our Plastic Plus and Unlimited plans.
What can it be recycled into? Since this category accounts for a head-spinning array of items, it’s often very hard to recycle it. That said, we partner with two highly innovative companies, HydroBlox and ByFusion. HydroBlox creates innovative drainage solutions and ByFusion makes alternative building materials.