Experts Explain What Those Recycling Symbols on Your Containers Actually Mean
Consider this a cheat sheet for your recycling bin.
If you've ever gotten in a quibble with a partner or family member about sorting the recycling, you're far from alone. It feels like something that should be easy, but decoding the symbols on your milk carton or bottle of ketchup can be surprisingly hard. We tapped sustainability pros to explain recycling symbols so you can ensure everything ends up where it should.
Ensuring you’re sorting your recycling correctly can feel like a bit of a chore, but it’s important to do so. Placing the wrong items in a recycling bin can damage recycling equipment, contaminate the correct recyclable materials, and possibly result in your whole bin being tossed instead of recycled. And considering how much plastic waste is already floating around the ocean or building up in landfills, it’s much better to recycle your items where possible than toss them in the trash.
In addition to sorting your recycling correctly, you can also look for ways to reuse or upcycle your items at home. You can also try to opt for reusable items instead of single-use plastic ones where possible—for instance, using glass storage containers, metal straws, and stainless steel or glass water bottles.
Below, experts explain the recycling symbols to know and offer insights on recycling items correctly.
Understanding the meaning of recycling symbols 1-7
The symbols themselves can give you insight into where and how to recycle an item, but first, it's important to research and understand your town's legislation and rules for recycling so that you know what can and cannot be recycled in certain bins.
That's because you'll want to be aware if your town does not have a way to recycle certain materials. While Mike Brown of Brown & Wilmanns Environmental (one of GH's environmental consultants) says there's a chance your town might collect it anyway to store or dispose of, it may not be worth the risk.
"Check your municipality’s recycling guidelines for clarity on what is and is not accepted, and if you're still not sure, just throw it away," advises GH Institute Reviews Analyst Noah Pinsonnault, who has extensively studied and conducted research in the field of environmental science. "Non-recyclable items in the recycling stream cost processors time and money, and some processors will send the entire bag of items to the landfill if it contains too many non-recyclable items."
The Mobius Symbol with a number inside (1 through 7) is the symbol for Plastic Resin Identification Codes. Below, we break recycling symbols 1 through 7 down, with a detailed explanation of how to read each one.
Plastic recycling symbol #1: PET or PETE
PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) is the most common plastic for single-use bottled beverages because it's inexpensive, lightweight and easy to recycle.
PET does not degrade easily during the recycling process and thus has a lower risk of trapping decomposition products that can then leach out. Its recycling rates remain relatively low (around 20%), even though the material is in high demand by manufacturers.
♻️ Found in: Soft drinks, water, ketchup and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing; vegetable oil containers
♻️ How to recycle it: PET or PETE can be picked up through most curbside recycling programs, as long as it's been emptied and rinsed of any food. When it comes to caps, our environmental pros say it's probably better to dispose of them in the trash (since they're usually made of a different type of plastic), unless your town explicitly says you can throw them in the recycle bin. There's no need to remove bottle labels because the recycling process separates them.
♻️ Recycled into: Polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, bottles and food containers (as long as the plastic being recycled meets purity standards and doesn't contain hazardous contaminants)
Plastic recycling symbol #2: HDPE
HDPE (high-density polyethylene) is a versatile plastic with many uses, especially when it comes to packaging. It carries low risk of leaching and is readily recyclable into many types of goods.
♻️ Found in: Milk jugs; juice bottles; bleach, detergent and other household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; some trash bags and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; butter and yogurt tubs; cereal box liners.
♻️ How to recycle it: HDPE can be picked up through most curbside recycling programs. Pinsonnault suggests checking if your municipality prefers containers (like household cleaner bottles) to be recycled with or without lids.
"The sprayers on spray bottles are unlikely to be recycled in most municipalities because they are often composed of multiple types of plastic and may contain other materials like metal springs," he says. Items like grocery bags and plastic wrap are categorized as film plastics and they usually can't be recycled in a curbside bin, but some stores will collect and recycle them.
♻️ Recycled into: Laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, pens, recycling containers, floor tiles, drainage pipes, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencing and shampoo bottles
Plastic recycling symbol #3: PVC or V
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and V (vinyl) are tough and weather well, so they're commonly used for things like piping and siding. PVC is also cheap, so it's found in plenty of products and packaging.
Because chlorine is part of PVC, it can result in the release of highly dangerous dioxins during manufacturing. Remember to never burn PVC, because it releases toxins.
♻️ Found in: Blister packaging, wire jacketing, siding, windows and piping
♻️ How to recycle it: PVC and V can rarely be recycled, but they are accepted by some plastic lumber makers. If you need to dispose of either material, ask your local waste management provider to see if you should put it in the trash or drop it off at a collection center.
♻️ Recycled into: Decks, paneling, mud flaps, roadway gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps and mats
Plastic recycling symbol #4: LDPE
LDPE (low-density polyethylene) is a flexible plastic with many applications. Historically, it hasn't been accepted through most American recycling programs, but more and more communities are starting to accept it.
♻️ Found in: Squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags; Ziploc bags; tote bags; furniture
♻️ How to recycle it: While LDPE is not often recycled through curbside programs, it's possible your community might accept it. That would mean anything made with LDPE (like toothpaste tubes) can be thrown in the trash.
Much like symbol #2, HDPE, plastic shopping bags can often be returned to stores for recycling. Most plastic bags are either resin code #2 or #4, but Pinsonnault recommends fully cleaning and drying them before recycling. "To recycle a Ziploc bag, wash any residue from both the inside and the outside of the bag and allow it to dry completely before bringing it to a drop-off site," he says.
♻️ Recycled into: Trash can liners and cans, compost bins, shipping envelopes, paneling, lumber, landscaping ties and floor tiles
Plastic recycling symbol #5: PP
PP (polypropylene) has a high melting point, so it's often chosen for containers that hold hot liquid. It's gradually becoming more accepted by recyclers.
♻️ Found in: Some yogurt containers; syrup and medicine bottles; caps; straws
♻️ How to recycle it: PP can be recycled through some curbside programs — just don't forget to make sure there's no food left inside. It's best to throw loose caps into the garbage, since they easily slip through screens during recycling and end up as trash anyway.
♻️ Recycled into: Signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets and trays
Plastic recycling symbol #6: PS
PS (polystyrene) can be made into rigid or foam products — in the latter case, it's popularly known by the trademark Styrofoam. Styrene monomer (a type of molecule) can leach into foods and is a possible human carcinogen, while styrene oxide is classified as a probable carcinogen.
The material was long on environmentalists' hit lists for dispersing widely across the landscape and for being notoriously difficult to recycle. Most places still don't accept it in foam forms because it's 98% air.
♻️ Found in: Disposable plates and cups; meat trays; egg cartons; carryout containers, aspirin bottles and CD cases
♻️ How to recycle it: Not many curbside recycling programs accept PS in the form of rigid plastics (and many manufacturers have switched to using PET instead). Because foam products tend to break apart into smaller pieces, you should place them in a bag, squeeze out the air and tie the bag up before putting it in the trash to prevent pellets from dispersing.
♻️ Recycled into: Insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, vents, rulers, foam packing and carryout containers
Plastic recycling symbol #7: Miscellaneous
A wide variety of plastic resins that don't fit into the previous categories are lumped into this one. Polycarbonate is a #7 plastic — it's the clear, hard plastic that has worried parents ever since studies have shown that BPA (bisphenol A), one of polycarbonate's building blocks, is a hormone disruptor. "Because of these issues, numerous manufacturers have transitioned to BPA-free plastics; however, certain substitutes (such as BPS and BPF) might also disrupt endocrine function," says Sabina Wizemann, Director of the Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab. To reduce exposure, she says it's advisable to steer clear of plastic containers marked #3, #6 or #7, especially when microwaving food or beverages.
PLA (polylactic acid), which is made from plants and is carbon-neutral, also falls into the #7 category.
♻️ Found in: Three- and five-gallon water bottles; bulletproof materials; sunglasses; DVDs; clear plastic cutlery; lighting fixtures; signs and displays; certain food containers; nylon
♻️ How to recycle it: These other plastics are traditionally not recycled, so don't expect your local provider to accept them. The best option is to consult your municipality's website for specific instructions.
♻️ Recycled into: Plastic lumber and custom-made products
Non-Plastic Recycling Symbols
Glass: The Mobius symbol (the classic three arrows in a circle) with a bottle and a jar in the middle indicates that you can recycle the glass. In general, glass is typically recyclable even without this symbol. Wizemann says the only exception is when it is tempered (AKA, chemically treated) to withstand high temperatures. "For those, it is best to check if your local recycling program accepts them, as they require specialized facilities that can melt them," Wizemann suggests.
Metal: The Mobius symbol with an aluminum can is for metal or steel, which are both generally recyclable. It's still always best to check with your local recycling facility, but stainless steel water bottles and aluminum are usually recyclable with or without this symbol.
Should I clean an item before recycling it?
After eating yogurt with a plastic spoon or spaghetti with tomato sauce in a plastic container, there may be some food left on the item. Before you toss the sauce-stained container or dirty plastic utensil in a recycling bin, you'll want to give it a quick wipe or rinse.
"In municipalities that provide a single-stream recycling program (i.e., all recyclables go into the same bin), residues on plastic such as leftover food or cleaning solutions can contaminate other items like paper and cardboard and prevent them from being recycled," Pinsonnault explains. "Excess food residue or other materials can also be time-consuming and costly to remove at processing facilities."
That said, there's no need to stress yourself out about making sure each plastic bottle or container is spotless before tossing it in the recycling bin. "One or two quick rinses should suffice in preventing contamination to other recyclable items," Pinsonnault says. "Beyond that, it can be a waste of water and time."
Why is recycling important?
A study published in the journal Science and reported widely by the World Economic Forum estimated that 8.8 million tons of plastic packaging ends up in our oceans every year.
Recycling is important for many reasons, including the fact that it can help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and oceans. This can help alleviate environmental issues, such as pollution and habitat destruction.
Why are there different recycling symbols?
While it would be much easier to throw anything made of plastic into one bin and place it outside for curbside pickup, not properly following the guidance of recycling symbols can result in the entire bin being discarded. Placing the wrong items in a recycling bin can also damage recycling equipment, contaminate the correct recyclable materials or negatively affect the recycling process.
Pinsonnault says that understanding the recycling symbols designated for each type of plastic aids in effectively segregating them based on specific processing criteria. "Different plastics have varying processing needs such as different melting temperatures, and they are ultimately recycled into different products," he notes.
Some factories manually separate the plastics themselves or have equipment that can do so, but it's always best to check what symbols are accepted in a recycling bin or for your curbside pickup.
Isabella (she/her) covers commerce and product-related content in the home, lifestyle, fitness, technology and beauty. She graduated from Binghamton University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in English: Literature & Rhetoric. Before joining GH, she was an editorial assistant at Prevention, where she covered health topics and celebrity news.
Amina is a product review writer and editor who worked as an editorial assistant in the Good Housekeeping Institute from 2018 to 2020, writing original content based on GH Lab experts' product testing and analysis. Amina graduated from Montclair State University with a B.A. in communication studies and journalism.
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