Recycling codes

Recycling codes are used to identify the material from which an item is made, to facilitate easier recycling or other reprocessing. Having a recycling code, the chasing arrows logo or a resin code on an item is not an automatic indicator that a material is recyclable but rather an explanation of what the item is. Such symbols have been defined for batteries, biomatter/organic material, glass, metals, paper, and plastics. Various countries have adopted different codes. For example, the Table below shows the polymer resin codes (plastic) for a country. In the USA there are fewer as ABS is grouped in with other in group 7. Other countries have a more granular recycling code system. For example, China's polymer identification system has seven different classifications of plastic, five different symbols for post-consumer paths, and 140 identification codes^[1] The lack of codes in some countries has encouraged those who can fabricate their own plastic products, such as RepRap and other prosumer 3-D printer users, to adopt a voluntary recycling code based on the more comprehensive Chinese system.^[2]

List

Symbol	Code	Description	Examples
Plastics (see resin identification code[3]) [4]
	#1 PET(E)	Polyethylene terephthalate	Polyester fibers, soft drink bottles
	#2 PEHD or HDPE	High-density polyethylene	Plastic bottles, plastic bags, trash cans, imitation wood
	#3 PVC	Polyvinyl chloride	Window frames, bottles for chemicals, flooring, plumbing pipes
	#4 PELD or LDPE	Low-density polyethylene	Plastic bags, buckets, soap dispenser bottles, plastic tubes
	#5 PP	Polypropylene	Bumpers, car interior trim, industrial fibers, carry-out beverage cups
	#6 PS	Polystyrene	Toys, flower pots, video cassettes, ashtrays, trunks, beverage/food coolers, beer cups, wine and champagne cups, carry-out food containers, Styrofoam
	#7 O (OTHER)	All other plastics	Polycarbonate (PC), polyamide (PA), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), acrylic plastics/polyacrylonitrile (PAN), bioplastics
	#9 or #ABS	Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene	Monitor/TV cases, coffee makers, cell phones, most computer plastic
	PA	Polyamide	Nylon
Batteries (see also battery recycling)
	#8 Lead	Lead–acid battery	Car batteries
	#9 or #19 Alkaline	Alkaline battery
	#10 NiCD	Nickel–cadmium battery
	#11 NiMH	Nickel–metal hydride battery
	#12 Li	Lithium battery
	#13 SO(Z)	Silver-oxide battery
	#14 CZ	Zinc–carbon battery
Paper
	#20 C PAP (PCB)	Cardboard
	#21 PAP	Other paper	Mixed paper magazines, mail
	#22 PAP	Wax Paper (single sided)	McDonald's: fast food sandwich wrappers, meat packing, gum wrappers, some drink boxes, BetaMax boxes.
	#23 PBD (PPB)	Paperboard	Greeting cards, frozen food boxes, book covers
Metals
	#40 FE	Steel
	#41 ALU	Aluminium
Biomatter/Organic material
	#50 FOR	Wood
	#51 FOR	Cork	Bottle stoppers, place mats, construction material
	#60 COT	Cotton
	#61 TEX	Jute
	#62-69 TEX	Other Textiles
Glass
	#70 GLS	Mixed Glass Container/Multi-Part Container
	#71 GLS	Clear Glass
	#72 GLS	Green Glass
	#73 GLS	Dark Sort Glass
	#74 GLS	Light Sort Glass
	#75 GLS	Light Leaded Glass	Televisions, high-end electronics display glass
	#76 GLS	Leaded Glass	Older televisions, ash trays, older beverage holders
	#77 GLS	Copper Mixed / Copper Backed Glass	Electronics, LCD display heads, clocks, watches
	#78 GLS	Silver Mixed / Silver Backed Glass	Mirrors, formal table settings
	#79 GLS	Gold Mixed / Gold Backed Glass	Computer glass, formal table settings
Composites (80—99)
	#81 PapPet	Paper + plastic	Consumer packaging, pet food bags, cold store grocery bags, Icecream containers, cardboard cans, disposable plates
	#82	Paper and fibreboard / Aluminium
	#83	Paper and fibreboard / Tinplate
	#84 C/PAP (or PapAl)	Paper and cardboard / Plastic / Aluminium	Liquid storage containers, juice boxes, cardboard cans, cigarette pack liners, gum wrappers, cartage shells for blanks, fireworks colouring material, Tetra Brik.
	#85	Paper and fibreboard / plastic / aluminium / tinplate
#87 Card-stock Laminate	Biodegradable plastic	Laminating material, special occasion cards, bookmarks, business cards, flyers/advertising
	#90	Plastics / Aluminium
	#91	Plastic / Tinplate
	#92	Plastic / Miscellaneous metals
	#95	Glass / Plastic
	#96	Glass / Aluminium
	#97	Glass / Tinplate
	#98	Glass / Miscellaneous metals

See also

• Resin identification code
• Japanese recycling symbols
• Waste hierarchy
• Waste management
• Food safe symbol
• Bag It (documentary)

References

1. Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC) GB16288,2008. Marking of plastics products. Chinese Standard Publishing House, Beijing; 2008.
2. Emily J. Hunt, Chenlong Zhang, Nick Anzalone, Joshua M. Pearce, Polymer recycling codes for distributed manufacturing with 3-D printers, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 97, pp. 24-30 (2015). DOI:10.1016/j.resconrec.2015.02.004
3. Plastic Packaging Resins American Chemistry Council
4. Official Journal of the EC; Commission Decision (97/129/EC) establishing the ID system for packaging materials pursuant to European Parliament & Council Directive 94/62/EC

External links

• Christie Engineering Standard – Packaging Labeling and Design for Environment Guidelines Includes lists of material codes in several countries.
• Packaging Ordinance Germany Includes lists of material codes in Germany.