recycling symbols explained uk

Recycling symbols explained

• Widely recycled. This label is applied to packaging that is collected by 75% or more of local authorities across the UK, for example plastic bottles.
• Widely recycled - rinse. ...
• The Green Dot. ...
• Mobius Loop. ...
• Plastic resin codes. ...
• Glass recycling. ...
• Recyclable aluminium. ...
• Recyclable steel. ...
• Tidyman. ...
• Waste electricals. ...

More items...

Full Answer

What do those recycling symbols mean, anyway?

What Does the Recycling Symbol Mean, Anyway?

1. Recyclable (Sometimes, Some Places) Meaning #1: An item with this symbol on it is recyclable somewhere. This doesn’t mean an item is recyclable in San José!
2. Made From Recycled Materials. The recycling symbol over a dark circle means that the item was made from recycled materials. ...
3. Plastic Resin Code, or Type of Plastic. ...
4. The How2Recycle Label. ...

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What do recycling symbols mean?

The Meaning of Recycle Symbols on Plastics

• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET)
• High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
• Vinyl (V or PVC)
• Polypropylene (PP)
• Polystyrene (PS)
• Miscellaneous Plastics

What is the meaning of the recycling symbol?

This symbol means that the item can be recycled, but it must be rinsed/cleaned before you throw it away. This is often used on food packaging and reduces the chance of your waste being contaminated or attracting vermin. What are examples of waste with the recycle and rinse symbol on? There are various types of products that feature this symbol.

What does the 5 in the recycling symbol mean?

What does the 5 in the recycling symbol mean?

1. PETE – Polyethylene Terephthalate. The easiest of plastics to recycle.
2. HDPE – High density Polyethylene.
3. PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride.
4. LDPE Low-density Polyethylene.
5. PP – Polypropylene.
6. PS – Polystyrene.
7. Other.

What symbols are for recycling?

How to know what plastics can be recycled Plastic Recycling Symbol #1: PET or PETE. ... Plastic Recycling Symbol #2: HDPE. ... Plastic Recycling Symbol #3: PVC or V. ... Plastic Recycling Symbol #4: LDPE. ... Plastic Recycling Symbols #5: PP. ... Plastic Recycling Symbol #6: PS. ... Plastic Recycling Symbol #7: Miscellaneous.

What is the 5 symbol for recycling?

Polypropylene5: PP (Polypropylene) PP is used to make the food containers used for products like yogurt, sour cream and margarine. It's also made into straws, rope, carpet and bottle caps. PP products CAN SOMETIMES be recycled.

What plastic numbers can be recycled UK?

The most commonly recycled plastics are: 1 – Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) – water bottles and plastic trays....Somewhat recyclable plastics (at specialist facilities) include:3 – Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) – piping.4 – Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) – food bags.6 – Polystyrene (PS) – plastic cutlery.

Which plastic numbers are recyclable?

Which Plastics Are Recyclable By Number?#1: PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) ... #2: HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) ... #3: PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) ... #4: LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) ... #5: PP (Polypropylene) ... #6: PS (Polystyrene) ... #7: Polycarbonate, BPA, and Other Plastics.

Can number 5 plastic be recycled?

5 – PP (Polypropylene) – Recyclable plastic (check Local Authority) PP can be recycled. However, you will need to check with your Local Authority to ensure it is recycled in your area.

Can number 5 plastic be reused?

If you find as #2, #4, or #5 plastic, those are fairly safe to reuse. These contain low levels of polyethylene thermoplastic, low-density polyethylene, and polypropylene.

Which of these items you Cannot recycle?

Items that cannot be recycled:Plastic bags or recyclables inside plastic bags.Takeaway coffee cups.Disposable nappies.Garden waste.Polystyrene (foam)Bubble wrap.Syringes or medical waste.Dead animals.More items...

What are the 7 types of plastic can it recycled?

The 7 codes for plastics and the truth behind their “recycling” symbolsSoda bottles.Water bottles.Food packaging.Carpet.Liquids packaging (bottles)Oven-ready food trays.Polyester.Salad dressing bottles.More items...•

Can 04 plastic be recycled?

4: low-density polyethylene, aka LDPE, is used in plastic bags, plastic wrapping, and cling film. It is usually not recycled.

What does it mean if there is no number or triangle on the plastic?

That symbol can be found on most plastics, and you would think that means that it's recyclable. Actually, it doesn't! In the plastics industry, that little triangle is known simply as the “resin stamp,” a marking plastics manufacturers use to indicate the type of plastic it is.

Is a triangle with a 5 recyclable?

A 5 inside the triangle indicates the plastic is polypropylene or PP. It is commonly found in medicine bottles, straws, bottle caps, ketchup bottles and syrup bottles, and some yogurt containers. This plastic is often chosen for bottles and containers that must accept hot liquids as it has a high melting point.

How do you read plastic codes?

Plastics by the Numbers#1 - PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) ... #2 - HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) ... #3 – PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) ... #4 – LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) ... #5 – PP (Polypropylene) ... #6 – PS (Polystyrene) ... #7 – Other (BPA, Polycarbonate and LEXAN)

Is recycle 5 microwave safe?

If they container has a #5 on it, it is made from polypropylene, PP, so it is generally considered microwave safe.

Is plastic 5 dishwasher safe?

The most common plastic used for food storage is polypropylene, which is top rack safe and can be run in the dishwasher. The number 5 plastic recycling symbol can be seen on the plastic food safe temperature.

What does PP 5 mean on plastic?

polypropyleneThe number 5 with the recycling symbol indicates polypropylene, often just shortened to PP. The resin identification code for polypropylene, commonly known as number 5 plastic. This plastic type is particularly hard and heat resistant.

Does recycling code 5 have BPA?

Code 7 is the recycling code for plastics that contain BPA and must be avoided at all cost. Although codes 3 and 6 technically do not contain BPA, the chemicals that are used to manufacture these products also pose serious risks to our health.

What to do when you see the mobius loop logo?

The triangle on its own means the product can be recycled. Typically, this means that the item can be disposed of with your general recycling. Some...

What are examples of waste with the mobius loop logo on?

As this is the most common logo displayed on recyclable products, you will likely come across it several times in a single day. This could include:...

What to do when you see the recycle and rinse symbol?

This symbol means that the item can be recycled, but it must be rinsed/cleaned before you throw it away. This is often used on food packaging and r...

What are examples of waste with the recycle and rinse symbol on?

There are various types of products that feature this symbol. This includes: Glass Jars (Food) Metal (Cans, tins) Plastic (Shampoo bottles, food...

What to do when you see the recycle, rinse with lid cap on symbol?

Products with this symbol can be recycled. However, you must ensure that they are rinsed and that their lid/cap is tightly secured. This is because...

What are examples of waste with the recycle, rinse with lid cap on symbol on?

A variation of this symbol will appear on any products with small caps/lids. This could include: Plastic Water Bottles Milk Cartons/Containers

What to do when you see the don’t recycle and remove sleeve symbol?

Unfortunately, not all packaging waste can be recycled. When you see this product, it may be that everything but the sleeve can be recycled – so en...

What are examples of waste with the don’t recycle and remove sleeve symbol on?

There are various products that feature this symbol. This includes: Packaging Waste Product labels

What to do when you see the flatten with cap on recycling symbol?

When this symbol is featured on a product, it means that before it is stored in the recycling bin you must flatten the item and ensure the cap is s...

What does the recycling symbol on a package mean?

They tell you if the packaging can be recycled or not (the swoosh with the heart arrow) or what the packaging is made from (the symbols further down the page).

What does the green dot on a package mean?

The Green Dot. The Green Dot doesn’t mean that the packaging is recyclable, will be recycled or has been recycled. It’s a symbol used on packaging in some European countries and means the producer has made a financial contribution towards the recovery and recycling of packaging in Europe.

What does the x% symbol mean?

This means an item can technically be recycled but not that it has been recycled or that it will be accepted for recycling. Sometimes this symbol is used with a percentage figure in the middle to explain that the packaging contains x% of recycled material.

Why do we ignore recycling symbols?

Packages we use every day include recycling symbols on their labels. Most of the time, we disregard those symbols because we don’t understand what they mean or think they say “recyclable,” but it’s more specific than that. Understanding these symbols are more important than one would think, as they help the recycling process run smoothly ...

What does the sleeve symbol mean?

Since the sleeve is not recyclable, the symbol asks you to remove the sleeve. The sleeve is the paper or plastic sheet around the item, commonly found in ice cream cups, coffee cups, and yogurt pots.

What is the resin identification code?

This symbol is called the Resin Identification Code. It contains numbers from 1 to 7, which indicates the type of resin used in the center of three chasing arrows. This symbol also specifies the type of plastic from which the product is made out of.

Can cereal be recycled?

So, pay attention the next time you buy cereal because it can be recycled with carrier bags at the store you purchased it from.

Can you throw out electronic waste?

This means that no e-waste (electronic waste) should be thrown out with regular trash. Check for local disposal companies, because some of them even collect e-waste from your home. Now that you know all of your recycling symbols, you can help make the environment a better place by recycling correctly. previous post.

1. On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL)

The on-pack recycling label tells you how and where you should recycle your items. These labels are designed to be clear and informative and can be found on different types of packaging for cans, bottles and bags. On-pack recycling labels tell you the packaging type, and whether it is recyclable or not.

2. Widely Recycled

This logo indicates that more than 75% of the councils in England offer household collection for that type of packaging. You should research the councils that recycle this waste to know if yours is included. The information on the label allows you to separate recyclables from non-recyclables easily.

3. Check Local Recycling

This black logo tells you that only 20 to 70% of local councils recycle this packaging part. Like the widely recycled symbol, the type of material is included in the logo. Ensure that your local council is part of the 20 to 70% that recycle this packaging.

4. Not Currently Recycled

This logo tells us that this type of packaging can only be recycled in 20% of the councils in the country. The black logo does not mean the packaging material is non-recyclable, but that it is recycled in a small number of councils.

5. Widely Recycled at Recycling Points

It explains that recycling of the packaging material can be done in 75% of councils. However, not more than 75% of these councils collect the material at the kerbside. It is similar to the ‘widely recycled’ logo. A print instructing you to check your council for collection points and kerbside is made at the bottom of the logo.

6. Recycle with Carrier Bags

A couple of plastic films can be recycled at a carrier bag collection point in a supermarket.

7. Metal Paint Cans

A lot of metal paint cans can be recycled at many recycling centres. Check your council’s website for more information.

What does the recycling symbol mean on corrugated packaging?

The first, the symbol on its own, is now generally understood to be the international symbol for recycling, indicating that the packaging can be recycled .

What does the OK compost symbol mean?

As the general OK Compost symbol only applies to industrial composting (with controlled levels of heat etc.), the “Home” version was created to indicate any packaging or product that would also be compostable in domestic setups.

What is a resy?

In Germany a paper and board recycling scheme called RESY exists. RESY is a consortium including the union of paper producers, the union of cardboard producers and a recycling and reverse logistics specialist Vfw.

What does the green dot logo mean?

It simply signifies that the producer has made a (usually financial) contribution towards the recycling of packaging.

What is seedling logo?

The “Seedling” logo is a registered trademark of European Bioplastics, so suitable permissions / licensing would be required if you were you to use this recycling symbol on your packaging.

What do the three arrows in the arrows represent?

Originally created by Gary Anderson, the three arrows are used to represent the three “R”s – reducing, reusing and recycling. The negative space (in the centre) is also designed to represent a pine tree, whilst also being a variant of the traditional “Mobius” loop which symbolises continuity with a finite entity.

Why do we keep lids on glass jars?

glass jars). This is to prevent metal lids falling through sorting holes during the decontamination process. It can also help prevent other materials getting stuck inside.

RECYCLING SYMBOLS EXPLAINED

This sign is used to inform you that more than 75% of local councils collect these recyclable items.

UK Recycling Symbols

If you found this blog post interesting and useful, then why not share it with your friends and help everyone understand recycling symbols better and make recycling and waste management easier for everyone.

Widely Recycled

Starting with an easy one, and one we like to see, the widely recycled symbol means exactly what it says. This label applies to items collected by 75% or more of local authorities in the UK. You're most likely going to be able to recycle these items in your household recycling bin.

Recycle with Bags at Larger Stores

Many plastics can be recycled, but unfortunately, not all plastics are accepted in your kerbside collections. Certain plastic items can only be recycled at large supermarkets. There will usually be a recycling point inside the store or the car park for these items.

Widely Recycled - Flatten Cap

You will most likely see this recycling logo on plastic bottles and drinks cartons. Flattening packaging means you'll have more space in your recycling bin, and more recyclables can be transported in one load to improve efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint.

Widely Recycled at Recycling Centres

These items are not accepted in your household recycling collection, but they are recyclable. Any materials with this symbol on them will need to be taken to your local recycling centre to ensure that it gets recycled. For more information about your local recycling centres, click here.

Check Locally

Check locally is sort of the middle ground, it means the packaging you've got is recycled by more than 20% of local authorities but less than 75%. These items are more difficult oto recycle, and only specialist facilities will have the equipment to recycle these items.

Not Yet Recycled

'Not yet recycled' can be a bit misleading. While in most cases, products with this sign on them can't be recycled, what this sign actually means is that less than 20% of local authorities recycle them. Crisp packets are a good example of this; crips packets can be recycled, but because very few councils recycle them, they will include this symbol.

Electronic Recycling Symbols

The United Kingdom cartridge recycling association apply their symbol to toner cartridges which have met set criteria making them able to be recycled easily.

Glass Recycling Symbols

This symbol indicates that the container it is marked with should be placed into a bottle recycling bank.

Metal Recycling Symbols

This shows that the container or packaging is made from aluminium and so can be recycled. Many drinks cans are made from aluminium but many are made from steel. This symbol allows you to identify between the 2 metals.

Paper Recycling Symbols

The National association of paper merchants allow there symbol to be placed on paper and cardboard products which are made from no less than 75% of waste paper or fibre. None of the 75% can come from mill produced waste fibre either.

Plastic Recycling Symbols

With so many different plastics in circulation and virtually no way of identifying them to the untrained eye a plastics identification system has been developed. The PIC (Plastics Identification Code) makes it easy to identify different plastics with the symbol being embossed into most plastic made products.

What does the recycling symbol mean?

Recycling symbols & what they mean. Recycling symbols that appear on packaging are designed to inform but can often complicate the matter, meaning our waste has been ending up in the wrong place or even putting people off recycling altogether. According to WRAP up to 80% of potentially recyclable rubbish goes to landfills in the UK.

What are some examples of recycling?

Examples include plastic bottles and cardboard. Do your bit by rinsing items with this symbol and avoid contaminating other materials that could attract vermin in recycling centres. Save on water by giving empty containers a rinse in your used washing up water then leave them to dry.

Why is the green dot misleading?

This widely used symbol can be misleading because it doesn’t necessarily mean you can recycle the item or if it’s made from recycled materials.

What to do before recycling goes off?

Two more helpful parts you can play before your recycling goes off to be processed is keeping lids on so they don’t get stuck in machinery and flatting items like plastic bottles that will make transporting it more efficient with less air.

Why are millennials less likely to recycle?

Millennials are often branded as the eco-warriors who are trying to turn the tide on waste flowing into the natural world , but contrary to this, they are less likely to recycle than older generations say the BSA. The main reason being confusion over what can and can’t be recycled.

What is compostable plastic?

Compostable. A symbol by European Bioplastics which certifies that a product is industrially compostable in accordance with the European Standard EN 13432. Don’t place items with this symbol in with regular recycling as it breaks down and can contaminate recyclable plastics. Instead place the item with garden waste.

How much does recycling paper save?

Recycling one ton of paper not only saves 17 trees but also 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil, 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy AND reduces greenhouse gas emissions by one metric ton of carbon equivalent. Forest Stewardship Council logo.