Most products in the U.S. on its surface have a sign on it which is the recycling code. Each code identifies the materials used to create the products and they can help in identifying them for the workers at the recycling plant. This helps to separate different types of plastic, as well as glass, metal and paper, all of which have to be recycled in different ways. Here is more information about the codes and you can read them all down below.
The codes all look similar, they are a triangle created from three arrows and a number is placed inside this triangle. The number is what identifies the actual materials that were used to form the item. The numbers 1-7 all refer to resin identification codes for plastics. For example, a triangle with a 1 or 01 stands for polyethylene terephthalate, a thermoplastic that is used to create products such as soft drink bottles and water bottles. In addition to these seven numbers used to identify plastics, the number 9 and sometimes the letters ABS are used to identify a type of plastic used to make cell phones and computers called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
Paper is another item that shows up in large amounts at recycling facilities. The numbers 20, 21, 22 and 23 are used to identify different types of paper products. A 20 identifies the item as cardboard, and 21 as paper such as magazines and mailed items. Regular paper, such as notebook and printer paper, is part of the category that is identified by number 22. Paperboard, which is thick paper used to make book covers, greeting cards and poster board is known by the number 23.
Metals are known either as number 40 or 41. 40 indicates that the item was made out of steel, while number 41 means that the product was made from aluminum. Sometimes aluminum is not identified by a 41, but by the numbers ALU. Aluminum is highly recyclable and can be used again and again to create products. Because of its abundance and malleability, almost all "tin" cans actually are produced using aluminum.
Wood, cork and cotton which are organic materials also have their own numbers for identification. The number 50 is used for wood as an example. The number 51 is used for cork and it is also not just used to cover bottles to preserve wine. You can also use cork for flooring, also for musical instruments and it can even be in printers. The number 60 is used for cotton and you would be surprised to learn that this material can be recycled too.
There is another material though that is separated by different categories and that is the glass which many recycling facilities identify them with ten different versions. Separated by color, glass is generally differentiated with categories like clear glass, green glass, dark glass and so on. There is also a section for composites which could include an item that is a combination of paper and plastic. In many places, only aluminum and plastics with a 1 or a 2 printed on them can be recycled, although potentially all thermoplastic packaging can be recycled, it's just a question of having a facility to recycle these materials.
The codes all look similar, they are a triangle created from three arrows and a number is placed inside this triangle. The number is what identifies the actual materials that were used to form the item. The numbers 1-7 all refer to resin identification codes for plastics. For example, a triangle with a 1 or 01 stands for polyethylene terephthalate, a thermoplastic that is used to create products such as soft drink bottles and water bottles. In addition to these seven numbers used to identify plastics, the number 9 and sometimes the letters ABS are used to identify a type of plastic used to make cell phones and computers called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
Paper is another item that shows up in large amounts at recycling facilities. The numbers 20, 21, 22 and 23 are used to identify different types of paper products. A 20 identifies the item as cardboard, and 21 as paper such as magazines and mailed items. Regular paper, such as notebook and printer paper, is part of the category that is identified by number 22. Paperboard, which is thick paper used to make book covers, greeting cards and poster board is known by the number 23.
Metals are known either as number 40 or 41. 40 indicates that the item was made out of steel, while number 41 means that the product was made from aluminum. Sometimes aluminum is not identified by a 41, but by the numbers ALU. Aluminum is highly recyclable and can be used again and again to create products. Because of its abundance and malleability, almost all "tin" cans actually are produced using aluminum.
Wood, cork and cotton which are organic materials also have their own numbers for identification. The number 50 is used for wood as an example. The number 51 is used for cork and it is also not just used to cover bottles to preserve wine. You can also use cork for flooring, also for musical instruments and it can even be in printers. The number 60 is used for cotton and you would be surprised to learn that this material can be recycled too.
There is another material though that is separated by different categories and that is the glass which many recycling facilities identify them with ten different versions. Separated by color, glass is generally differentiated with categories like clear glass, green glass, dark glass and so on. There is also a section for composites which could include an item that is a combination of paper and plastic. In many places, only aluminum and plastics with a 1 or a 2 printed on them can be recycled, although potentially all thermoplastic packaging can be recycled, it's just a question of having a facility to recycle these materials.
About the Author:
Lenna Stockwell loves writing about how stuff is made. For more information about custom packaging solutions or to find out more about retail product packaging options, please visit the Indepak.com site today.
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