Ever wonder what those recycling triangles mean? Which ones are benign and which ones contain BPAs? Here’s a guide:
When in doubt remember this rhyme: ” 4,5, 1 and 2. All the rest are bad for you.”
Below are full details:
#1: PET/PETE
- In: water/soda bottles, food containers like salad dressing, peanut butter.
- Generally considered safe. Low risk of leaching
- Widely recyclable – virtually all programs accept
- Turned into: polar fleece, carpeting, plastic straps
#2: HDPE
- In: Milk jugs, soda bottles, household cleaners and detergent, yogurt containers
- Generally considered safe: low risk of leaching
- Widely recyclable
- Turned into: more bottles, recycle bins, plastic lumber, fencing
#3: PVC – Vinyl AKA – “The Poison Plastic”
- In: window cleaner/detergent bottles, siding, piping, flooring, windows, toys, shower curtains, inflatable pools/toys
- NOT SAFE. PVC contains phthalates – endocrine disruptors that cause reproductive damage. Heating PVC releases dioxin – a carcinogen. Never heat it. That vinyl shower curtain smell? You guessed it – the hot shower releases vinyl gas. Ironically, many baby products – including some teethers and bath toys – are made with PVC. Ditch them.
- Not widely recyclable. Contiminates other plastics if mixed in
- Turned into: siding, mudflaps, flooring.
#4: LDPE
- In: squeezable bottles, cling wrap, shopping bags
- Generally considered safe
- Becoming more recyclable, but many communities still don’t, especially in bag form. Many grocery/department stores will take them back.
- Turned into: trash bags, plastic lumber, shipping envelopes
#5: PP
- In: ketchup bottles, straws, bottle caps, medicine bottles, yogurt cups
- Generally considered safe. Very high melt point: use #5 for hot liquids/reheating food
- Not widely recyclable
- Turned into: brooms/brushes, landscape borders, auto parts
#6: Polystyrene/styrofoam
- In: disposable food containers, CD cases, egg cartons
- Not safe: contains styrene and benzene, carcinogens which affect the nervous system. Known to leach into food
- Very difficult to recycle, not accepted by most municipal programs
- Turned into: insulation, packing peanuts, more food containers
#7: Polycarbonates/Other: - BPA Warning
- In: sunglasses, gallon water bottles, signs, DVD/computer cases…most rigid plastics
- Not safe for foods/beverages. Contain BPAs which are hormone disruptors linked to reproductive issues, immune disorders, obesity, and cancer – even in low doses. BPA leaches, especially if heated or exposed to acidic substances (hello coffee cup/baby bottle/canned tomatoes)
- Not widely recycled
- Turned into: plastic lumber, custom products
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