PET is an extremely common plastic used for soda bottles, water bottles, and other types of food packaging. Its transparency makes it a lightweight, durable substitute to replace glass and is highly desirable for these purposes. PET is very easy to recycle and is usually reused for bottles or polyester fibers. It is the most recycled plastic globally.

HDPE is used most often for packaging milk bottles, laundry detergent, hair care products, cleaning supplies, etc. It is lightweight, strong, and moisture-resistant and helps ensure those products arrive in good shape and with a lower transportation cost. When recycled, HDPE is typically reused for nonfood containers and crates. HDPE is 100% recyclable, typically done via a process of shredding, melting, and subsequent palletization. HDPE’s recovery rate is second only to that of PET and is commonly accepted at most recycling centers globally.

PVC is a hardy, strong, and diverse plastic that can be either rigid or elastic and is found in clear, white, and colored versions. It’s suitable for cleaning and personal care product bottles due to its durability and lack of interaction with the chemicals commonly found in these products. PVC is also used for medical equipment, food packaging, and wire conduits.

Its manufacturing process can release dangerous chemicals and the chlorine in PVC is released when incinerated, creating dioxin, a heavy-duty environmental pollutant. This makes it doubly important to properly handle PVC waste and divert it into the recycling stream to avoid additional environmental pollution.

PVC is not commonly recycled, but when it is, it’s frequently used for similar applications as the virgin variety, such as for pipes and fittings and paneling. More recently, many synthetic timber and decking companies have introduced deck building materials made from recycled PVC. Other uses include automotive uses such as mud flaps and floor mats, drainage and other types of mats, speed bumps, and shoes.

LDPE is a thinner, more flexible plastic commonly used for wrapping and packaging, including bubble wrap. LDPE is FDA-approved for food contact, has high heat resilience, and is a good match for applications using heat sealing. Film LDPE is frequently excluded from curbside recycling programs, but can often be recycled at grocery stores.

Rigid LDPE is used for things like bottles, caps, containers, and lids. LDPE can be used to protect products from chemicals and moisture during shipping without adding much additional weight. LDPE can be recycled into similar film products like shipping envelopes or garbage can liners, but rigid LDPE can be recycled into more heavy-duty products as well.

PP is found in clothing and ropes as well as tubs and bottles. Its rigidity, high melting point, and resistance to many chemical solvents account for its wide variety of uses in consumer products, including toys, storage items, and cleaning supply containers.

In addition to its rigidity and the ability to withstand heat, PP also prevents moisture transmission. These factors make PP ideal for food packaging, particularly when the food is packaged while hot or destined to be microwaved by the consumer.

PP can be recycled into fibers and pellets, but it is one of the least recycled plastics. PP degrades more rapidly than other plastics, but the microplastics and additives released during the process pose significant environmental threats.

PS is typically used for rigid purposes where its brittle nature does not pose a problem or for foam products. Most consumers encounter polystyrene in disposable plasticware such as glasses and cutlery, takeout food containers, insulated coffee cups, as well as egg cartons and meat trays.

Recycled polystyrene is collected via some community recycling programs and can find new life as egg cartons, electronics casings, license plate frames, rulers, architectural moldings, insulation, packing materials, office supplies and equipment, coat hangers, and building materials such as light switches and air conditioning vents.

Demand for polystyrene has declined year over year, in part because of challenges with recycling and some local ordinances banning its use in food service.

Recycling Code 7 is a catch-all designation used for other types of recyclable plastics, including polyamide (nylon), polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and thermoplastic elastomers. Because polycarbonate plastics contain Bisphenol A (BPA), there are significant concerns about that chemical leaching into food and drinks, which has caused it to fall out of favor for those applications.

Polycarbonate is easy to color and highly resistant to impact and used for shatter-resistant and bulletproof glass, as well as in consumer electronics. Although difficult to recycle, diverting this material from landfills and waterways is essential due to the many environmental impacts it has once it enters the waste stream. It does not degrade, and it releases many toxic elements into the environment over time, posing a major risk to sea life and the seafood humans eat.

Polycarbonate can be recycled, but it is typically through a chemical process versus traditional mechanical recycling.