Recycling symbols can describe different things: a recycling claim, the type of plastic, or the amount of recycled material in a package. A plastic number identifies a material category; it does not guarantee that your local service accepts the item. Read the words around the mark, identify the package itself, and check your collector’s instructions before choosing a bin.
Separate four kinds of information
The recycling symbol: the familiar loop of three arrows is associated with recycling. Its meaning on a particular package depends on accompanying words and qualifications. A prominent green graphic is not enough to tell you which collection route is available.
The resin identification code: a number from 1 to 7, often accompanied by letters and a triangle, identifies a plastic category. The EPA explains that these markings do not establish whether a community collects the package.
A recycled-content claim: wording such as “made with 30% recycled plastic” describes material already used in the product or packaging. Read what the percentage applies to. A claim about the bottle may exclude its cap, and a claim about packaging may say nothing about the product inside.
Collection instructions: your service’s accepted-item list tells you what it will take. This is the information you need for disposal. Keep these four questions separate when comparing two packages that look equally “green.”
Plastic numbers 1–7: one reference table
The American National Standards Institute’s explanation of resin identification codes lists these seven categories. The letters are abbreviations of the material names, not extra recycling ratings.
| Number | Common abbreviation | Material category |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PET or PETE | Polyethylene terephthalate |
| 2 | HDPE | High-density polyethylene |
| 3 | PVC or V | Polyvinyl chloride |
| 4 | LDPE | Low-density polyethylene |
| 5 | PP | Polypropylene |
| 6 | PS | Polystyrene |
| 7 | OTHER | Other resins outside categories 1–6 |
Use the table to decode a marking you can actually read. Do not assign a number by color, transparency or how flexible a package feels. Code 7 is a broad “other” category, not the name of one material. It does not, by itself, tell you that a package is compostable.
ASTM’s historical 2018 edition page makes the scope distinction explicit: resin codes identify plastic and do not establish recovery systems. That older page supports this principle; it is not presented here as the current edition of the standard.
Why the shape of the item matters
A bottle, tub, tray, film bag and lid are different items, even when two share a resin number. Look for the exact item category in the local guide. “Plastic bottles accepted” should not be expanded into “all plastic accepted.” A list of numbers is most useful when read alongside its examples and exclusions.
For an ordinary empty food package, a useful lookup starts with its shape: “yogurt tub,” “clear produce tray” or “flexible pouch.” Add the readable resin number if the collector asks for it. This produces a more specific question than asking whether “plastic” is recyclable.
Check the lid or closure separately, then follow instructions for how the parts should be presented. Do not infer a universal caps-on or caps-off rule. The EPA’s plastic recycling FAQ notes that local equipment and cap policies differ.
Likewise, a store drop-off instruction refers to a particular collection route. It is not permission to put the same package in curbside recycling. Confirm that the named location currently accepts that kind of packaging rather than relying on an old sign or an unrelated online list.
Read percentages and small print together
The FTC’s consumer guidance on environmental claims recommends checking whether recycled-content wording refers to the product, packaging or both, and how much is included.
For example, imagine a bottle marked PET 1 with a separate statement that its body contains 50% recycled plastic. “1” identifies the resin category. “50%” describes the claimed recycled share of the specified body. Neither statement answers whether your collector accepts that bottle. These are illustrative label details, not a description of the packages in the photographs.
Compostable is a different label
A compostable claim points to a different treatment route from ordinary plastic recycling. Check whether the label specifies commercial or home compostability, and whether an available program accepts the exact item. Commercial compostability does not automatically mean suitability for a home system.
EPA advises keeping compostable plastics out of conventional plastic recycling. “Bio-based” describes a material’s source and does not, on its own, establish compostability or recyclability. A leaf illustration, brown color or paper-like appearance cannot resolve those questions.
What the number cannot tell you
Plastic numbers are not safety grades, recycled-content percentages, microwave permissions or recycling guarantees. A larger number does not mean a better or worse container. For use and care, follow the finished product’s instructions; our food-storage container guide discusses reading base and lid permissions separately.
If you keep a household sorting area, label it with your service’s actual accepted categories. You can browse recycling sorting bins and removable labels on Amazon, but match their wording to local instructions rather than treating a printed bin symbol as an authority.
When a label is missing or the guide is unclear, ask the collector about the specific package. A short description and a clear photo of the item and its markings are more useful than guessing from a triangle.
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