You're probably familiar with the chasing arrows symbolic of recycling.
In fact, you may think they're chasing
you! They seem to appear out
of nowhere to remind you that you didn't sort your garbage. (And
who designed that thing anyway? Doesn't it look like some sort of
impossible figure that M.C. Escher would've dreamed up?)
Okay, there's no need to be paranoid -- they're not after you.
Actually, when it comes to the containers they're printed on, they're supposed
to be as inconspicuous as possible.
Beginnings
The symbol code we're familiar with was designed by The
The Plastics Industry Association
in 1988 (this link opens a new page; close it to come back here). The codes allow recyclers to differentiate different types of plastics and
to provide a uniform convention that manufacturers could implement nationwide.
Since recyclers target post-consumer plastics, the SPI code is most commonly found
on household packaging materials.
The Rules of Use
SPI and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have established guidelines
for use of the code:
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used on bottles and rigid containers in compliance with laws in 39 states.
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identifies resin (type of plastic) content only.
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must be as inconspicuous as possible so the consumer's purchasing decision
is not influenced.
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must not be modified in any way.
-
no claims of recyclability or the word 'recyclable' near the code symbol.
-
molded or imprinted on all 8 ounce to 5 gallon containers that can accept
the 1/2" minimum size symbol.
-
must appear on the container bottom as close to the center as possible.
I'm not a lawyer nor did I ever claim to be. So if you're a manufacturer
please consult SPI for a complete description of guidelines.
What's What
Now for the reason you came to this page! Below you'll find
the SPI symbol and the polymer that it represents along with a quickie
description of uses for that polymer. To learn everything you ever
wanted to know about the polymers in question, just click on the name.
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Poly(ethylene terephthalate):
Soda bottles, water bottles, vinegar bottles, medicine containers, backing for photography
film. And why PETE and not the more logical PET? Turns out a company making condensed milk already had a trademark of the abbreviation "PET" so it couldn't be used for recycle numbers. OOPS!
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High-density Polyethylene:
Containers for: laundry/dish detergent, fabric softeners, bleach, milk, shampoo,
conditioner, motor oil. Newer bullet proof vests, various toys. |
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Poly(vinyl cloride): Pipes, shower curtains,
meat wraps, cooking oil bottles, baby bottle nipples, shrink wrap, clear medical tubing,
vinyl dashboards and seat covers, coffee containers. |
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Polypropylene:
Tupperware®, syrup bottles, yogurt tubs, diapers, outdoor carpet. |
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Polystyrene: Coffee cups,
disposable cutlery and cups (clear and colored), bakery shells, meat trays, "cheap" hubcaps, packing peanuts,
styrofoam insulation. |
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The hotdog of plastics! Products labeled as "other" are made of any combination of 1-6 or
another, less commonly used plastic. So actually, the "7" doesn't mean much of anything useful. |
