With the ever-increasing amount of plastic products being produced each year, it is more important than ever to understand how plastic recycling works and do your bit to reduce your plastic waste.
Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions surrounding plastic recycling symbols. You may have noticed the symbol made up of three arrows with a number inside them. Many people believe that this number indicates how many times the product can be recycled, while in fact, the number refers to the main polymer used in the product.
As plastic raw material suppliers in South Africa, we’ll explain what these different numbers mean and which plastic polymers each number refers to.
Which Numbers Are Associated with Which Polymers?
1: PET
PET is most commonly used for food and beverage packaging such as cooldrink and water bottles.
2: HDPE
This hard and strong plastic is used in the manufacturing of pipes, milk bottles, shampoo bottles, shopping bags, and other forms of packaging.
3: PVC
As one of the most widely-used plastic polymers, you’ll find that a wide range of industrial components and even footwear is made from PVC.
4: LDPE
Low-density polyethylene is used to make things like bread and grocery bags, squeeze bottles, and bubble wrap alongside other similar products.
5: Polypropylene
Known for being temperature resistant, polypropylene is commonly used in the manufacturing of yogurt tubs, takeaway cutlery, and more.
6: Polystyrene
There are two types of polystyrene, expanded polystyrene and hardened polystyrene, and it’s commonly used in takeaway containers.
7: Other
‘Other’ typically refers to multi-layered products, such as long-life packaging, that are made up of a variety of different polymers.
Which Are the Most Commonly Recycled Plastics in South Africa?
The types of plastics which are most commonly recycled include 1,2, and 4. These products typically include things like bottles, jars, plastic bags, and more.
The types of plastics that are not as easily recycled (simply because there aren’t as many suitable recycling facilities for these items) include 3, 5, 6, and 7. However, it is very likely that these types of plastics, such as PVC, are mostly recycled in closed-loop systems that reduce the wastage of the discarded products. With advances in technology in years to come, we may even find way that allow for easy recycling of these plastic types too.
A Few Useful Tips for Recycling Plastic in South Africa
- Inform yourself about the different symbols and codes, and tell others about them too.
- Get your entire community involved.
- Remember to rinse plastics before you recycle them.
- Separate your items to allow for easy recycling.
- Recycle using municipal facilities, recycling plants, drop-off points or buy-back centres.
As plastic raw material suppliers in South Africa, IPC can assist with all your PVC compound needs. Should you be interested in any of our products, please contact our knowledgeable team today.
