Written by Anita Kumari, PhD
The recycling codes categorize plastics into seven groups, with higher numbers indicating more difficulty in recycling.
Because recycling programs differ from city to city, plastic recycling codes do not ensure that a product is recyclable. It is essential to check local guidelines, as incorrect items in recycling bins can damage equipment and disrupt processes.
While recycling is necessary for reducing landfill waste and environmental harm, using bioplastics can enhance health and sustainability.
Reflecting the problem’s urgency, sustainable alternatives, such as REGEN™ Bioplastics, are a prime example of bioplastic innovators supporting international sustainability objectives. REGEN™ offers a biobased, compostable material made from renewable forest resources. It is suitable for standard manufacturing and beneficial for companies aiming to reduce their environmental impact.
Why Plastic Waste is a Serious Issue
Everyday life depends heavily on polymeric materials, especially plastics, whose output will surpass 1.1 billion tonnes worldwide by 2050. The prevalence of plastic pollution in our water systems, landfills, and even human bodies is undoubtedly a result of the ecological crisis.
Unless significant steps are taken to reduce emissions, the world’s plastics and related chemicals emissions will keep increasing.
Effective plastic waste management requires a shift from a linear waste model to a circular one, with recycling playing a crucial role.
The plastic recycling process involves stacking, converting, and repurposing waste into new products, which reduces the demand for raw materials and helps combat global warming.
REGEN™ is a bio-based alternative to petrochemical plastics produced without toxic additives. It aims to minimize plastic accumulation at the source while complementing existing recycling efforts.
What Plastic Can Be Recycled?
Seven types of plastic can be identified by resin codes. The confusion surrounding these plastic recycling symbols is one barrier to easily recycling plastic.
The symbols can give insight into where and how to recycle an item. However, each city’s legislation and rules for recycling can differ.
1. PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) – Code 1
PET, or polyethylene terephthalate, is a common plastic for food and drink packaging because it is strong, lightweight, and well-resists water and organic materials.
PET is widely accepted in curbside programs but needs to be cleaned before recycling. Despite the material’s high demand from manufacturers, recycling rates of PET-based products are still quite low, at about 20%.
Being certified compostable, REGEN™’s Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) reduces the quantity of plastic waste that builds up and the harm that conventional plastic causes to the environment.
2. HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) – Code 2
HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) is a thermoplastic resin with incredible resistance. It is used for grocery bags, shampoo bottles, milk jugs, recycling bins, and much more. HDPE is accepted by most recycling centers, making it one of the most straightforward plastic polymers to recycle.
3. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) – Code 3
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can come in rigid and flexible forms. Because of its resistance to weathering and chemicals, rigid PVC is a common material in the building and construction sector. Because chlorine is part of PVC, it can release highly dangerous dioxins during manufacturing.
PVC blends with other materials, making it softer and more flexible in plumbing products, electrical cable insulation, clothing, and medical tubing. PVC products contain the most dangerous plastic to human health. They are still hardly recyclable and should be avoided whenever possible.
Hazardous petrochemical derivatives and toxic additives are absent from REGEN™ bioplastics derived from renewable, biobased feedstocks. Bioplastics are notable for their ability to biodegrade, meaning they can break down into natural substances over time, which helps reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste.
4. LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) – Code 4
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE or PE-LD) is a softer, more transparent, and more flexible version of HDPE. LDPE is easy and cheap to produce.
This thin, flexible plastic makes products like shopping bags, clear food containers, and disposable packaging. However, some LDPE-based products, including but not limited to plastic bags, six-pack rings, and plastic wrap, are not recyclable in curbside recycling programs.
5. PP (Polypropylene) – Code 5
Polypropylene (PP) has a high melting point, making it very popular in food packaging, caps, straws, and Tupperware™. PP’s flexibility and durability allow for mild bending but retain its shape and strength for long, even under repeated stress. PP can be recycled through some curbside programs but needs to be cleaned before recycling.
6. PS (Polystyrene) – Code 6
Polystyrene (PS) is ubiquitous and comes in two basic forms: rigid and expanded. Styrofoam™, an expanded PS, is low-cost and insulates very well.
PS is among the worst types of plastics. When heated, polystyrene can release toxic chemicals that are dangerous and highly flammable. They can be absorbed by food and consumed by people. Expanded polystyrene is often consumed by animals who do not recognize it as artificial.
Styrofoam is not recyclable in many communities and should not be put in the recycling bins so it does not contaminate recyclables.
REGEN™’s PHA exhibits good thermal stability, making it suitable for applications that require exposure to higher temperatures without negatively impacting the environment.
7. Other Plastics – Code 7
Many plastic resins that do not fit the previous categories are lumped into this one. Polycarbonates (PC) are the most widely used plastics with the code 7 designation; they are used to make safety goggles and lenses for glasses.
Bisphenol A, a chemical on the list of potentially hazardous chemicals for the environment, has been known to be released by polycarbonates. Since bisphenol A does not break down, it will remain in landfills and may eventually end up in waterways. Code 7 plastics are not commonly recyclable in all areas.
REGEN™’s PHA is a naturally occurring polymer produced by microorganisms, inherently safe for human contact and environmental exposure.
What Plastics Cannot Be Recycled?
There are two types of plastics: thermoset and thermoplastics. Thermoplastics can be remelted and recycled, while thermosets form an irreversible bond and cannot be remelted or recycled.
Non-recyclable bags and film, including snack wrappers, cellophane, coffee bags, and prepared food pouches, should be disposed of in the trash.
Coffee cups are another type of non-recyclable item. Namely, the outside of the cup is made of paper, while the inside is a thin layer of plastic. Because the cups are made of two different materials, they cannot be recycled unless they are separated, which is impossible to do by hand and requires a specialized machine.
The packaging enclosing snacks like health bars is also multi-layered, with each layer serving a different purpose, making recycling almost impossible. Separating and recycling each piece is too costly and time-consuming for a recycling factory.
In contrast, water bottles (100% PET plastic) are an excellent example of a single-material product that is easy to recycle. Unlike materials like glass and paper, plastics are recycled less frequently.
Only 7% of plastic garbage is recycled, with the majority being landfilled or incinerated, which pollutes the environment. By 2030, recycling goals include 60% municipal solid trash and 55% plastic packaging.
How to Properly Recycle Plastics
Not all plastic can be recycled, so it is critical to understand which types are acceptable. Recycling rules vary by location, so checking what your local program accepts is important.
Look for the recycling symbol on the bottom of products, which represents the type of plastic. Most cities allow only plastics with numbers one and two to be recycled.
Plastics marked three through seven, such as yogurt cups and plastic bags, require special recycling facilities.
Thin plastics, such as wrappers and flexible packaging, are frequently not accepted in standard recycling programs but can be dropped off at retailer bins for specialized processing. To effectively recycle plastic, items must be cleaned, sorted by type, and any residues removed.
Are Recyclable Plastics Really Worth It?
The applicability of recycled plastic and the ability of plastic recycling systems to close material loops is quite limited. For instance, mixed plastic from municipal solid waste, mainly household waste (HHW), is highly heterogeneous and contaminated.
As a result, plastic from HHW is often downcycled into lower-quality items.
Adopting REGEN™ biodegradable solutions from renewable resources further reduces plastic waste. REGEN™ products are carbon neutral and compostable, meaning they can break down naturally and reduce plastic pollution in the environment.
Steps Brands Can Take Towards Sustainable Plastic Use
Businesses are major contributors to the plastic problem because many products are made from or shipped in plastic packaging. To improve a brand’s plastic footprint, reducing plastic usage and switching to eco-friendly materials, such as biodegradable plastics, is necessary.
Governments are actively legislating to reduce single-use plastic, while younger-generation consumers increasingly favor companies that use sustainable materials.
Businesses will comply with the law and make sound business decisions by planning and proactively switching to more sustainable options.
Success stories from beauty brands using REGEN™ for cosmetic jars and packaging solutions and 3D printing companies using REGEN™’s 3D PHA filaments show that it is possible to adopt sustainable practices without compromising on quality or performance. REGEN™’s PHA ensures compliance with regulations on single-use plastics, preventing fines and operational disruption.
Key Takeaways
- Plastic recycling reduces the need for raw materials, protecting scarce petrochemical resources. Recycling also contributes to plastic waste reduction because what would otherwise be plastic waste is diverted from landfills and remanufactured into new products.
- The seven plastic recycling symbols represent distinct types of plastic and offer corresponding recycling recommendations.
- REGEN™ aims to significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels with its innovative proprietary PHA. REGEN™’s PHA is made from the forest industry’s renewable, untapped carbon sources. Through its 100% compostable solution, REGEN™ reduces carbon footprint and environmental plastic waste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Food-Contaminated Plastics Be Recycled?
When otherwise recyclable items carry remnants of the food they once held, they quickly become trash. Food-contaminated plastic is diverted to landfilling and incineration, each contributing to adverse environmental impacts.
Can Recyclable Plastics Be Thrown in Regular Trash?
When discarded in regular trash, recyclable plastics contribute to increased landfill volume, take centuries to degrade, and potentially disrupt ecosystems. Improperly disposed plastics release greenhouse gases; landfills emit methane, while incineration produces CO2 emissions. Additionally, plastics degrade into microplastics, seriously impacting biodiversity and human health.
Can Plastic Bags Be Recycled?
Recycle plastic bags at grocery stores or recycling facilities. Otherwise, replace them with recyclable paper bags. Paper bags can be recycled up to six times and degrade within six months, turning into fertile vegetation. However, paper bags require four times more energy to produce than plastic. Sustainable alternatives like REGEN™ offer greater environmental benefits than plastic or paper bags.
