Recyclable Plastics are a Resource: What Plastic Codes mean

Plastic products and packaging are oil derivatives. The old joke that we will be `mining’ our waste sites for recyclable plastics is fast turning into a reality.  The cost of the oil derived resins that plastic products are made of is increasing, making the recycling of plastic more competitive.  In addition, the cost of and decreasing availability of water in the production process is a significant factor.  The cost of the electricity required to produce new products is also a significant factor. We have all felt the pinch of escalating electricity costs. At the same time we should be embarrassed by the huge carbon footprint of our electricity production in South Africa. 

If the oil, water and energy factors are so significant, why do we still see so much plastic packaging in landfill, and our wetlands, beaches and parks so full of plastic bottles?  A key part of the answer is the cost of collecting and separating the different types of plastic that are dispersed throughout our homes and businesses and the environment.  The Plastic Packaging industry has introduced a Plastic Codes system so that it is easier to identify and separate recyclable plastics.   

Have a look at the Plastic Codes below!  Numbers 1, 2, 4 & 5 marked in green are currently recyclable.  There is not longer any reason to say: “ I don’t know what Plastics are Recyclable!!”   Be Cool for the Earth (so that your Kids will inherit a Cool Earth) and take a few minutes a day to help save our water, reduce our carbon footprint and use resources efficiently.  

I recently attended a plastic packaging workshop and it became clear to me that as the packaging industry is worth R39 Billion and 50,000 jobs in South Africa, reducing the amount of packaging would affect both profit margins and jobs. These are understandable concerns, but they should never be at the cost of the environment, which is ultimately the source of our existence on Earth.  It also became clear that in the face of continuing plastic pollution of the environment and the packaging industry’s weak commitment to producer responsibility, consumers need to take more action.  This is what I do: I choose products that have minimal packaging or packaging that is recyclable.  Secondly, I leave excess packaging and packaging that I can’t recycle at the till point. (If you have time, you can take it to the manager.)  If enough of us do this, and more,  the retailers will start to confront their suppliers.  Try it.

KimK

Code	Name of Plastic &  Applications	Recycled Products
	Number 1 Plastic
	Polyethylene Terephthalate or PET / PETE is common in soft drink bottles & food & non-food containers. E.G. Plastic soft drink, water, beer, mouthwash, sauce & salad dressing bottles, peanut butter & jam jars. Oven -able film & oven-able food trays.	Recycled PET flakes and pellets are in great demand for spinning fiber for carpets, fiberfill, tote bags, fleece wear, etc. Nickname: Polyester. Also, food and beverage containers.
	Number 2 Plastic
	High Density Polyethylene  or HDPE is used to make bottles for milk, juice, water, cosmetic, shampoo, detergents & bleach. Also some yogurt & margarine tubs; cereal box liners, grocery, refuse and retail bags.	Detergent, shampoo & motor oil bottles; piping, buckets, crates, flower pots, garden edging, film & sheet, recycling bins, benches, plastic lumber, floor tiles, picnic tables, fencing, etc.
	Number 3 Plastic
	Vinyl (Polyvinyl Chloride)  or PVC is described as a “difficult” plastic. Its use is being replaced in food packaging by PET. Avoid buying products with PVC packaging as it is unlikely to be recycled. Used in construction industry as pipes & fittings, carpet backing and windows. Also used in wire & cable insulation, film and sheet, floor coverings synthetic leather etc.	Packaging, loose-leaf binders, decking, paneling, gutters, mud flaps, film and sheet, floor tiles and mats, resilient flooring, cassette trays, electrical boxes, cables, traffic cones, garden hose, mobile home skirting.
	Number 4 Plastic
	Low Density Polyethylene or LDPE is used in bags for dry cleaning, bread and frozen food, squeezable bottles, e.g. honey, mustard .	Shipping envelopes, garbage can liners, floor tile, furniture, film and sheet, compost bins, paneling, trash cans, landscape timber, lumber.
	Number 5 Plastic
	Polypropylene  or PP is used in bottles, yogurt , cream cheese, ice-cream & margarine tubs, straws, microwave dishes, kettles, garden furniture, lunch boxes, packaging tape, sauce & medicine bottles, large molded parts for automotive and consumer products.	Automobile battery cases, signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, ice scrapers, oil funnels, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, sheeting, trays.
	Number 6 Plastic
	Polystyrene or  PS.  There are two kinds of polystyrene: high-impact, from which products like coat hangers, compact disc jackets & bread bag tags & yoghurt cups are made, and expanded polystyrene, from which meat, vegetable trays & egg cartons are made.	light switch plates, thermal insulation, egg cartons, desk trays, rulers, license plate frames, foam packing, foam plates, cups, utensils
	Number 7 Plastic
	This code indicates that the product is made with a `plastic resin’ other than the six listed above, or is used in a multi-layer combination. E.G. Large reusable water bottles, some juice and catsup bottles.	Bottles, plastic wood applications.

Note that a present the market for Recyclable Plastics does vary.  At the moment, there is a high and apparently growing demand for PET or Number 1 Plastic.  Although Number 6 Plastic can be recycled into sought after products, the capacity in South Africa to recycle the volumes of Polystyrene Packaging being discarded is limited.  This is likely to change.    See the list of recyclers in the Scenic South Peninsula on http://www.scenicsouth.co.za/environment/recyclers-re-users/ .   They currently take Number 1,2, 4 and 5 recyclable plastic.  If you know where to take difficult recyclable Plastic in Cape Town, Number 3 and 6 please share your knowledge with us.

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