The Many Types of Recyclable Plastic Packaging
A lot of plastic packaging is recyclable, but did you know that there are actually many different types of recyclable packaging? In this blog post, we'll go over the four most common types of recyclable packaging and how they're recycled. Keep reading to learn more!
Type 1: PET or PETE Plastic (Polyethylene terephthalate)
PET or PETE plastic is most commonly found in soda and water bottles. This type of plastic is highly recyclable and can be turned into everything from t-shirts to carpeting. To recycle PET plastic, simply rinse out your bottles and remove the caps. Then, throw them in your recycling bin!
Type 2: HDPE Plastic (High-Density Polyethylene)
HDPE plastic is found in milk jugs, bleach bottles, and detergent bottles. This type of plastic is also highly recyclable and can be turned into a variety of products, including buckets, benches, and shipping pallets. To recycle HDPE plastic, remove the caps, rinse out your containers and pop them in your recycling bin!
Type 3: PVC Plastic (Poly Vinyl Chloride)
PVC plastic is found in rigid food trays, food wrap, cooking oil bottles, and some types of piping. This type of plastic is not as easily recycled as other types but can still be recycled into products like flooring tiles and traffic signs.
New Zealand is phasing out food trays and containers made from PVC and from the 1st October 2022 you will no longer be able to use them.
Type 4: LDPE Plastic (Low-Density Polyethylene)
LDPE plastic is found in shopping bags, squeezable bottles, and some food packaging. This type of plastic is also not as easily recycled as other types but can still be recycled into garbage can liners and compost bags. To recycle LDPE plastic, look for a local recycling centre that accepts this type of material.
Type 5: PP Plastic (Plastic Composition – Polypropylene)
PP plastic is found in tote bags, carpet, clothing & tape. It has properties between LDPE and HDPE and is very versatile. Recycled PP Plastic is used in automotive products, household utensils, tools and trays. Wash out and throw into your recycling bin.
Type 6: PS (Polystyrene) or EPS (Expanded Polystyrene)
PS Plastic is typically found in cups, plates, meat trays and protective packaging. This is a difficult product to recycle. But can be made into light switches, packaging desk trays and plastic mouldings.
From 1st October 2022 this can no longer be used in food and beverage packaging in New Zealand.
Type 7: PLA (Polylactic Acid) and other plastic
This covers all other plastics not covered in codes 1-6 (as above). PLA Bioplastic is generally not recycled as it’s properties lessen the quality of the regular plastic being recycled. PLA is commercially compostable. This code also covers Polycarbonate which is a hard plastic often found in children’s toys.
Conclusion:
Recycling is important for the environment and for creating jobs. In this blog post, we covered what you need to know about recycling, recyclable packaging. We hope that after reading this post, you'll be inspired to recycle more often!
On our website we have put the appropriate recycling logo on plastic products so you can be informed about whether an item can be recycled. Not all areas in New Zealand will take all recyclable plastic - check with your local council or for a quick guide check out this map from Plastics NZ: Click for map
For more information on what is recycled in New Zealand check out our other blog post: What plastic is actually recycled in NZ?
Posted: Friday 9 September 2022
