Recycling symbols can be further divided into two
separate categories.
-
'Recyclable' symbols marking products made from
specific materials that are suitable for
recycling depending on whether there is a
collection mechanism in place within the local
community for those particular materials.
-
'Recycled' symbols designating products
containing recycled materials.
The use of the terms 'recycled' and 'recyclable',
among others, and the display of the symbols is
governed by the Federal Trade Commission's
Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims.
These guidelines govern all environmental claims
attached to and/or associated with products,
including those described in labelling, advertising,
and all forms of marketing.
The
international standard for defining environmental
claims on products or packaging can be found in ISO
14021: Environmental Labels and
Declarations-Self-declared Environmental Claims.
'Recyclable' symbols
|
The symbols to the
left represent two variations of the
original recycling symbol. The upper
symbol in outline form is accepted as
the traditional, or universal recycling
symbol while the lower one was a
modification. Paper products typically
display the outline form, often with
lettering such as- 'This product can be
recycled' or 'Recyclable'. When
identified with one of the symbols,
products, containers or packaging
materials are referred to as
recyclable
products, or products that are able to
be recycled. A product marked with
either symbol can be recycled
if the regulations and/or ordnances of
the local community provide for its
collection. Although the symbols
are used on products distributed
nationwide, the laws governing
collection of these products for the
purpose of recycling are determined
locally and vary widely from locality to
locality. |
'Recycled' symbols
|
A product, which
may be a container or package, marked
with this symbol was manufactured with
at least some materials that have been
recycled.
Generally, additional information is
conveyed with the symbol such as-
'Printed on recycled paper'.
|
|
When a percentage is indicated within
the symbol, that percentage of the
product has been made from recycled
materials. |
These last two symbols are
'recycled' symbols and are portrayed in a graphical
style consistent with the original recycling symbol
promulgated by the
American Forest and Paper Association
and its forerunners, including the American Paper
Institute and the Container Corporation of America.
These symbols are typically used on paper and
paperboard products. On these products you will
usually see the 'recycled' symbol with an
explanation denoting the percentage of recycled
content. However, even paper and paperboard products
already made from recycled materials can be
considered recyclable.
|
A third 'recycled' symbol is also in
use. This symbol differs from the first
two by having solid black arrows within
an outer black circle. The outer black
circle denotes that at least some
content came from recycled material.
This symbol is also seen with arrows of
a particular colour. |
'Recycled' symbol for paperboard
CARTON MADE WITH
MINIMUM 25% POST
CONSUMER CONTENT
|
In recent years a
new 'recycled' symbol specific to the
use of recycled paperboard has been
developed. The graphical portion is a
registered trademark and is controlled
by the
100% Recycled Paperboard Alliance,
an association of paperboard
manufacturers, and is commonly seen on
folding cartons or paperboard containers
such as cereal boxes.
|
For
illustration purposes only on this webpage, the
registered trademark is shown in green while the
descriptive explanation (not registered) is
presented in black and varies from product to
product. The symbol and explanation, as might be
displayed on a carton, can be interpreted as
follows. The paperboard material of the carton has
been made from 100% recycled content. Of that
recycled content, at least 25% came from post
consumer content. In other words, at least 25% of
the paperboard used to make the carton came from
recycled products that passed through the hands of
consumers. The remaining recycled paperboard content
most likely resulted from material discarded from an
earlier manufacturing process. Remember, even though
a product has been made from recycled materials,
that same product can still be recycled for use in
another product whose material requirements are less
stringent.
'Recyclable' symbol for glass
|
The
Glass Packaging Institute
(GPI) has also developed a 'recyclable'
symbol for use on glass packaging that
can be recycled. Although most glass
containers can be considered recyclable,
the symbol nevertheless encourages the
systematic identifying, and reusing, of
recyclable materials.
|
'Recyclable' symbol for corrugated
Lastly, the
Corrugated Packaging Council
(CPC) has developed a 'recyclable' symbol for
use on corrugated packaging that can be
recycled. The symbol may be used without
specific permission on all corrugated products
that are readily recyclable. If a corrugated
product is coated with a material that is not
repulpable (not convertible to pulp), then it is
not readily recyclable. A wax or asphalt
coating, for example, prevents a corrugated
product from being readily recyclable. The
symbol is merely a general statement that the
corrugated product on which it appears can be
recycled. It is not meant to imply that any
content was already recycled or a product of
recycling. The CPC is a non-profit organization
that develops and coordinates industry-wide
programs to address corrugated packaging issues.
It is sponsored by the
Association of Independent Corrugated Converters
(AICC), and the
Fibre Box Association (FBA).
'Recyclable' symbols for plastic
bottles, containers and packaging
Plastic bottles, containers
and packaging typically have a symbol that indicates
the type of plastic resin from which the item was
made. The resin coding system was introduced in 1988
by the
Society of the Plastics Industry
(SPI). The symbols imprinted on plastic bottles,
containers and packaging are a variation of the
original three wide mobius arrows. They have been
modified to a simpler and thinner version. On a
bottle, the symbol can usually be found on the
bottom, molded into the plastic itself as a raised
impression and thus not always easily seen. The
symbol includes a number within the mobius arrows,
and usually, but not always, the chemical resin
below the mobius arrows in acronym form. Although
presence of the symbol implies that the plastic item
is recyclable, the symbol is actually only intended
to identify the plastic resin from which the item
was made. Recyclability is ultimately determined by
the local governing ordnances concerning what
materials are collected for recycling.
More
information:
Association of Post consumer Plastic Recyclers (APR)
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET)
MOLECULAR FORMULA:
(-CO-C6H5-CO-O-CH2-CH2-O-)n
OR
Within the United States PETE
is an acronym that is used specifically by
manufacturers to mark and identify plastic bottles
or containers made from polyethylene terephthlate
for the purpose of recycling. The acronym PET is
more generally utilized within the chemical industry
to designate the plastic material polyethylene
terephthalate, which can also be written as poly
(ethylene terephthalate). PET is the acronym
accepted by standards organizations including
American Society for Testing and Materials
International, (ASTM
International- formerly just ASTM), and the
International Organization for Standardization
(ISO). Nevertheless, the acronyms PETE and PET refer
to the same class of plastic materials. In the
discussion below, PETE is used in reference to a
recyclable container made from PET, while PET refers
directly to the plastic material polyethylene
terephthlate. However, please note that packaging
manufactured outside of the U.S. may utilize the
marking PET.
|
Properties:
toughness, strength, heat resistance,
barrier to moisture and gas. Density:
1.35-1.38 g/cc
Statistic: In
1999 PET accounted for 48% of plastic bottle
resin sales, making it the most widely used
resin in plastic bottles
Description:
PET, also referred to as polyester, is a
popular packaging material for food and
non-food products because it is inexpensive,
lightweight, resealable, shatter-resistant
and recyclable. PET is clear and has good
moisture and gas barrier properties. Its
colour may be green. The flakes and pellets
of cleaned post consumer recycled PET are in
heavy demand for use in spinning carpet
yarns and for producing fiberfill and
geotextiles. |
Packaging applications:
Soft drink bottles, water bottles, beer
bottles, mouthwash bottles, peanut butter
containers, salad dressing containers, juice
bottles, vegetable oil bottles
Recycled products:
Fiber, tote bags, new PETE containers for both food
and non-food products, fabric for clothing, athletic
shoes, luggage, upholstery, furniture, carpet,
fiberfill for sleeping bags and winter coats,
industrial strapping, sheet, and film, and
automotive parts, such as luggage racks, headliners,
fuse boxes, bumpers, grilles and door panels
More
information:
National Association for PET Container Resources
(NAPCOR)
|
Although the acronym PETE was adopted by
manufacturers to identify packaging made
from PET, primarily in response to a
potential trademark dispute, a recycling
symbol that includes the designation PET
rather than PETE has been identified on
packages of products imported from outside
of the US. |
(NOTE:
C6H5
in the molecular formula comprises a benzene ring.
Benzene is generally considered a carcinogenic
substance.)
High
Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
MOLECULAR FORMULA:
(-CH2-CH2-)n
OR
The C=C
double bond in an ethylene monomer is transformed
into a C-C single bond in the polymer.
|
Properties:
toughness, strength, stiffness, ease of
forming, ease of processing, resistance to
moisture and chemicals, permeability to gas.
Density: 0.94-0.96 g/cc
Statistic: In
1999 HDPE accounted for 47% of plastic
bottle resin sales, making it the second
most widely used resin in plastic bottles.
HDPE and PETE together accounted for 95% of
plastic bottle resin usage. |
Description: Bottles
made from HDPE come in both pigmented and
unpigmented resins. The unpigmented resin is
translucent. It also has good stiffness and barrier
properties. Thus, it is ideal for packaging products
having a short shelf-life such as milk. HDPE's good
chemical resistance allows it to be used in
containers holding household or industrial
chemicals. The pigmented resin has even better crack
resistance and chemical resistance than the
unpigmented resin.
Packaging applications:
Milk containers, juice bottles, water
bottles, bleach, detergent, and shampoo bottles,
trash bags, grocery and retail carrying bags, motor
oil bottles, butter and margarine tubs, household
cleaner bottles, yogurt containers, and cereal box
liners
Recycled products:
Drainage pipe, liquid laundry detergent bottles, oil
bottles, pens, benches, doghouses, recycling
containers, floor tile, picnic tables, fencing,
lumber, and mailbox posts
|
Plastic bag manufacturers have adopted a
somewhat different symbol identification for
HDPE as shown at the left. |
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC, sometimes V)
MOLECULAR FORMULA:
(-CH2-CHCl-)n
OR
The C=C
double bond in each monomer is transformed into a
C-C single bond in the polymer.
The
V in the first (and original) symbol actually stands
for vinyl, however, the plastic resin is usually
referred to as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and
therefore the symbol has evolved to the resin
designation of PVC.
|
Properties:
toughness, strength, ease of blending, ease
of processing, resistance to grease, oil,
and chemicals, clarity. Density: 1.32-1.42
g/cc
Statistic: In
1999 PVC accounted for 2% of plastic bottle
resin sales.
Description:
Vinyl, or polyvinylchloride, has stable
electrical and physical properties. It has
excellent chemical resistance and good
weather ability. Its flow characteristics
make it well-suited for injection molding. |
Packaging applications:
Window cleaner bottles, cooking oil bottles,
detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, clear food
packaging, wire and cable jacketing, medical tubing,
with additional significant usage in household
products and building materials, particularly
siding, piping, and windows
Recycled products:
Binders, decking, paneling, mudflaps, roadway
gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps, and mats
More
information:
The Vinyl Institute,
Vinyl products
NOTE: The
Cl
(chlorine atom) in the molecular formula renders PVC
a potentially toxic material when it is burned. The
burning of PVC can result in the creation of
dioxins, a material that is considered highly
carcinogenic.
Low
Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
MOLECULAR FORMULA:
( - CH2
- CH2
- )n
|
Properties:
toughness, strength, flexibility, ease of
sealing, ease of processing, barrier to
moisture. Density: 0.91-0.93 g/cc
Statistic: In
1999 LDPE accounted for just 1% of plastic
bottle resin sales. |
Description: Because
of its toughness , flexibility, and transparency,
LDPE is commonly used in applications where heat
sealing is necessary. It is also widely used in wire
and cable insulation and jacketing.
Packaging applications:
Squeezable bottles, bread bags, frozen food
bags, tote bags, clothing, furniture, dry cleaning
bags, and carpet
Recycled products:
Film and sheet, floor tile, garbage can liners,
shipping envelopes, furniture, compost bins,
panelling, trash cans, lumber, landscaping ties
|
|
Plastic bag manufacturers have adopted
somewhat different symbol identifications
for LDPE bags as shown at the left.
|
(NOTE: The molecular formulas for LDPE and HDPE are
the same. The difference in the plastics is the
density of the molecular chains. The density varies
in the manner in which the polymeric chains form. In
HDPE the chain is essentially one long continuous
chain, allowing the strands to fold back upon one
another and densely occupy space. In LDPE the chains
have multiple branches, which interfere with a
neatly organized packing of chains. Instead the
packing is more disorganized, occupying more space
and thus resulting in a lower density.)
|
Plastic bag manufacturers are also making
their products using low low density
polyethylene, a symbol for which appears to
the left. As you might guess, low low
density polyethylene has a molecular density
even less than low density polyethylene.
|
Polypropylene (PP)
MOLECULAR FORMULA:
(-CHCH3-CH2-)n
OR
The C=C
double bond in each monomer is transformed into a
C-C single bond in the polymer.
|
Properties:
toughness, strength, resistance to heat,
grease, oil, and chemicals, barrier to
moisture. Density: 0.90-0.92 g/cc
Statistic: In
1999 PP accounted for 2% of plastic bottle
resin sales. |
Description:
Polypropylene has the lowest density of the resins
used in packaging. It is strong and is resistant to
chemicals. Since it has a high melting-point it can
be utilized in applications requiring that a
container be filled with a hot liquid.
Packaging applications:
Yogurt containers, syrup bottles, ketchup
bottles, caps, straws, medicine bottles
Recycled products:
Signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto
battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders,
bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, and trays
|
An alternative recycling symbol for
polypropylene utilizing the original design
for the mobius arrows, but inverted, is
shown to the left. |
Polystyrene (PS)
MOLECULAR FORMULA:
(-CHC6H5-CH2-)n
OR
The C=C double bond in each monomer is transformed
into a C-C single bond in the polymer.
|
Properties:
ease of forming, clarity, low heat transfer,
good thermal insulation. Density: 1.03-1.06
g/cc
Statistic: In
1999 PS usage as a plastic bottle resin was
essentially nil. |
Description:
Polystyrene can be made into rigid or foamed
products. It has a relatively low melting point.
Packaging applications:
Plates, cups, cutlery, meat trays, egg
cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles,
compact disc jackets
Recycled products:
Thermal insulation, light switch plates, egg
cartons, vents, rulers, foam packing, carry-out
containers
More
information:
Polystyrene Packaging Council (PSPC),
Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers (AFPR)
(NOTE:
C6H5
in the molecular formula comprises a benzene ring.
Benzene is generally considered a carcinogenic
substance.)
Other
|
Properties:
varies according to constituent resins
Statistic: In
1999 there was minimal usage of resins in
the 'other' category in plastic bottles. |
Description: The
category of "Other" includes any resin not
specifically numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, or
combinations of one or more of these resins.
Packaging applications:
Three and five gallon water bottles, certain
food product bottles
Recycled products:
Plastic lumber, custom-made products
Resin Symbols without Acronyms
You may
come across recycling symbols that only indicate a
number without an acronym for the plastic resin. The
plastic resin of containers or packing labelled in
this manner can be identified by this number and
although not as informative compared to an acronym
listed below the symbol, it is certainly a workable
means of identifying and classifying recyclable
plastics.
Alternative Plastic Resin Recycling Symbols
An
alternative recycling symbol for plastic resins may
be encountered embodying the original mobius
three-chasing arrows together with a number in the
centre. These symbols may appear with or without a
descriptive acronym.
R-resins: ALREADY RECYCLED
You may
ask, all those plastic bottles that are recycled, or
those newspapers, what happens to them? Generally, a
product that is recycled is remanufactured into a
new product that has less demanding specifications
for the new use of the recycled product. In the case
of paper products, the white copy paper may end up
as newsprint. Newsprint may end up as toilet paper.
Plastic materials may be recycled into a packaging
material of less stringent requirements. Thus,
resins that have become a recycled product, are
further identified with an R in front of the
previous designation in order to denote that the
material has already been recycled. The symbols
identifying these products are shown above. As an
example, RHDPE is the acronym interpreted as
recycled high density polyethylene. However, keep in
mind that the R-materials still have potential for
further recycling.
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
|
Properties:
resilient, low density, rigid, impervious
|
Description:
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene was not part of the
original resin identification system.
Applications: Pipes,
car bumpers, toy building blocks, golf club heads,
enclosures
(NOTE: The three components of ABS, acrylonitrile,
butadiene and styrene are considered probable human
carcinogens.)
Origin of the recycling symbol
The
original recycling symbol was designed in 1970 by
Gary Anderson, a senior at the University of
Southern California at Los Angeles. It was submitted
to the International Design Conference as part of a
nationwide contest for high school and college
students sponsored by the Container Corporation of
America. The contest was a result of continuing
growth of consumer awareness and environmentalism
and a response to the first Earth Day.
The recycling symbol
represents a Mobius loop consisting of
three-chasing-arrows in the shape of a triangle
having rounded vertices. Each arrow twists and turns
itself, and all three arrows chase each other. It is
a consummate representation of recycling. The mobius
loop itself was discovered in 1858 by
August
Ferdinand Möbius
(1790-1868), a German mathematician and astronomer,
and has been a mathematical marvel of simplicity,
singularity, and continuity ever since.
Meaning of the recycling symbol
Each of
the three arrows can represent one step in a
three-step process that forms a closed loop, the
recycling loop. The first step represents collection
of materials to be recycled. This step takes place
when recyclable materials are placed into your
curb side recycling bin or taken to a local
collection centre. The collected materials are then
cleaned and sorted for sale to a manufacturing
facility. The manufacturing process is the second
arrow in the recycling symbol. The recyclable
materials are manufactured into new products for
retail or commercial sale. The third step is the
actual purchase and use of the products made from
the recycled materials. The loop is now complete.
Remember the three R's- Reduce, Reuse and
Recycle
Evolution of recycling symbols
The present resin
identification coding system that is detailed above
was introduced by the
Society of the Plastics Industry
(SPI) in 1988 at the urging of recyclers around the
country. In an effort to decrease the volume of
waste subject to tipping fees at landfills, a
growing number of communities were implementing
recycling programs. These programs were often driven
by state-level recycling mandates. The resin
identification code was developed to meet recyclers
needs while providing manufacturers a consistent,
uniform system that could apply nationwide.
The
resin identification coding system offered a means
of identifying the resin content of bottles and
containers commonly found in the residential waste
stream. By identifying the resin content, consumers
would know what types of plastic packaging were
being utilized, and hence, which ones could be
recycled. Consumers were, and will always be, the
first line of action in any effective recycling
program. The bulk recyclers would also filter the
incoming stream of post consumer recyclables by
looking at the code on the plastic packaging.
Since
the first recycling symbol was designed, and the
plastic resin codes introduced, certain industries
have developed unique symbols specific to an
industry. For example, industry associations for
glass, for paperboard, and for corrugated materials
have all developed, and in some cases trademarked,
unique recycling symbols. These three separate
symbols can all be classified as 'recyclable'
symbols.
Miscellaneous recycling symbols
|
A generic form of the plastic resin
identification codes without the number
is also being utilized to designate
recyclability of products that aren't
plastic. Usually there is descriptive
text designating the particular content. |
|
In a further twist
to the evolution of recycling symbols,
at least one individual company has
promulgated its own version of a
'recycled' symbol.
Hewlett-Packard
identifies its packaging materials with
a symbol that is similar to the
'recyclable' symbol for plastic resins.
In the 'recycled' symbol that is
depicted the basic material is of course
paper. The first number of the pair
tells the minimum percentage of
post-consumer recycled content (in this
case 50%), while the second number
denotes the total recycled content (in
this case 80%). Other materials,
including plastics, are identified with
an appropriate labelling. |
 |
The symbol with the blue background
shows the three arrows in a planar
context. This particular symbol is a
relatively new arrival. |
The
Rechargeable Battery Recycling
Corporation (RBRC)
is a non-profit, public service
organization that promotes the recycling
of portable rechargeable batteries.
These batteries are typically found in
cordless power tools, cellular and
cordless phones, laptop computers,
camcorders, digital cameras, and remote
control toys. Nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd)
batteries, nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH)
batteries, lithium ion (Li-ion)
batteries, and small sealed lead (Pb)
batteries weighing less than 2 lbs are
all accepted for recycling. Please keep
in mind that batteries CAN NOT be
deposited for recycling in a curb side
recycling container with other
recyclable products. Batteries must be
delivered to a battery collection site.
Visit the RBRC website to find a nearby
collection site or call the phone number
shown on the recycling symbol. The
collection sites are widely available
and include large well-known retailers
such as Sears, Home Depot, Wal-Mart and
Target among others. |
The 'Green Dot' (Der Grüne Punkt)
The green dot (in German- der grüne
punkt) was originally developed by
Duales System Deutschland AG,
a privately owned non-profit German
company, in 1991. It has since been
adopted by other countries of the
European Union including Austria,
Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland,
Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
It has also been adopted in the non-EU
countries Latvia, Norway, the Czech
Republic, Hungary and Poland.
In 1995, a general license for the
'green dot' was transferred to
Packaging Recovery Organisation Europe
s.p.r.l.,
otherwise known as PRO EUROPE, having
its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
PRO EUROPE licenses the 'green dot' to
nationally recognized systems
set up in European Member States to
implement the European Directive on
Packaging and Packaging Waste dated
December 20, 1994, with the further
objective of making the 'green dot' at
least a pan-European trademark.
The 'green dot', as utilized in Europe,
carries a somewhat different meaning
than the recycling symbols used in the
United States. The presence of a 'green
dot' symbol on packaging denotes that
the manufacturer of the package has
purchased a license for the right to use
the 'green dot' trademark. The
cumulative license fees fund a system of
not only recovering and recycling
packaging materials, but also of
minimizing the use of packaging
material, and of creating packaging that
is easier to recycle.
|
Closing statement
Other
specialized symbols for aluminium cans and steel cans
are being utilized by individual manufacturers.
Therefore, the trend in the evolution of recycling
symbols can be summarized as follows:
-
First, birth of what was intended to be a
universal recycling symbol.
-
Second, divergence of the original recycling
symbol into a 'recycled' symbol and a
'recyclable' symbol, with variations of each.
-
Third, proliferation of industry-specific
recycling symbols of the 'recyclable' variety
together with use of unique symbols by
individual companies, and by other regions of
the world.
-
Lastly, additional symbols will continue to
appear as new variations and categories of
recycled and recyclable products are developed.
