The Mobius Loop:

The Mobius Loop is used on all paper products that can reasonably be expected to be recycled.

 

The Mobius Loop with Percentage:

This contains x% of recycled material. However, use of this symbol is voluntary. Some goods contain recycled materials but do not carry this symbol. Recycled content does not mean it is necessarily better for the environment and it is often inappropriate, particularly for packaging used for food, toiletries and cosmetics.

 

 

The Green Dot:

This shows that a fee has been paid for the recovery of the packaging in some European countries.

 

 

The Fibre Box Association:

The FBA uses the "corrugated recycles" symbol to inform users that the corrugated materials can be recycled.

 

 

100% Recycled Paperboard Alliance:

The 100% recycled paperboard symbol is owned by RPA-100% and is reserved exclusively for licensed use on products and packaging made with 100% recycled paperboard, and use of the symbol is free for licensees of RPA-100%. More than 80 companies have signed licensing agreements with RPA-100% to display the symbol on products and packaging made from 100% recycled paperboard.

 

 

Recycled Paperboard Technical Association:

The Recycled Paperboard Technical Association is a Non-Profit Association that brings together the expertise of over 100 paper mills worldwide, which manufacture products from at least 90 percent recovered fiber. RPTA is dedicated to the improvement of the Recycled Paperboard Industry.

 

CD Recycling :

Some companies are now encouraging the recycling of CD's and DVD's.

 

 

Recycling Symbols – Plastic:

The recycling symbols used in what is known as the Plastic Coding Sytem include a thinner and simplified version of the Mobius Loop with a number in the center and an acronym (below the loop) denoting the kind of the plastic resin used. These recycling symbols are designed to assist recyclers with the task sorting the collected material. In recent years, these plastic recycling symbols are also commonly used as indicator by some people to determine the presence of what is perceived to be health-threatening chemicals.

PET or PETE (Polyethylene Terephalate Ethylene):

PET (also known as polyester, represented by the plastic recycle symbol number 1) is the most popular material used in disposable bottled beverages, food, and non-food packaging. Lightweight, inexpensive, easy to recycle, PET poses low risk of “leaching” breakdown products but experts caution against any repeated usage. PET is in very high demand among remanufacturers but the recycling rate for this material has remained low at around 20%.

Found In: Soft drink, water, juice, and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing and vegetable oil containers; ovenable food trays.

Recycled Into: Automotive parts, such as luggage racks, headliners, fuse boxes, bumpers, grilles and door panels; Polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, (occasionally) PET, new containers

 

HDPE (High Density Polyethylene):

HDPE (recycle symbol no.2) is commonly used for packaging products with short-shelf life and common household chemicals and is believed to pose a low risk of contaminating contents with breakdown products. Versatile in its uses, HDPE are produced in either pigmented or unpigmented resin, with the pigmented variety found to be more resistant to chemicals and breakage.

Found In: Milk jugs, juice bottles; bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; some trash and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; butter and yogurt containers; cereal box liners, bleach bottles.

Recycled Into: Laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, pens, recycling containers, floor tile, drainage pipe, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencing, mailbox posts, chairs, toys.

 

PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride):

PVC (recycle symbol no.3) is a tough, flexible, and chemical-resistant plastic commonly used for piping and and injection-molding. Rarely recycled, this plastic is considered to be dangerous in relation to food preparation and should not be allowed to come into contact with food when cooking. It contains chlorine and will release toxins to the environment if burned.

Found In: Window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging, wire jacketing, medical equipment, siding, windows, piping. Also used for peanut butter jars and water jugs, wire and cable jacketing.

Recycled Into: Decking, panels, binders, mudflaps, roadway gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps, mats.

 

LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene):

LDPE (recycle symbol no.4) is a tough and flexible plastic that has many uses, including heat-sealing nd insulation applications. LDPE is not normally recycled through community recycling programs, but in the past years, the number of local recycle programs that accept LDPE has increased.

Found In: Plastic bags and grocery sacks, dry cleaning bags and flexible film packaging, Squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags; tote bags; clothing; furniture; carpet.

Recycled Into: Film and sheet, trash can liners and cans, compost bins, shipping envelopes, paneling, lumber, landscaping tiles, floor tile.

 

PP (Polypropylene):

PP (recycle logo no.5) is chemical-resistant, has a high melting point, and has the lowest density of all resins used in packaging. It is widely used in containers designed for hot liquids.

Found in: Yogurt containers, syrup bottles, ketchup bottles, caps, straws, medicine bottles, straws and film packaging.

Recycled into: Signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, and trays.

PS (Polystyrene):

PS (recycle symbol no.6) is characterized by its low melting point and is a good material for insulation. It can be manufactured into rigid foam products like the trademark Styrofoam. This material has long been on the watch list of environmentalists because of its widespread use and difficulty in recycling. Current evidence suggest that Polystyrene can leach toxins into food.

Found in: Disposable plates and cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles, compact disc cases.

Recycled into: Insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, egg trays, fast food packaging, vents, rulers, foam packing, carry-out containers.

 

Other (Polycarbonate):

The category “Other” (recycle symbol no. 7) includes material not categorized under any of the resin classifications above or combinations of any of those.

Found in: Three and five gallon water bottles, certain food product bottles, , ‘bullet-proof’ materials, sunglasses, DVDs, iPod and computer cases, signs and displays, certain food containers, nylon, outdoor and camping bottles, gym bottles, baby bottles.

Recycled into: Plastic lumber, custom-made products.

In recent years, Plastics Symbol no. 7 became the focus of growing concern worldwide as it was found out that many no.7 plastics are made with Polycarbonate plastic which, under scientific experiments, were discovered to leach Bisphenol A. This is a type of chemical known to be a hormonal disruptor causing miscarriages and birth defects.

Glass Recycling :

This recycle sign serves to remind consumers to recycle glass bottles and jars either in a bottle bank, where available or in a kerbside collection.

 

 

Aluminum Recycling :

ALU – this recycle sign indicates that the packaging or the material is made of aluminum and therefore recyclable.

 

Recyclable Steel:

Recyclable Steel – this recycle logo mean the packaging or material is made from recyclable steel.