What Do Recycling Symbols Actually Mean?
Recycling symbols – they’re everywhere. But do they actually indicate whether something is recyclable? Not necessarily. While there are a handful of materials that are almost always recyclable, others are more difficult or less economical to recycle, even if they’re stamped with that universally recognizable recycling symbol. So what does it actually mean when something has the recycling symbol on it?
The short answer is this: the recycling symbol indicates that something can theoretically be recycled, but not necessarily that it is recyclable everywhere. To make matters more confusing, the recycling symbol is sometimes used to indicate that something is made from recycled materials, but not that it is itself recyclable. The most confusing use of the recycling symbol, however, is in Resin Identification Codes (RICs) on plastics, many of which are not commonly recyclable.
Recycling plays an incredibly important role in reducing our reliance on virgin materials. But when the recycling symbol is slapped on all kinds of items, even ones that aren’t easily recyclable, it becomes nearly impossible to tell what can and can’t be recycled. That’s why I wanted to take a closer look at the different recycling symbols and what they actually mean.
Photo by Sigmund (Unsplash)
A brief history of the recycling symbol
There is one symbol that is universally understood to be the “recycling symbol.” It’s a simple design: three arrows folded over themselves, chasing each other in an infinite loop. In order to understand what this symbol represents, we have to take a closer look at its history.
Who created the recycling symbol?
In 1970, a student named Gary Anderson entered and won a design competition hosted by Container Corporation of America (CCA). The goal of the competition was to find a design that would be stamped on the company’s recyclable paper and cardboard products. Gary’s winning design? Three chasing arrows folding over themselves in a Möbius loop.
CCA’s design competition was a response to the first Earth Day as well as to increasing demand for sustainable products by consumers. Symbols, as we know, are powerful tools for getting ideas across. By establishing a symbol that indicates the recyclability of something, CCA effectively alleviated consumer fears about the environmental impact of its products.
While that’s all fine for paper products, which are readily recyclable, it wasn’t long before the recycling symbol took on a life of its own, getting stamped on all kinds of things from CCA’s cardboard boxes to recycling bins in Amsterdam. That’s when its meaning started to become more murky. At one point, CCA applied for a trademark on the symbol, but by then it was so widely used that the application was challenged and CCA eventually gave up. To this day, the recycling symbol is in the public domain and can be used by anyone.
Plastic and the recycling symbol
As the environmental movement gained more traction, the plastic industry’s reputation declined. By the 1970’s, there was evidence that plastic was winding up in the open ocean, and what plastic made it into the waste stream was buried in landfills, not recycled.
In an effort to save its declining reputation, the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) decided to convince the public of plastic’s supposed “value” as a recyclable product. As NPR reports, the plastics industry – which included Big Oil companies such as Exxon, Chevron, Dow, and DuPont – ran countless ads, funded (short-lived) recycling projects, and did all manner of publicity stunts to showcase the benefits of plastic. However, while plastic certainly has many valuable uses, it is so cheap to produce from virgin oil that it has never made sense economically to recycle.
Still, in 1989, the plastics industry lobbied for the use of the recycling symbol on all plastics, specifically through a resin identification code (RIC). Like the original recycling symbol, the RIC has three arrows chasing each other, but rather than folding over themselves they are solid and bent, and there is a number in the middle to indicate the type of plastic (resin).
According to industry officials, the code was meant to help recyclers sort plastics, and at the time of its creation even environmentalists thought it would be a good thing. However, unlike paper, aluminum, and glass, plastic is not readily recyclable. The use of what looks nearly identical to the universal recycling symbol on plastic made it seem as if all plastic was recyclable, when that’s far from the truth.
In this way, the RIC is a powerful tool for greenwashing, making it seem like plastic is not so bad for the environment, after all. But even as of 2018, less than 9% of all plastics are recycled, and that number is estimated to have dropped in the years since.
Different types of recycling symbols and their meanings
There’s a reason the chasing arrows symbol is known more commonly as the recycling symbol: all across the world, consumers see a symbol with chasing arrows, and think that means an item can go in their recycling bin. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. There are different types of recycling symbols and they don’t all mean the same thing.
For example, recycling symbols may not indicate whether an item is recyclable or not, but rather that it is made from recyclable materials. Similarly, even if an item has the recycling symbol and is potentially recyclable, it may not be accepted everywhere. This is especially true for plastics or items made of more than one material.
♲ or ♻ Universal recycling symbol
The most recognizable recycling symbol is the one that was originally adopted by the CCA back in 1970. It features three chasing arrows that fold over themselves with one half-twist, resulting in a Möbius loop.
This recycling symbol indicates that an item is recyclable, somewhere. However, it does not mean an item is recyclable everywhere, and the only way to know for sure is to check with your local recycling agency.
♼ Recycled paper symbol
When you see the universal recycling symbol in a dark circle, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s recyclable. Rather, it indicates that a product contains 100% recycled paper.
Fortunately, most paper products are readily recycled more than once, so it’s likely that a product made with recycled paper is itself also recyclable.
♽ Partially-recycled paper symbol
Similar to the recycled paper symbol, this symbol features the universal recycling symbol but in an empty circle, indicating that a product is partially made of recycled paper. Again, it does not necessarily indicate whether a product is recyclable, so check to see if it also has the universal recycling symbol.
Resin identification codes and their meanings
The above recycling symbols are relatively straightforward, and, when used properly by manufacturers, they can help consumers figure out what is and isn’t recyclable or made of recycled materials. However, most of the confusion around recycling symbols is actually around the resin identification codes (RICs) on the different types of plastics.
Here’s what those pesky RIC symbols actually mean:
♳ Polyethylene terephthalate (PETE or PET)
Plastics stamped with the #1 RIC are made of polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PETE or PET. This type of plastic is strong and rigid. It is commonly found in:
Bottles
Cups
Packaging
Polyester fibers
Recyclability: of all the plastics, #1 is the most readily recyclable and is accepted by most curbside recycling programs. Make sure to check with your local recycling program, and always rinse out containers first.
♴ High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
The #2 RIC indicates high-density polyethylene, or HDPE. Like PET plastic, HDPE is strong and rigid, and may be used to make products such as:
Bottles
Cups
Milk jugs
Grocery bags
Recycling bins
Playground equipment
Plastic lumber
Recyclability: HDPE (in rigid form) is commonly accepted by curbside recycling programs.
♵ Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, is stamped with a #3 RIC. It’s commonly found in:
Pipes
Siding
Flooring
Fencing
Shower curtains
Lawn chairs
Non-food bottles
Children’s toys
Recyclability: due to the long life span of PVC, it is not commonly recycled and is better avoided or reused when possible.
♶ Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
The #4 plastic, low-density polyethylene, or LDPE, tends to be strong yet flexible, making it particularly useful for items such as:
Plastic bags and film
Six-pack rings
Tubing
Various containers and bottles
Molded laboratory equipment
Recyclability: LDPE is not commonly accepted through curbside programs and represents a significant amount of plastic pollution. Fortunately, items such as plastic bags can be collected and dropped off at many stores for recycling.
♷ Polypropylene (PP)
Polypropylene, or PP, is also known as the #5 plastic. It is commonly found in:
Auto parts
Industrial fibers
Food containers
Clamshell containers
Dishware
Recyclability: PP is accepted through some curbside recycling programs. Check with your local recycler before recycling any PP in your blue bin.
♸ Polystyrene (PS)
Polystyrene, or PS, is labeled with a #6 resin code. Styrofoam is an expanded form of polystyrene. Common uses of PS include:
Plastic utensils
Coffee cups
Coffee cup lids
Styrofoam products
Packing peanuts
Cafeteria trays
Toys
Clamshell containers
Insulation boards
Recyclability: Polystyrene is not accepted by most curbside recycling programs.
♹ Other/PLA
The final RIC, #7, is a sort of catch-all for other plastics including acrylic, nylon, polycarbonate, and polylactic acid. In other words, items such as:
Some bottles
Plastic lumber
Headlight lenses
Safety shields or glasses
Recyclability: #7 plastics are not typically accepted by curbside recycling programs.
New codes and the future of recycling
If you’re still confused, you’re not alone. The problem with recycling, and especially plastic recycling, is that specifics vary from municipality to another. What one recycler accepts, another may not. To help clear things up, certain groups are leading initiatives to clarify or change recycling codes.
For example, environmentalists and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are pushing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to “retire” the chasing arrows symbol from plastics, as reported by the New York Times. The suggested alternative to the current RIC is a solid triangle. In theory, a new symbol would clear up confusion for consumers who think that anything with the chasing arrows symbol is automatically recyclable, when that isn’t always the case.
Another organization, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, has created a How2Recycle label that provides more information about the recyclability of a product. For example, a How2Recycle label may indicate whether a material is Widely Recycled, Limited, Not Yet Recycled, or Store Drop-Off. It may also clarify what steps, if any, need to be taken before an item can be recycled (such as removing caps or liners). If an item contains multiple materials, it will have individual symbols for each one.
Has this article cleared up recycling symbols for you? What questions do you still have about recycling? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
