Types of plastics and their classification number (code)

 Polyethylene Terephthalate, or PETE or PET

These plastic are marked with the code number 1 and is made with Polyethylene Terephthalate, or which is called or known as PETE or PET. You can find the code underneath the bottle or on its label. These are commonly use for household items and drinking container (beverages bottles, medicine jars, peanut butter jars and etc.) These plastics can be recycled. 

PET are segregated by its usage and color (clear white, clear blue, colored (blue, green, yellow & etc.)) for easier recycling. - Requested by recycling plants here in CEBU.

BEVERAGE BOTTLES

CLEAR/TRANSPARENT WHITE

CLEAR/TRANSPARENT  BLUE

COLORED (blue,green, yellow & etc.)

HOUSEHOLD BOTTLES/JARS

COLORED(blue, green,yellow &etc.)

CLEAR/TRANSPARENT WHITE

But some bottles are label as code 1 even though they are not made of Polyethylene Terephthalate like the 4 gallon bottle/jar. it should be code 7 (others) or PC for Polycarbonate

High-Density Polyethylene, or HDPE

These plastic are marked with the code number 2 and is made of High-Density Polyethylene or HDPE. These kind of plastics are the most safe to use because they are not known to transmit any chemicals to our foods or drinks while they are stored for a period of time. HDPE is mostly use for storing chemical like shampoo, liquid soap, detergents, bleaches, oil, acid and etc. They are also use for food and drinks containers. But NEVER reused these container for food/drinks if it was not made/designed for food/drinking containers. 

HDPE are segregated by its color (White, Colored & Black) for easier recycling. - Requested by recycling plants here in CEBU.

HDPE WHITE

HDPE COLORED (except black)

HDPE BLACK

Polyvinyl Chloride, or PVC

These plastic are marked with the code number 3 and is made with Polyvinyl Chloride, or PVC. PVC plastic are harmful when ingested. PVC plastic are not good if in contact with food and drinks. These plastics are commonly used for plumbing pipes, flexible pipes, electrical insulation, signage and etc. PVC plastics are very difficult to recycle due to lack of factories and they have old machines that don't accept contaminated PVC plastics. Contaminated PVC plastics means that the PVC plastics has has paint, has been painted, has pipe cement and has cement. The machines don't accept these because of low-end machines and can't cater it for recycling and ends up in landfills. 

 

RIGID PIPES

 

PVC BOTTLES

Research says that it is harmful if in contact with food. But here in the our country, PVC Bottles is use for food container like Stick-O. Manufacturer should be more aware of this plastic and use more safe plastics for food containers.   

 

     PVC TRAYS

PVC Trays are usually use in packaging of items. (door knobs, screws, devices and etc.) But some of the packaging now are using PET/PETE because it is more safer than PVC. Some manufacturer are getting more aware regarding the plastics that they use. We are hoping that all of the manufactures will be aware for the health of their consumer and also to the environment.   

 

Low-Density Polyethylene, or LDPE

These plastic are marked with the code number 4 and is made with Low Density Polyethylene, or LDPE. LDPE is not commonly recycled and it usually end up in landfill, but it can be recycle. LDPE is a healthy plastic that is both durable and flexible. These plastic are sandwich bags, plastic wrapper, squeezable bottles and grocery bags. In Cebu city, we consider these plastics as Residual Plastics. Residual plastics are mixed plastics including food packaging, and other plastics use in wrapping the furniture, machines, and etc.

RESIDUAL PLASTICS

RESIDUAL PLASTICS

RESIDUAL PLASTICS

RESIDUAL PLASTICS

Polypropylene, or PP

These plastic are marked with the code number 5 and is made with Polypropylene, or PP. This type of plastics are strong and can withstand higher temperatures and is not commonly recycled before but now, with our new technology, it is openly accepted to the recycling plant. These plastics are commonly used for Tupperware, margarine containers, yogurt bottles, beverage caps, some beverages bottles, cups, water pail, drinking straw, noddles containers and others.

   

PP are also segregated by its color (White, Colored & Black) for easier recycling. - Requested by recycling plants here in CEBU.

PP WHITE/TRANSPARENT

PP WHITE/TRANSPARENT

PP COLORED (except black)

PP BLACK

PP BLACK (except black)

PP COLORED (except black)

Straw rope/strap are also considered as PP plastics.

PP STRAP

PP TWINE

Polystyrene, or PS

These plastic are marked with the code number 6 and is made of with Polystyrene. or PS and mostly known as Styrofoam. It is commonly recycled but it is difficult to do it because its usually use for food/beverages and with these way, the PS is contaminated with food/beverages. And once it is thrown in the garbage the food/ beverages get spoiled in the PS in which it will smell bad and some times produces worms and bacteria. With the contamination, people will just burn it to get rid of it. In which PS, often ends up in landfills. For us to prevent or minimized the these smell, we need to train ourselves to wash it with running water before throwing it so that we will be able to recycle it. We will be able to help our community and our environment.

PS are also segregated by its color (White, & Colored) for easier recycling. - Requested by recycling plants here in CEBU. 

HI IMPACT WHITE

HI-IMPACT WHITE

HI-IMPACT COLORED/BLACK

Polycarbonate and Polylactide

These plastic are marked with the code number 7 and is made of with Polycarbonate (PC) and Polylactide. This plastics are considered as uncategorized or known as Others. These plastics are difficult to recycle in our place due to our technology. With these issue, we encourage all the people/consumer to make a better plastic-purchasing decision. These would help us minimized our waste that are not yet recyclable in our place. Hoping that we will have the technology to recycle them all. The PC is used in baby bottles, large water gallons, water jugs, compact disc and medical storage containers.

These gallon has usually has a code 1 which is PET/PETE but this plastic container is made of Polycarbonate (7-PC) not Polyethylene Terephthalate. These plastics is accepted to a very few recycling plant in Cebu. 

These DVD's & CD's are very difficult to recycle here in the Philippines because their's no recycling plant in Cebu that accept this kind of plastic which it ends up in our landfills or being burn. 

These plastics are called ABS that is made of Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. ABS is commonly use in the our electronic appliances, computers, printers, scanners and etc. These plastics is accepted to a very few recycling plant in Cebu.