Plastics Scavenger Hunt
The good and the bad of plastics is that they are very durable. This also is why they can often be recycled. The recycling
process and final product depends on the type of plastic. For this reason, most disposable plastics are marked with a Resin
number. You have probably noticed this number on the bottom of common household containers. It looks like this:
In this activity, we are going to learn more about the different types of plastics, what they are typically used for, and how they
can be recycled.
Step 1: Look around your house, work, school, etc. and try to find something that is marked with each of the 7 resin numbers.
Take a selfie with the object and then a close-up shot that clearly shows the resin number. Insert both pictures into the correct
spot on the table.
Step 2: Do a little research. Find out the name of each type of plastic and what it is commonly used for.
Step 3: Use the “Where to Recycle” tool on Earth911.com website to find a place to recycle each type of plastic.
Resin number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Pictures
Abbreviation
and Full Name
Common
applications
Place in
curbside
recycle bin?
Other
recycling
options?