Not all plastics were created equal
The concept of making use of something old has evolved over
years, from hand-me-downs to remodeling homes or sprucing
up an antique. But, today, one man’s trash is another man’s
treasure, literally. Industries have taken a liking to refining the
art of reconstructing trash. These green businesses are taking
an eco-friendly/self-sustaining approach in creating new
products, especially since there is so much trash to be used.
But, where do recyclable materials come from? And, more
importantly, what materials can or can’t be used?
Finding recycled materials isn’t very difficult. Just take a look
around your kitchen. You’ll find recyclable materials in the
fridge, like peanut butter jars, soda bottles and juice bottles, in your cupboard, like sandwich
bags or in cereal boxes, or on your house, like that awful siding you’ve been meaning to paint.
And, for many of us, we dispose of these products hoping to never see them again, usually not
caring that they end up going through one of two recycling processes: single-stream recycling or
multi-stream recycling. Necessity and creativity with plastics can even make a home!
This is all well and good, but what exactly is used from our waste? Well, it is true that industries
are able to reproduce these materials into reusable items again and make money. But what some
people may not be aware of is our friendly neighborhood plastic. In 1988 the Society of Plastic
Industry created a resin identification code, also known as an SPI code. These codes are
categorized into seven groups numbered from one to seven. If you look at the products you have
at home, you’ll notice plastic containers have a small triangle with a number in the center and an
abbreviation of the specific material used.
Here is a list of what each code represents:
SPI code 1: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) is used for things like soda bottles, but is
recycled into bags, clothes or carpets.
SPI code 2: High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is used for things like milk jugs and shampoos,
but is recycled into fences, plastic crates or plastic lumber.
SPI code 3: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is used for things like pipes and tiles. PVC isn’t usually
recycled, however can be used for flooring when it is recycled.
SPI code 4: Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is used for sandwich bags and squeezable bottles
because it’s tough, transparent and flexible. LDPE isn’t usually recycled, but can be used for
making furniture, lumber and garbage bags if it is recycled.
SPI code 5: Polypropylene (PP) has a high-melting point and is extremely tough. It is used to
make Tupperware, prescription bottles and bottle caps. The items it’s recycled into need to be
resistant, such as ice scrapers and battery cables.
SPI code 6: Polystyrene (PS) is commonly known as Styrofoam. This material is difficult to
recycle, but products such as license plate frames and rulers can be made.
SPI code 7: This category is for all the plastics that don’t fall into any of the categories above.
Recyclable materials are abundant, especially plastics. However, if you’re thinking of creating
your own green business, make sure you thoroughly investigate the details of every SPI code.