What You Need…

Most of the polymers we encounter in our daily lives are the six polymers listed in Table 1. To make recycling of these polymers easier, the plastics industry has adopted the codes shown. Since compliance in labelling is voluntary, not all plastics are labelled for identification. Identification, simply by appearance, is difficult, however, there are a few types that are readily identifiable. Clear, colourless containers that are used for soft drinks are most often polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Opaque, translucent (and often white in colour) plastics used for containers such as milk cartons are usually high density polyethylene (HDPE). Bottles used for shampoos or cleaning materials are usually made from polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC). Plastic bags and some plastic wrap is often ade from low-density polyethylene (LPDE). m