Does the recycling triangle mean an item is recyclable?

No. The chasing-arrows triangle with a number is a resin identification code that only tells sorters which plastic the item is made of. Whether it is actually recycled depends on the resin, its form and your local collection rules.

Which plastic codes are most widely recycled?

Codes 1 (PET) and 2 (HDPE) are the most valuable and almost universally accepted at kerbside, and code 5 (PP) is increasingly collected. Codes 3 (PVC), 6 (PS) and 7 (Other) are rarely recycled in standard household schemes.

Which plastics are safest for food and heat?

HDPE (2), LDPE (4) and PP (5) are generally regarded as low-leach, and PP is microwave-safe. PVC (3) and PS (6) can leach plasticisers or styrene when heated, and some code 7 polycarbonate may contain BPA, so avoid heating those with food.

What does code 7 actually contain?

Code 7 is a catch-all for everything else, including polycarbonate, ABS, nylon, multilayer packaging and bioplastics such as PLA. Because the composition is mixed or unknown, items marked 7 are usually not recyclable in standard streams, and PLA is compostable rather than recyclable.

Is this data fetched from anywhere?

No. The full reference table and the lookup run entirely in your browser. Nothing is fetched, uploaded or stored.

Plastic Recycling Code Reference

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What the number in the recycling triangle means

The small number inside the chasing-arrows symbol on plastic packaging is a resin identification code, standardised as SPI / ASTM D7611. It identifies the polymer so recyclers can sort it — but it does not promise that the item is recycled where you live. This reference covers all seven codes with their uses, recyclability and safety notes, and lets you look any of them up instantly.

How it works

Each code maps to a specific polymer family:

1  PET / PETE  Polyethylene terephthalate   bottles, food trays
2  HDPE        High-density polyethylene     milk jugs, detergent bottles
3  PVC / V     Polyvinyl chloride            pipes, cling film, blister packs
4  LDPE        Low-density polyethylene      carrier bags, film, squeeze bottles
5  PP          Polypropylene                 yoghurt pots, caps, microwave tubs
6  PS          Polystyrene                   cutlery, CD cases, foam packaging
7  OTHER / O   Everything else (PC, PLA…)    mixed or multilayer items

Recyclability roughly tracks the code: 1, 2 and increasingly 5 are accepted at kerbside because they sort cleanly and have resale value, while 3, 6 and 7 are mixed, low-value or contaminating and usually go to landfill or specialist streams.

Tips and notes

Always rinse and empty containers — food residue contaminates a whole batch and can send it to landfill.
Soft films (code 4) jam kerbside machinery; take carrier bags and wrappers to supermarket drop-off bins instead.
A compostable PLA item marked code 7 must go to industrial composting, not recycling and not a home compost bin.
The code tells you the material, but your local council’s accepted-items list is the final word — check it before binning.