TABLE OF COMMON PLASTIC RESINS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS ORGANIZED ACCORDING TO THE SOCIETY OF THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY (SPI) RESIN IDENTIFICATION CODE
TYPES OF PLASTIC, THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
"The easiest way for a consumer to identify the type of plastic used in a product is to find the resin identification code (also known as the material container code), which is usually molded, formed or imprinted in or close to the centre on the bottom of the container.
This system of coding was developed in 1988 by The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) [www.plasticsindustry.org], which is the Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing the U.S. plastics industry. The intent was to provide plastic recyclers – which urged the industry to develop such a system – with a consistent national system to facilitate recycling of post-consumer plastics through the normal channels for collecting recyclable materials from household waste.
The coding system is voluntary for plastic manufacturers, but it's use has become relatively standard on plastic products sold in the U.S. and internationally.
The purpose of the coding system is to make it easier for plastics to be recycled, but the codes also provide consumers with a simple, handy technique for identifying the type of plastic resin used to make a particular product. In accordance with SPI guidelines, the code is deliberately placed in an inconspicuous location on the product because the industry intent is not to influence the consumer's buying decision, just to facilitate recycling of the product.
Knowing the code for a particular plastic product, consumers can then inform themselves of the characteristics and potential environmental and health effects associated with usage of that particular type of plastic. Helping consumers in this daunting task is one of the fundamental goals of Life Without Plastic.
The table below is a starting point in this information gathering process. "
plastic_types_jan07.pdf
"The easiest way for a consumer to identify the type of plastic used in a product is to find the resin identification code (also known as the material container code), which is usually molded, formed or imprinted in or close to the centre on the bottom of the container.
This system of coding was developed in 1988 by The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) [www.plasticsindustry.org], which is the Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing the U.S. plastics industry. The intent was to provide plastic recyclers – which urged the industry to develop such a system – with a consistent national system to facilitate recycling of post-consumer plastics through the normal channels for collecting recyclable materials from household waste.
The coding system is voluntary for plastic manufacturers, but it's use has become relatively standard on plastic products sold in the U.S. and internationally.
The purpose of the coding system is to make it easier for plastics to be recycled, but the codes also provide consumers with a simple, handy technique for identifying the type of plastic resin used to make a particular product. In accordance with SPI guidelines, the code is deliberately placed in an inconspicuous location on the product because the industry intent is not to influence the consumer's buying decision, just to facilitate recycling of the product.
Knowing the code for a particular plastic product, consumers can then inform themselves of the characteristics and potential environmental and health effects associated with usage of that particular type of plastic. Helping consumers in this daunting task is one of the fundamental goals of Life Without Plastic.
The table below is a starting point in this information gathering process. "
plastic_types_jan07.pdf
posted by Savemobile.org at 11:02 AM
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