What Sort of Plastic is it?

what sort of plastic
Here is a list, prepared by the Consumer's Association for identifying those plastic symbols

The most common – and the most valuable – of these are:

  • Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) – used in water bottles and plastic trays
  • High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) – used for milk cartons and shampoo bottles
  • Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) – plastic carrier bags and bin liners.
  • Polypropylene (PP) – margarine tubs and ready-meal trays

These plastics have the greatest recycling demand and are easier for recycling facilities to handle than other polymers. As it’s airtight and rigid, yet flexible, PET is the most commonly used, and particularly useful for packaging food and drinks.

While polystyrene (used for takeaway boxes, cups and food packaging) and PVC (used for food packaging and drainpipes and guttering), are technically recyclable, it’s much more difficult to recycle these than the four listed above which is why we now have these new collection points.

Read more in this article from Which? magazine:

How to Recycle in the UK