The Ultimate Guide to Types of Plastic: What You Need to Know to Make Sustainable Choices
What is plastic?
Plastics are materials made from polymers that can be easily shaped into different forms. They are inexpensive, versatile, and durable. We use plastics safely for many things, such as packaging food and healthcare equipment. They are lightweight and can be used in disposable devices, which are commonly used in the medical field. Plastics can also be used for innovative medical applications, like tissue engineering and prosthetics.
Why we should Recycle Plastic Waste?
Recycling plastic helps reduce CO2 emissions from making new plastic and from disposing of plastic waste. It also keeps plastic out of landfills. Recycling is more fuel-efficient than making new plastic.
How can you classify which plastic is used?
You can tell what type of plastic something is and if it can be recycled by looking at the symbol on it with a number inside. The diagram below shows these symbols.
What are the different types of plastic waste?
- Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE)
- High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
- Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
- Polypropylene (PP)
- Polystyrene (PS)
- Miscellaneous Plastics (Mix plastics)
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE)
PET or PETE is a type of plastic used to make food and drink packaging. It keeps products fresh, is lightweight, transparent, and comes in different colors. It’s safer than other plastics and very strong. It’s also the most common type of plastic and can be easily recycled. The recycling symbol for PET is number 1.
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE):
HDPE is a type of plastic that stands for high-density polyethylene. It’s used to make hygiene products like plastic bottles for milk, juice, shampoo, and body wash. It’s also used for bleach bottles, cutting boards, piping, and children’s toys. HDPE is lightweight, durable, and easy to shape. It’s strong and thick, making it great for injection molding. It can be recycled and is identified by the recycling symbol number
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride and it’s a type of plastic that can be shaped when heated. It can be used in many ways, either as a hard or flexible material. Hard PVC is very strong and durable, which makes it useful in construction, plumbing, and other industries. It’s dense, cheap, and has great strength. PVC is also lightweight and easy to recycle, which is why it’s labeled with the recycling symbol number 3.
Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
LDPE is a type of plastic that is different from other plastics because it has a lower density and is made up of branched molecules. This gives it some unique properties. It doesn’t break easily, is waterproof, and can withstand hazardous materials. LDPE is used to make bags for groceries, dry cleaning, and bread, as well as beverage cups, plastic wraps, and bubble wrap. It’s also used in industrial and agricultural settings to make film and packaging to protect products. When LDPE is recycled, it can be used to make things like plastic film, furniture, and compost bins. It’s identified by the recycling symbol number 4.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene is a type of plastic that is tough and rigid. It’s used for many things like packaging, medical supplies, furniture, car parts, and plastic films. It’s one of the most commonly used plastics in manufacturing. When you see the recycling symbol with the number 5, it means it’s made of polypropylene.
Polystyrene
Polystyrene is a kind of plastic made from a material called styrene. It can be solid or foamy. You might know it as Styrofoam. Polystyrene is clear, hard, and can break easily. It’s used for things like plastic utensils, DVD cases, computer parts, toys, and packing materials. You might also see it in egg cartons. When you see the recycling symbol with the number 6, it means it’s made of polystyrene.
Miscellaneous Plastics
Miscellaneous plastics are a group of plastics that are not categorized into any specific type. They include polycarbonate, polylactide, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene, styrene, fiberglass, and nylon. These plastics are used to make items such as CDs, DVDs, baby bottles, large water bottles, medical storage containers, eyeglasses, and exterior lighting fixtures. These plastics are not easily broken down, except when exposed to high temperatures.
