Plastic Recycling Code

Do you use a lot of plastic packaging for your food or drinks?  Be careful.! Plastics are made with specific goals tailored to their usage. Let say packaging for detergents, food, oil, chemicals, water, and so forth. Characteristics of each plastic materials also vary.

Code of plastic materials are usually placed at the bottom of the plastic containers. Basically  this code states the level of their recycle rate because each plastic materials have a different recycling rate. This code also states the resin content of plastic materials and in terms of application, we can find the guidance in using plastic materials. Some are suitable for high temperature application and some aren't. Some plastic are allowed  for one use only, and some even poisonous. For the food grade plastic, we can use as our food container. That is why you need very careful in using those kind of plastic, especially for your food and drink container.  Find the summary:

Code	Name	Properties	Common Use	Recommendation
	PET, PETE Polyethylene Terephthalate	Clarity, strength, toughness, barrier to gas and moisture, resistance to heat	Plastic bottles (soft drink, single-use water bottles, sport drinks), food jars, cosmetic containers., sports drink, beer, mouthwash, catsup and salad dressing bottles. Peanut butter, pickle.	Be careful with producs labeled No. 1. Designed for single use only. Extended use increases risk of leaching and bacterial growth.
	HDPE High density polyethylene	Stiffness, strength, toughness, resistance to chemicals and moisture, permeability to gas, ease of processing, and ease of forming	Grocery Bags, detergent bottles, milk and juice jugs, cosmetic, shampoo, dish and laundry detergent bottles; yogurt and margarine tubs; cereal box liners.	Appears to be Safe
	PVC Polyvinyl chloride	Versatility, clarity, ease of blending, strength, toughness, resistance to grease, oil and chemicals	Garden hose, cable sheathing, window frames, blister packs, blood bags, meat wrap, medical tubing, wire and cable insulation, film and sheet, construction products such as pipes, fittings, siding, floor tiles.	Avoid. Nicknamed the Poison Plastic, contains many dangerous toxins.
	LDPE Low density Polyethylene	Ease of processing, strength, toughness, flexibility, ease of sealing, barrier to moisture	Heavy duty bags, drycleaning bags, bread bags, squeezable bottles, plastic food wrap.	Appears to be Safe
	PP Polypropylene	Strength, toughness, resistance to heat, chemicals, grease and oil, versatile, barrier to moisture	Medicine bottles, cereal liners, packing tape, straws, potato chip bags, Catsup bottles, yogurt containers and margarine tubs, medicine bottles.	Appears to be Safe
	PS Polystyrene	Versatility, insulation, clarity, easily formed	CD and video cases, plastic cutlery, foam packaging, egg cartons, egg cartons, aspirin.	Avoid. May leach styrene, a possible human carcinogen. May be a hormone disruptor.
	PC Polycarbonate	Dependent on resin or combination of resins	Baby bottles, water cooler bottles, car parts	Caution. Concern with leaching of Bisphenol A which appears to cause chromosonal damage.