What Do the Numbers Mean In the Recycling Symbol?

@elmiko (6630)
United States
April 24, 2009 2:04am CST
I was guessing it meant how many times something has been recycled. I'm I wrong?
2 people like this
3 responses
Lakota12
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
24 Apr 09
I have no idea what you are talking about Where is the recycle symbol?
1 person likes this
elmiko
@elmiko (6630)
• United States
28 Apr 09
the recycling symbol indicating you can recycle whatever it may be is usually located on the bottom part of the product. Its in the shape of a triangle with a number in the middle indicating what type of plastic or material it was made from.
Lakota12
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
28 Apr 09
awwwww I see I will have to start looking for that thanks!
suspenseful
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
24 Apr 09
I think the numbers refer to what type of plastic they are and the recyclable facilities that can handle them. So supposing that the plastic is number 3 and the facility can only handle number 1 and 2, then they have to either throw number 3 in the trash or add more equipment to handle it.
1 person likes this
elmiko
@elmiko (6630)
• United States
28 Apr 09
yeah thats what the first response said.
danishcanadian
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
25 Apr 09
I have never noticed numbers in a recycling sign, so I can only take a guess. I would imagine that the number inside the recycling sign has to do with the percentage of the product that is made up of recycled material. Some products are made of more recycled material than others.
elmiko
@elmiko (6630)
• United States
28 Apr 09
its only 1 number though in all the recycling symbols i've seen. the highest i've seen the numbers go is either a 5 or 6. an earlier responder said its the type of material used to make the product that determines what # is in the recycling sign. When i look at the low side of a plastic coca-cola bottle i see the recycling symbol which is always in the shape of a triangle on anything that can be recycled. On the clear plastic coca-cola bottle i see a 1 inside the triangle recycling symbol. On a bottle of supplements such as vitamin b-12 i usually have to look at the very bottom to find the triangle symbol.