Plastic Container Recycle Codes
Polyethylene Terephthalate ( PET or PETE )
Common uses: Plastic bottles for soda, water, food, liquid soap and lotion.
Pros
- Good to fair general chemical barrier
- Good alcohol and solvent barrier
- Good gas barrier
- Good moldability
- Can be sterilized with EtO (ethylene oxide) or gamma radiation
- Good stress crack and impact resistance at room temperature and above
Cons
- Poor chemical barrier for strong acids and bases
- Fair moisture barrier
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
Common uses: Plastic bottles and jars for cosmetics, food, milk and laundry detergent.
Pros
- Good impact strength
- Good stress crack resistance
- Good chemical resistance
- Good vapor barrier
- Excellent resistance to most solvents
- Higher tensile strength than other forms of polyethylene
- Can be sterilized with EtO or gamma radiation
Cons
- Poor gas barrier
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Common uses: Clear food and non food packaging, medical tubing and wire insulation.
Pros
- Good for coatings
- Stable electrical properties
- Good oxygen barrier
- Good chemical resistance
- Can be sterilized with EtO
- Good impact resistance
Cons
- Fair water barrier
- Fair stress crack resistance
- Poor recycling due to chloride residues
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
Common uses: Plastic bottles for honey, mustard and bread or food bags.
Pros
- Good general chemical resistance
- Excellent chemical resistance against mild and strong buffers
- Good water vapor and alcohol barrier properties
- Can be sterilized with EtO or gamma radiation
- Good stress crack and impact resistance
Cons
- Poor gas barrier
Polypropylene (PP)
Common uses: Plastic containers for ketchup, yogurt, margarine and medicine.
Pros
Excellent stress crack and impact resistance- Excellent moisture barrier
- Good oil and alcohol barrier
- Good chemical resistance
- High melting point - good for hot filling
- Can be sterilized with EtO or autoclaving
Cons
- Poor gas barrier properties
Polystyrene (PS)
Common uses: Packaging for CDs, aspirin bottles, cups, plates and disposable cutlery.
Pros
- Light and heat stable
- Good resistance to inorganic chemicals
- Good stiffness in both foamed & rigid forms
- Good impact and stress crack resistance
- Can be sterilized with EtO or gamma radiation
- Foamed PS - Low thermal conductivity & excellent insulation
Cons
- Poor barrier properties
- Brittle in its general purpose form
Other Plastics
Common uses: Multiple gallon water bottles, juice bottles, oven-baking bags and custom packaging.
Pros
- Combined characteristics from multiple plastics can create an improved material
Cons
- Plastic bottles and containers from this group are not easily recyclable
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