How to... recycle plastics

The UK generates approximately 3 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. 56 per cent of this waste is discarded packaging and three quarters of this packaging is a result of domestic households. Shockingly, only an estimated 7 per cent of this total plastic waste makes it to recycling(statistics from Waste online).

But taking the time to recycle your plastics can have huge benefits for the environment. It avoids sending waste to already overfull landfill sites, most of which will take hundreds of years to decompose.

Recycling also cuts the need for new plastic production, which involves the use of potentially harmful chemicals as well as using up finite resources such as fossil fuels.

Sorting your plastic

You might not know it, but there are about 50 different kinds of plastic. We won't bore you with all of them, but here are the most important kinds. Every one is recyclable.

Image for Polyethylene terephthalate

Name: Polyethylene terephthalate
Known as: PET
Used in: Fizzy drink bottles and oven-ready meal trays.

symbol for High-density polyethylene

Name: High-density polyethylene
Known as: HDPE
Used in: Bottles for milk and washing-up liquids

Symbol for Polyvinyl chloride

Name: Polyvinyl chloride
Known as: PVC
Used in: Food trays, cling film, bottles for squash, mineral water and shampoo

Symbol for Low Density Polyethylene

Name: Low density polyethylene
Known as: LDPE
Used in: Carrier bags and bin liners.

Symbol for Polypropylene

Name: Polypropylene
Known as: PP
Used in: Margarine tubs, microwaveable meal trays.

Symbol for Polystyrene

Name: Polystyrene
Known as: PS
Used in: Yoghurt pots, foam meat or fish trays, hamburger boxes and egg cartons, vending cups, plastic cutlery

Symbol for miscellaneous recyclable plastics

Other
This last category is used for all other plastics, such as melamine – often used in plastic cups and plates

For more information on your nearest recycling bank please see Recycle Now