Code |
Description |
Properties |
Product
Applications |
Products
with Recycled Content |
| |
Polyethylene
Terephthalate (PET, PETE). PET is clear, tough, and has good gas and
moisture barrier properties. Commonly used in soft drink bottles and
many injection molded consumer product containers. Other applications
include strapping and both food and non-food containers. Cleaned, recycled
PET flakes and pellets are in great demand for spinning fiber for carpet
yarns, producing fiberfill and geo-textiles. Nickname: Polyester |
Clarity,
strength, toughness, barrier to gas and moisture, resistance to heat |
Plastic
soft drink, water, sports drink, beer, mouthwash, catsup and salad dressing
bottles. Peanut butter, pickle, jelly and jam jars. Ovenable film and
ovenable prepared food trays |
Fiber,
tote bags, clothing, film and sheet, food and beverage containers, carpet,
strapping, fleece wear, luggage and bottles. |
| |
High
Density Polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE is used to make bottles for milk,
juice, water and laundry products. Unpigmented bottles are translucent,
have good barrier properties and stiffness, and are well suited to packaging
products with a short shelf life such as milk. Because HDPE has good
chemical resistance, it is used for packaging many household and industrial
chemicals such as detergents and bleach. Pigmented HDPE bottles have
better stress crack resistance than unpigmented HDPE bottles. |
Stiffness,
strength, toughness, resistance to chemicals and moisture, permeability
to gas, ease of processing, and ease of forming. |
Milk,
water, juice, cosmetic, shampoo, dish and laundry detergent bottles;
yogurt and margarine tubs; cereal box liners; grocery, trash and retail
bags. |
Liquid
laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner and motor oil bottles; pipe,
buckets, crates, flower pots, garden edging, film and sheet, recycling
bins, benches, dog houses, plastic lumber, floor tiles, picnic tables,
fencing. |
|
Polyvinyl
Chloride (PVC/Vinyl).
In addition to its stable physical properties, PVC has good chemical
resistance, weatherability, flow characteristics and stable electrical
properties. The diverse slate of vinyl products can be broadly divided
into rigid and flexible materials. Bottles and packaging sheet are major
rigid markets, but it is also widely used in the construction market
for pipes and fittings, siding, carpet backing and windows frames. Flexible
vinyl is used in wire and cable insulation, film and sheet, floor coverings,
synthetic leather products, blood bags, medical tubing and other applications. |
Versatility,
clarity, ease of blending, strength, toughness, resistance to grease,
oil and chemicals. |
Clear
food and non-food packaging, medical tubing, wire and cable insulation,
film and sheet, construction products such as pipes, fittings, siding,
floor tiles, carpet backing and window frames. |
Packaging,
loose-leaf binders, decking, paneling, gutters, mud flaps, film and
sheet, floor tiles and mats, resilient flooring, cassette trays, electrical
boxes, cables, traffic cones, garden hose, mobile home skirting. |
|
Low
Density Polyethylene (LDPE).
Used predominately in film applications due to its toughness, flexibility
and relative transparency, making it popular for use in applications
where heat sealing is necessary. LDPE is also used to manufacture some
flexible lids and bottles and it is used in wire and cable applications. |
Ease
of processing, strength, toughness, flexibility, ease of sealing, barrier
to moisture. |
Dry
cleaning, bread and frozen food bags, squeezable bottles, e.g. honey,
mustard. |
Shipping
envelopes, garbage can liners, floor tile, furniture, film and sheet,
compost bins, paneling, trash cans, landscape timber, lumber |
|
Polypropylene
(PP). Polypropylene has good chemical resistance, is strong, and has
a high melting point making it good for hot-fill liquids. PP is found
in flexible and rigid packaging to fibers and large molded parts for
automotive and consumer products. |
Strength,
toughness, resistance to heat, chemicals, grease and oil, versatile,
barrier to moisture. |
Catsup
bottles, yogurt containers and margarine tubs, medicine bottles |
Automobile
battery cases, signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, ice scrapers,
oil funnels, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, sheeting, trays. |
|
|
Polystyrene
(PS). Polystyrene is a versatile plastic that can be rigid or foamed.
General purpose polystyrene is clear, hard and brittle. It has a relatively
low melting point. Typical applications include protective packaging,
containers, lids, cups, bottles and trays. |
Versatility,
insulation, clarity, easily formed |
Compact
disc jackets, food service applications, grocery store meat trays, egg
cartons, aspirin bottles, cups, plates, cutlery. |
Thermometers,
light switch plates, thermal insulation, egg cartons, vents, desk trays,
rulers, license plate frames, foam packing, foam plates, cups, utensils |
|
|
Other.
Use of this code indicates that the package in question is made with
a resin other than the six listed above, or is made of more than one
resin listed above, and used in a multi-layer combination. |
Dependent
on resin or combination of resins. |
Three
and five gallon reusable water bottles, some citrus juice and catsup
bottles. |
Bottles,
plastic lumber applications. |
