The Plastic Identification Code - Label your plastics Plastics New Zealand encourages all companies We recycle more plastics in in the plastics industry to clearly label their plastic New Zealand SEE OVER products. This means using the number in the FOR CODES chasing arrows as well as the letters on all rigid and Over the last 10 years more New Zealand cities Soft drink bottles (PET) flexible packaging and all homeware, engineered, and towns have introduced recycling schemes milk bottles (HDPE) and construction and agricultural plastics. to reduce waste going to our landfills. Ring your Council or Plastics New Zealand to find This international code was developed to meet Industrial shrinkwrap (LDPE) out what plastic is recycled in your area or go recyclers' needs while providing manufacturers to www.reducerubbish.govt.nz and look for with a consistent, uniform system that could apply were the most commonly recycled plastic products. the regional links. Most Councils offer kerbside Around 60% [22,600 tonnes] of the recovered worldwide. Plastics New Zealand introduced the recycling or drop off centres. Plastic Identification Code to New Zealand in the plastic was sourced from business/industry and the early 1990s. Our members voluntarily label their Each year the amount of plastic we recycle remaining 40% [12,900 tonnes] from households. plastic products so they can be easily identified for continues to increase and we are on track to reach reuse and recycling. the plastics 2008 Packaging Accord recycling Why are there so target of 23% recovery in 2008. The graph below many number 7’s? The Plastic Identification Code does not equal shows that in 2004 New Zealand recycled a total recyclability. The code was not intended of 35,442 tonnes in plastic resin types or grades. Over the last 20 years the plastics industry has developed to be - nor was it ever promoted as - a an ever increasing number of new plastics or new guarantee that a given item will be accepted For more detailed information combinations of plastic polymers. All these plastics fall for recycling. about where our plastic is into the other, number “7” code which also includes any reused and recycled you can The plastic coding system identifies the six most mixture of plastics. Most “engineered plastics” such as download an electronic copy of common plastics, grade or type 1 to 6, and has an TOTAL NEW ZEALAND PLASTIC RECYCLING 2004 plastics in electronics are also number 7. These number Sustainable End of Life Options “other” category, the number 7, for all other resins. 7 plastics are still a relatively low volume and represents for Plastics in New Zealand from “Other” includes combinations of resins, multi 14,000 6% of plastic resin manufactured into products in NZ. www.plastics.org.nz and look materials (e.g. laminates) and degradable plastics. 12,444 in the publications section. The Plastics Identification Code is an international code If you need more information about how to 12,000 and if New Zealand wants to make additions [such as add label or identify your plastic products go to our new numbers] we need to gain international agreement. 10,000 website www.plastics.org.nz or contact us at 8,932 Some common number 7’s are: [email protected]. 8,016 8,000 • Polycarbonate is used to make the large water cooler bottles. It is not used for the smaller hand held water For information on how to print the code go bottles which are made of PET. to www.pacia.org.au 6,000 For specific polymer mixtures and • PLA (polylactic acid) ISO abbreviations refer to: 4,000 a plastic made from ISO 11469:2000 Plastics - Generic identification and 2,412 a renewable resource marking of plastics products 1,415 1,588 e.g. corn starch is also ISO 1043-1:2001 Plastics - Symbols and abbreviated 2,000 417 a number 7 and has terms - Part 1: Basic polymers and 218
their special characteristics RecoveredTonnage (t) the symbol shown on ISO 1043-2:2000 Plastics - Symbols and abbreviated PET HDPE PVC LDPE PP PS EPS OTHER the right terms - Part 2: Fillers and reinforcing materials For more information on degradable plastics ISO 1043-3:1996 Plastics - Symbols and abbreviated terms - Part 3: Plasticizers Material Type and bio plastics go www.plastics.org.nz ISO 1043-4:1998 Plastics - Symbols and abbreviated terms - Part 4: Flame retardants Plastics New Zealand ISO 15270:2008 Plastics - Guidelines for the recovery Total amount of plastic recovered in 2004 by material type PO Box 76378 Manukau City and recycling of plastics waste. (Source: PNZ Recycling Survey, 2005) Phone: +64 9 262 3773 Email: [email protected] This document is printed on polypropylene, code number 5. It can be recycled.
SYMBOL TYPE OF PLASTIC PROPERTIES COMMON USES RECYCLED IN PACKAGING NON PACKAGING
Clear, tough, solvent resistant, Soft drink and water bottles, salad Pillow and sleeping bag filling, PET barrier to gas and moisture, domes, biscuit trays, salad dressing and clothing, soft drink bottles, carpet Polyethylene Terephthalate softens at 70°C peanut butter containers, fleece clothing and geo-textiles
Hard to semi-flexible, resistant Crinkly shopping bags, freezer bags, Recycling bins, compost bins, HDPE to chemicals and moisture, waxy milk bottles, ice cream containers, juice buckets, detergent containers, High Density Polyethylene surface, opaque, softens at bottles, shampoo, chemical and detergent posts, fencing, pipes 135°C, easily coloured, bottles, buckets, rigid agricultural pipe, processed and formed milk crates
Strong, tough, can be clear, can Cosmetic containers, electrical conduit, Flooring, film and sheets, cables, PVC be solvent welded, softens at plumbing pipes and fittings, blister packs, speed bumps, packaging, Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride PVC-U 75°C wall cladding, roof sheeting, bottles binders, mud flaps and mats Plasticised Polyvinyl Chloride PVC-P Flexible, clear, elastic, can be Garden hose, shoe soles, cable solvent welded sheathing, blood bags and tubing, watch straps, commercial cling wrap
Soft, flexible, waxy surface, Cling wrap, rubbish bags, squeeze Rubbish bin liners, pallet sheets, LDPE translucent, softens at 80°C, bottles, black irrigation tube, black mulch slip sheets Low density Polyethylene scratches easily film, rubbish bins, shrink wrap LLDPE Linear low density Polyethylene
Hard but still flexible, waxy Dip pottles and ice cream tubs, potato Pegs, bins, pipes, pallet sheets, PP surface, softens at 145°C, chip bags, straws, microwave dishes, oil funnels, car battery cases, Polypropylene translucent, withstands solvents, kettles, garden furniture, lunch boxes, trays versatile blue packing tape, automotive parts
Clear, glassy, rigid, brittle, CD cases, plastic cutlery, imitation ‘crystal Coat hangers, coasters, white PS opaque, semi-tough, softens glassware’, low cost brittle toys, video ware components, stationery Polystyrene at 95°C. Affected by fats and cases, water station cup, safety helmets trays and accessories solvents
Foamed, light weight, energy Foamed polystyrene hot drink cups, Car parts, concrete aggregate, EPS absorbing, heat insulating hamburger take-away clamshells, foamed plastic timber Expanded Polystyrene meat trays, protective packaging for fragile items, insulation, insulation panels
Includes all other resins, multi Packaging, car parts, appliance parts, Car parts, concrete aggregate, OTHER materials (e.g. laminates) and computers, electronics, water cooler plastic timber Letters below indicate ISO code for degradable plastics. Properties bottles, medical devices, plastic type including SAN (styrene, dependent on plastic or acrylonitrile), ABS (Acrylonitrile combination of plastics butadiene styrene), PC (polycarbonate), Nylon, degradable plastic e.g. PLA