What do the little numbers on the bottom of plastic containers represent or stand for?
These numbers tell us from what kind of plastic the container was made. If different kinds of plastic are recycled together, the whole batch is ruined. These numbers make it easy for people to know which containers are recyclable in their community and which are not. These numbers break all plastics down into 7 categories. #1- PET – Polyethylene Teraphthalate. Almost every transparent plastic bottle is made from this kind of plastic. This includes soda bottles and large clear juice bottles. Many communities accept PET. #2 – HDPE – High Density Polyethylene. This plastic comes in many different forms. It can be made without color as it is in milk jugs. It can be dyed any color for detergent bottles or plastic buckets. Dyed HDPE is worth less money to recyclers than clear HDPE. They are usually kept separate when recycled.There are also two different ways to make containers out of HDPE, Injection Molding or Blow Molding. Injection molded containers have a large mouth and a little dot on
