What does the chasing arrows symbol with a number inside on the bottom of most containers stand for?
These numbers are the resin identification codes. This coding system was developed by the Society of the Plastics Industry in 1988. The purpose of the resin I.D. is to facilitate recycling through clear identification of the different plastic resins. The numbers do not designate that any one plastic is more recycled than another – they are purely for I.D. purposes. Recyclability is ultimately determined by the local governing ordnances concerning what materials are collected for recycling. According to the SPI website, “As of January 1995, 39 states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin have adopted legislation regarding
