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Resin Types

Learn the six polymer resins, what products they make, and what products they can be recycled into.

There are six types of polymers, identified by Resin Identification Codes (RIC). The chemical composition of each group dictates how it can be recycled, into what product, and how many times it can be recycled.

Type details

Resin Type #1: PET

Products made from virgin plastic:

  • Transparent drinking bottles
  • Peanut butter containers
  • Vegetable oil containers

Products made from recycled plastic:

  • Egg cartons
  • Carpet
  • Fabric

Resin Type #2: HDPE

Products made from virgin plastic:

  • Liquid cartons
  • Detergent containers
  • Shower product bottles
  • Shipping containers

Products made from recycled plastic:

  • Toys
  • Drims
  • Traffic cones
  • Fencing
  • Trash cans

Resin Type #3: PVC

Products made from virgin plastic:

  • Packaging materials
  • Pipes
  • Decking
  • Wire and cable products
  • Medical tubs

Products made from recycled plastic: 

  • Shoe soles
  • construction materials
  • boating bumpers

Resin Type #4: LDPE

Products made from virgin plastic:

  • Disposable diaper liners
  • Cable sheathing
  • Shrink wrap
  • Film

Products made from recycled plastic:

  • Timers
  • Trash can liners
  • Shopping envelopes
  • Lumber
  • Floor tiles

Resin Type #5: PP

Products made from virgin plastic:

  • Medicine bottles
  • Drinking straws
  • Yogurt & margarine containers
  • Carpet

Products made from recycled plastic:

  • Signal lights
  • Bicycle racks
  • Trays
  • Battery cables
  • Ice scrapers

Resin Type #6: PS

Products made from virgin plastic:

  • Egg cartons
  • Take out food containers & cutlery
  • Foam packaging

Products made from recycled plastic:

  • Egg cartons
  • Foam packaging
  • Light switch plates

Resin Type #7: Other

Products made from virgin plastic:

  • Mixed plastics
  • Multilayer plastic packaging
  • Other forms of plastic that do not fit into 1–6

FAQs

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What resin type has the highest recycling rate?

PET, RIC #1, accounts for 14% of total plastic waste and has the highest recycling rate. It's most commonly used in transparent drinking bottles, making it easily identifiable.

FAQs

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