Recycling Symbols Explained: What the Numbers Mean

That triangle of arrows does not always mean "recyclable." Here is how to read the marks you see every day.

The chasing-arrows triangle with a number inside is the resin identification code, not a guarantee that an item is accepted locally. It tells you the plastic type so sorters can separate materials.

Resin Codes 1–7

• 1 PET — drinks bottles; widely recycled.
• 2 HDPE — milk jugs, detergent; widely recycled.
• 3 PVC — pipes, some films; rarely curbside.
• 4 LDPE — plastic bags; store drop-off.
• 5 PP — tubs, caps; increasingly accepted.
• 6 PS — foam; usually not accepted.
• 7 Other — mixed; check locally.

Other Common Marks

The plain Möbius loop means the symbol can be recycled where facilities exist. The Green Dot shows the producer funded packaging recovery — it is not a recycling claim. The Tidy Man (bin icon) simply asks you not to litter.

Put It to Use

Combine the code with your local rules. When in doubt, check before you bin — our sorting search tool maps items to the right category in seconds.

Related Reading

See plastic recycling limits, glass recycling, and reduce, reuse, recycle.

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