A little history…

The recycling symbol was created by American Gary Anderson in 1970 as part of a student contest organized by the Container Corporation of America, a Chicago-based paper company. Anderson was inspired by the Moebius Strip, to create it and it is not only used to represent the three "R" (reduce, reuse, and recycle) but is also used to classify plastics, with an identification code inside.

 This code was proposed by the Society of Plastic Industries (SPI) in 1988, to list the different types of plastic in decreasing order based on the volume that was recycled at that time. This system was designed to be used voluntarily, however, it is currently applied throughout the world.

Plastic bottles identification code

According to the National Association of Plastic Industries (anipac), the main advantages of plastics are their lightness, versatility, and durability. Therefore, they allow the packaging of food and the transport of products from one place to another, without any inconvenience. For this and more, plastic has become an essential tool for all types of industries. However, it is undeniable that environmental problems have been directly related to its excessive use.
To continue taking full advantage of this material, it is essential to classify and recycle it responsibly. According to the Society of Plastic Industries, the most common plastics are classified with a number from 1 to 7 and it is common to find them in the base of bottles or containers.

How to identify them?

The most widely used material for making plastic bottles is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is why it ranks number one on the list; number 2 is high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and you can find it in cleaning products and cans of cream or milk; the third is polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and is ideal for making shampoo bottles, pipes, and toys; low-density polyethylene (PEBD) is classified as number 4 and can be found in grocery bags, plastic wrap, and gloves; number 5 is for polypropylene (PP) and it is common to use it in lids and butter or yogurt containers; polystyrene (PS) occupies number 6 and we can find it in some toys, cutlery and white cork (styrofoam). Finally, the number 7 plastics that are not recyclable are classified.

correct classification

The classification of plastics is the first step for recycling to obtain better results. For this to be possible, plastics must be separated according to the fundamental properties of the material that was used for their production. Some of the parameters are color, particle size, density, and electromagnetism. That is why manufacturers must indicate the type of plastic they used to create their products, as it simplifies the recycling process.

PET: the number 1

Polyethylene terephthalate, better known as PET, by its name in English (polyethylene terephthalate), is one of the most used materials to manufacture plastic containers and bottles. This type of material is characterized by being crystalline, light, flexible, and very resistant.
It is very important to mention that one of the main functions of PET bottles is that they are reusable due to their long durability. Therefore, our obligation as a society is to recycle and reuse plastic bottles responsibly to prevent them from becoming garbage.

Environmental benefits

A very interesting feature is that PET bottles are 100% recyclable and require less energy and water to manufacture and recycle compared to glass, paper, or cardboard. In addition, it has been shown to have a lower carbon footprint than the other materials already mentioned.
If you are interested in purchasing a 100% recyclable, light, and resistant PET container, do not hesitate to contact us.