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The Most Commonly Recycled Plastic Bottles

Plastic is an essential component in our daily lives, and plastic bottles are among the most basic item we use everyday. Plastic bottles are lightweight, strong and inexpensive, and they hold everything from beverages and ketchup to shampoo and laundry detergent. Because of its versatility, plastic makes up a large percentage of waste, and bottles are among the most common recycled plastics. On the bottom of most plastic containers is a number from 1 to 7 inside three chasing arrows. This number indicates which type of plastic resin is used in the container, making it easy to see how recyclable each bottle is.

  1. No.1 PETE or PET

    • One of the easiest plastics to recycle is No. 1 polyethylene terephthalate (PETE or PET), commonly found in single-use soda and water bottles, salad dressing bottles and peanut butter jars. It can be recycled into fiberfill for coats and polar fleece, rope, car bumpers, furniture, carpet and tote bags.

    No. 2 HDPE

    • The most frequently recycled plastic is No. 2 HDPE or high density polyethylene, often used for milk jugs, some juice and water bottles, laundry detergent bottles and shampoo bottles. It can be recycled into chairs, lunch trays, plastic lumber, truck cargo liners, pens, floor tile, drainage pipe, fencing and even bridges. The plastic is usually mixed with other chemicals to add strength. No. 2 plastic is often in demand for construction materials.

    No. 3 PVC

    • While a bit more difficult to recycle, No. 3 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is found in some juice bottles, window cleaner and detergent bottles, cooking oil bottles and some shampoo bottles. PVC is strong and weatherproof, though it does contain toxic chlorine. It can be recycled into deck materials, siding, flooring, speed bumps, mats and cables.

    No. 4 LDPE

    • Squeezable bottles, such as those containing honey, ketchup or mustard, are made from No. 4 low-density polyethylene (LDPE). It can be recycled into trash bags, compost bins, shipping envelopes, floor tile and plastic lumber.

    No. 5 PP

    • No. 5 polypropylene (PP) is found in some yogurt containers, syrup bottles and medicine bottles. It can be recycled into battery cables, brushes, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, brooms and rakes and storage bins.

    No. 7 Combination Plastics

    • No. 7 plastic is made of a combination of polymers, and it is usually found in beverage bottles, 3-and-5 gallon water bottles and baby bottles. No. 7 plastics have only recently begun to be collected by curbside recycling programs. They can be recycled into plastic lumber.

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