a joy-filled journey: Plastics

We come in contact with plastic every day when we pack our food, unwrap a newly bought magazine and buy our bottled drinks.

Many of these plastics can be recycled, and according to sembcorp enviro - a well-known recycling firm in Singapore, the plastics which can be processed locally are:

High & Low Density Polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE),
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET),
Polypopylene (PP),
Polystyrene (PS) and
engineering plastics such as Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT).

So how do we differentiate the different types of plastics? Simple, just keep a lookout for these labels on your plastic container:

Number 1 Plastics - Recyclable

PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate)

Found in: Soft drink, water and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing and vegetable oil containers; ovenable food trays.

Recycled into: Polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, (occasionally) new containers

Number 2 Plastics - Recyclable
HDPE (high density polyethylene)

Found in: Milk jugs, juice bottles; bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; some trash and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; butter and yogurt tubs; cereal box liners

Recycled into: Laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, pens, recycling containers, floor tile, drainage pipe, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencing

Number 3 Plastics - Not Accepted Currently
V (Vinyl) or PVC

Found in: Window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging, wire jacketing, medical equipment, siding, windows, piping

Recycled into: Decks, paneling, mudflaps, roadway gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps, mats

Number 4 Plastics - Recyclable, some of the items are more suitable for reusing
LDPE (low density polyethylene)

Found in: Squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags; tote bags; clothing; furniture; carpet

Recycled into: Trash can liners and cans, compost bins, shipping envelopes, paneling, lumber, landscaping ties, floor tile

Number 5 Plastics - Recyclable
PP (polypropylene)

Found in: Some yogurt containers, syrup bottles, ketchup bottles, caps, straws, medicine bottles

Recycled into: Signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, trays

Number 6 Plastics - Recyclable
PS (polystyrene)

Found in: Disposable plates and cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles, compact disc cases

Recycled into: Insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, vents, rulers, foam packing, carry-out containers

Number 7 Plastics - Not accepted
Miscellaneous
Found in: Three- and five-gallon water bottles, 'bullet-proof' materials, sunglasses, DVDs, iPod and computer cases, signs and displays, certain food containers, nylon

Recycled into: Plastic lumber, custom-made products

However, there's also other ways to save the environment insteading of mere recycling. One key method is to Reduce. Reduce the use of plastic bags, use shopping bags to do groceries．

Refrain from buying more new things - Reuse the pre-lovｅｄ！Ｌook into ways to reuse, or try flea markets or second-hand shops to look for other people's pre-loved items. We practise Reusing when we give the objects a second lease of life - like using a plastic bottle to hold our stationery, or make a mini-indoor garden out of it．　

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