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Plastics are some of the most widely used materials today. Shopping bags, surgical stitches, surfboards – in fact, almost everywhere you look,
you can see plastic! There are over 50 different types of plastics. Some are light and flexible, like cling film - others are hard and strong.
Graphic example of a hard and flexible plastic – packet of cling film and a plastic recycling crate (?)
Plastics are very popular for packaging because they are strong, lightweight and don't break easily.
There are 7 different groups of plastics. All are made from oil, natural gas, coal and salt. These ingredients are processed differently for each group.
Each group has its own Plastic Identification Code.
Graphic: Icon for the identification codes table
Click to see the code for each group and the types of plastic in it.
The oil used to make plastic comes from deep inside the earth. But our oil supplies will not last forever, which is why we need to recycle plastics.
Although many types of plastics can be recycled, at the moment the only household plastic waste that we recycle here in the UK is plastic bottles.
All plastic bottles can be recycled except brown drink bottles, such as those used to hold beer. These bottles need several types of plastic to keep the beer fresh, which makes recycling difficult.
Types of plastic bottles
There are three types of plastic bottles, which are all recycled separately:
PET Bottles
These bottles are transparent ("see-through") and have a hard white spot in the middle of the base. They are mostly used for mineral water, cooking oil, cordials and especially fizzy drinks.
PET's identification code number is 1 and its symbol looks like this:
Recycled PET bottles can be made into fleece clothing, fibre for sleeping bags, duvets, pillows and anoraks, bottles and other packaging.
HDPE Bottles
These bottles are opaque (not "see-through") and they can be coloured.  They are used for washing up liquids, detergents, fabric conditioners, milk and fruit juices.
HDPE's identification code number is 2 and its symbol looks like this:
Recycled HDPE bottles can be made into housewares, compost bins, garden furniture, kerbside recycling boxes, pipes and new bottles.
PVC Bottles
  These bottles are clear and have a seam running around them. They are often used to hold cordials,
still mineral water, toiletries and cooking oils.
PVC's identification code number is 3 and its symbol looks like this:
Recycled PVC bottles can be made into drainage pipes, electrical fittings and clothing
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