It is safe to say recycling codes number 1, 2 and 5, are usually accepted by most local councils across Australia but always check the packaging.
This is a hard but still flexible plastic. It's used for ice cream containers and lids and plastic take away containers. Yarra accepts food containers labelled 5 only.
To make a long story short: plastic recycling numbers 2, 4 and 5 are the safest. Whereas plastic numbers 1, 3, 6 and 7 must be avoided. But it does not indicate that you can fearlessly use safer plastic. All plastic products can leach toxic chemicals when heated or damaged.
In Australia, plastic plant pots and labels are typically produced from PP5 plastic, a material that can be recycled over and over again.
Most hard plastics coded 1 to 7 can be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin, however expanded polystyrene foam, number 6, and plastic bags, which are usually number 2 or 4, cannot be recycled through kerbside recycling bins.
Most curbside recycling programs accept plastic number 5 or polypropylene but you should always check your local area to be sure. Check if your local curbside recycling program accepts plastic number 5.
5: PP (Polypropylene)
PP is used to make the food containers used for products like yogurt, sour cream and margarine. It's also made into straws, rope, carpet and bottle caps.
Code 5: PP (Polypropylene)
It can also be used to create furniture. This type of plastic can be recycled.
You can put plastic #5 containers in your recycling. If a container once held food, empty and scrape the container as well as you can before recycling it. Containers with food and liquids can contaminate whole batches of recycling and are often sent to a landfill.
Polypropylene has excellent chemical resistance, is strong, and has the lowest density of the plastics used in packaging. It has a high melting point, making it ideal for hot-fill liquids. In film form it may or may not be oriented, i.e. stretched (Plastics Technology Center).
That number surrounded by chasing arrows is a resin identification code and tells users what kind of plastic they're holding. The number 5 with the recycling symbol indicates polypropylene, often just shortened to PP. This plastic type is particularly hard and heat resistant.
Polypropylene is ranked at 5 and is safe for food storage. Polypropylene is FDA-approved for food contact and also has a high heat tolerance. It is known to be a safer alternative to most other plastics. It can be used to heat beverages or foods without leaching.
Polypropylene, recycling number 5, is an FDA-approved food contact plastic that's generally used for single-serve items like yogurt cups, cream cheese containers, and syrup packets. Because of its high melting point, it can withstand the extreme temperatures of the microwave and dishwasher.
PP is highly recyclable but it is generally not able to be recycled through kerbside recycling.
There are different types of plastic containers that are labeled with a 1, 2, or 5, these are considered BPA-Free. Plastic products stamped with a 7 indicate a possibility that BPA was used to make the product.
Examples of non-recyclable plastics include bioplastics, composite plastic, plastic-coated wrapping paper and polycarbonate. Well known non-recyclable plastics include cling film and blister packaging.
If they container has a #5 on it, it is made from polypropylene, PP, so it is generally considered microwave safe.
The "5" inside a triangle on a plastic container means PP or Polypropylene, which is one of the safer kinds of plastics! It is very much recyclable! Polypropylene medicine bottles, caps, straws, ketchup bottles and yogurt containers can be recycled into trays, pallets, bins, bicycle racks and even brooms!
What Items Are Made From Plastic #5? Plastic #5 is used to make items including yogurt cups and tubs, margarine tubs, syrup bottles, plastic bottle caps, straws, food storage containers, sunglasses, plastic furniture, and car parts such as bumpers and trim.
PP — Polypropylene is noted as the number 5 on the triangle code. This plastic is tough and may be stiff or flexible. Yogurt containers, margarine tubs and medicine bottles are examples of food grade containers made from this plastic.
The number is a resin identification code that tells you what kind of plastic that material is made of. Plastics that have #1 (PETE) or #2 (HDPE) are the most commonly recycled plastics. Plastics #3 , #4, #5, #6 and #7 are generally tougher to recycle and are not universally collected in local recycling programs.
According to the 5 R's, four actions should be taken, if possible, prior to 'recycling': refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and then recycle. Incorporating this methodology into your business' waste reduction and recycling efforts will minimize landfill waste and help take your recycling program to the next level.
PP can be recycled up to 4 times according to AZoCleantech, a trade publication for the clean technology industry. Once recycled into some of these items they will no longer be recycled and head to a landfill. Once in Landfill it takes 20-30 years to break down to microplastics.