In order to indicate what materials to recycle, manufacturers have designed an array of symbols that denote whether a product is recyclable, or made from recycled material. It is important to note that not all recycled materials are recyclable, but too many items that can be recycled end up in a landfill.
Recyclable materials are made from raw resources. They are often referred to as "pre-consumer" products as they have never been used by the public.
The Original Symbol
These two symbols represent a progressive cycle in which all products, once used, can be turned in to new products. The recycling industry refers to this as "closing the loop." One of these two symbols is usually found on paper products and
recyclable containers.
Glass
This symbol is found on glass products that have been recycled and are recyclable. Glass is one product that is 100% recyclable and can be reused an infinite number of times. The only limitation is color. Clear and colored glass cannot be intermixed in the process, so some recyclers may ask you to sort
these types.
Cardboard
Also called corrugated packaging, cardboard can be recycled into new cardboard or other paper and packaging products.
Plastic
There are seven different types of plastic, each has its own number and acronym. All seven types are recyclable, but technology and cost limitations make it hard for many plastics handlers to reuse all types. Currently, types 1 and 2 are the easiest to recycle and are accepted by most recycling firms.
Something to note: The differences in plastic types are akin to those of metals. Copper and steel are both metals but have very different characteristics. As such, they must be separated when recycling. The same is true with plastic. Types 1 and 2 are both plastics, but cannot be combined in the same batch when recycled, so sorting is a necessity.
Recycled material is sometimes referred to as "post consumer" product and contains either a percentage of or is totally made from previously used items. Usually recycled material is turned into a new product with less stringent specifications. For example, white paper may become newspaper, and recycled newspaper becomes bathroom tissue.
The original symbol modified
These three symbols are used on many different recycled products and usually include words like "Made from recycled paper." Accompanying numbers indicate the amount of post consumer material included and can range anywhere from 1% to 100%. The higher the number the less raw materials used.
Recycled cardboard
Cardboard bearing this symbol contains a certain percentage of post consumer cardboard. The remaining percentage is scrap board reused during the manufacturing process.
Recycled Plastic
Products made from recycled plastic and resins utilize the same symbols with the addition of an "R" before the acronym. Recycled plastic is used to make products ranging from recycling containers to mud flaps.
FoodServiceWarehouse.com was founded in June 2006 to provide businesses with a wide selection of high-quality
restaurant equipment and restaurant supplies from the world’s best-known brands. They have since become an industry-wide leader, empowering customers to make their own businesses more successful. The site offers a wide range of articles, research materials and products for the conscientious foodservice operator.