Recycling Symbols, Logo, Sign

Plastic has intense expediency in our regular life. It is affordable, long-lasting and easy to reform to any shape or to anything.


It is equally important for us to know the proper recycling of plastics according to the symbols written on the plastics.

These recycling symbols generally have two meanings:


Recycling Symbols, Logo, Sign

Recycling symbols or logo or sign usually look like chasing arrows (by clockwise) triangle. These are known as recycling triangles. Within this triangle, there are any of the numbers from 1 to 7 with different meanings.

These symbols have appeared for first time in 1988 in conjunction with RIC (Resin Identification Code). The recycling symbols meanings contain information about the ingredients (harmful or not) of making plastic products. Some colors like green are also related to these recycling symbols.

These are the 7 recycling symbols on plastic with their brief introduction


#Number One: PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)

This type of plastics is a very common form to be found in water and pop bottles. PET plastic is recyclable but it is difficult to decontaminate.

#Number Two: HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)

HDPE plastic is used to produce jugs, oil bottles, toys and some plastic bags for the stiffness and heat-resistance. This is recyclable and reusable.

#Number Three: PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

PVC is the soft and flexible type of plastic. Manufacturers use PVC to produce food wrapper, oil bottles, computer cables, pipes, plumbing parts etc.  PVC made products are not recyclable.

#Number Four: LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)

Different wraps, clothing bags, squeezable bottles, bread bags etc. are made of LDPE plastics. LDPE plastic is less recyclable but always recyclable.

#Number Five: PP (Polypropylene)

You can see the presence of Polypropylene is disposable diapers, bottle caps, different containers, chips bags etc. PP is reusable but less recyclable.

#Number Six: PS (Polystyrene)

The use of Polystyrene is much significant for its affordability, lightweight nature, and the easy reformation. Recycling of Polystyrene is less regular to happen.

#Number Seven: Other (BPA, Polycarbonate, And LEXAN)

The other types of plastics are used to make baby bottles, sippy cups, car parts etc. These are not recommended for reuse.

There are lots of recycling vector, recycling bin sign, recycling emoji, recycling gif etc. can be found. Nowadays recycling bin shaped like a bottle has become very popular.

This helps to easily identify the place where we should keep our waste or garbage. Recycling symbol is free to use and modify.


You can use recycling only sign or modify the design to an emphasis on your topic.

After 2013, ASTM revised the RIC symbols. Now they are identified as below:

RIC symbols after ASTM's 2013 revision

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Recycling Symbols

Besides the RIC codes, the Unicode also provides the below recycling symbols:




U+267C ♼ RECYCLED PAPER SYMBOL (indicates product contains recycled paper)

U+267D ♽ PARTIALLY-RECYCLED PAPER SYMBOL (indicates product contains partially recycled paper)

U+267E ♾ PERMANENT PAPER SIGN (e.g. for acid-free paper)

Final Thoughts

Recycling is a crucial thing for saving the environment and making things reusable or recyclable.


Recycling plastic without a symbol (not only plastic) can be a tough task.


We should follow the symbols.



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