Most disposable plastic containers are now labeled with a code number (from 1 to 9) indicating the type or quality of the plastic  Plastics with the lowest code numbers are the easiest for recycling plants to recycle and are thus the most likely to be recycled after use rather than dumped in landfills  Plastics labeled with the highest numbers are only rarely recycled
Consumers can make a significant long-term reduction in the amount of waste that goes unrecycled, ttherefore, by refusing to purchase those products packaged in plastic containers labeled with the highest code numbers
A plastic container almost always has a higher code number after it is recycled than it had before recycling because the recycling process causes a degradation of the quality of the plastic.