How many types of plastics are there? What is each used for? Can everyone be recycled? How are plastics recycled? These are some of the most common doubts about this material so polluting and used throughout the world. The composition of plastics has great resistance to degradation in the environment, which makes their presence in nature a great environmental problem, which has been totally caused by the human being.
From Ecology Verde we consider that it is very important to know this product well to, among all, to find a better way to manage its production, use, reuse and recycling. Therefore, on this website we offer various informative articles on this topic, and then we will focus on knowing the different Types of plasticsits classification and the recycling process.
PLASTIC TYPES – CLASSIFICATION
There are several ways to classify plastics, but first we will talk about those who have a recycling symbol with a number. Does it sound to you? It is about Plastics Recycling CodeResin Identification Code or SPI plastic identification code (Plastic Industries Society). According to this, here we explain the different types of plastics and examples (We will see in the following sections):
- PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate).
- HDPE (high density polyethylene).
- PVC (vinyl polychloride).
- LDPE (low density polyethylene).
- PP (polypropylene).
- Ps (polystyrene).
- Other plastics.
Next we explain some aspects of each one but, in case you want to deepen the subject later, we also suggest you read this other ecology guide about which plastics are recycled and which are not.
1. Pet or pete plastic
This type of plastic is the Polyethylene terephthalatewhich is transparent and does not perspire. It is one of the most recycled, since it is found in plastic wraps, plastic bottles, food containers, and so on. On the surface of these products you will find the symbol of three arrows forming a triangle (which indicates that it is a recyclable product) with the Number 1 In the center.
2. HDPE plastic
This other plastic is the call high density polyethylene and indicates with the number 2 Within the arrow triangle. It is found in products such as tetrabriks (so they are recycled in the plastic container, yellow), other food containers, cosmetic products, cleaning, some pipes, and so on.
3. PVC plastic
Much better known as PVC, the Vinyl Polylorideis used to make pipes, gutters, cables, some bottles and carafes, some food packages, liquid detergent bottles, traffic cones, and so on. It turns out to be one of the most dangerous plastics for health and the environment and you can identify it because its code is the number 3.
4. LDPE plastic
It is the call low density polyethylene and is codified with the number 4 In the recycling image center. It is a recyclable plastic that is used in frozen bags, garbage bags, transparent kitchen paper or film, soft plastic bottles, etc.
5th plastic pp
He Polypropylene It is very present in the construction and automobile industry, but also in the straws to drink and the tapas and plastic plugs of some containers. This recyclable plastic is marked with the number 5 Within the arrow symbol.
6. PS PLASTIC
He polystyrene It is marked according to the recycling code such as the number 6 inside the triangle with arrows. As examples of types of PS or polystyrene plastics we find some toys, cutlery, packaging and white cork (well known by the Porexpán and Unicel brand) that is used to package and protect electronic products and appliances.
7. Other plastics
Finally, the category of number 7also represented in this Classification of plastics With the letter or, it is the one that encompasses the set of Non -recyclable plastics. These cannot be recycled because they are usually mixtures of some of those mentioned above or are others that are not treatable for technical reasons. They cannot be recycled, but they can be reused without problems and are very useful for countless crafts and uses. Within this group, the most common are polycarbonate and ABS or Butadiene stretch acrylonitrile.
Other types of plastics
Apart from the Classification of plastics already explained, there are more ways to classify them and there are More types of plastics. For example, it can be differentiated according to their size (macro or micro), its biodegradation capacity (beyond whether or not they recycle recycling), and so on. Here are some of them:
Bioplastic
These occur with totally natural resources or biological and are renewable. Some of them are:
- PLA (polycious acid) starch)
- The sugar cane for ethylene.
- The sugar cane for polyethylene.
Know them better with this other post about what bioplastic are and how they occur.
Biodegradable plastics
Sometimes they are confused with the previous ones, but in this case it is what can be degraded by some microorganisms in concrete environmental conditions. By degrading them, these microorganisms convert plastic into biomass, gases and water.
If you enter this link you can know more information about biodegradable plastics: what are and types.
Thermoplastic
The thermoplastics melt when they heat up and when they cool again. These are polymers that merge and can be modeled again, practically continuously and indefinitely. Due to this chemical behavior, thermoplastics are recycled by the mechanical recycling process. As Examples of thermoplastic We can mention:
- Vinyl Polyloride
- Polystyrene
- Polypropylene
- Polyethylene
- Polyethylene terephthalate
- Polycarbonate
Thermo -stable plastics
In contrast to thermoplastics we find thermostable plastics. These are materials that once heat and molded can no longer melt or merge again and, therefore, do not change shape. These are some Examples of thermostestable plastics:
- Bakelite
- Vulcanized natural rubber
- Synthetic rubber
- Polyurethanes
- Formaldehyde urea foam
- Polyester unsaturated resins
- Epoxy resin
- Silicones
- Melamine
Microplastics
Another of the Types of plastics Better known today are microplastics, because in recent years their pollution in the environment has been recognized and the great danger they suppose for everyone’s health. These are small synthetic particles that originate from some oil derivatives. Specifically, its size is Less than 5 mm And they reach us through foods that come from the sea, among other media.
Learn more about them with this other ecology article see what microplastics are: definition and types.
How to recycle plastic – recycling process
After knowing the Types of recyclable plastics And those that are not, we comment on what to do to prevent the Plastic pollution and reduce the one there is already.
Once we have known the complexity of the types of plastic and knowing that there are products that contain mixtures or pieces of different plastics, we can understand something better why it can be something complicated recycling some products. However, there are even more obstacles in the recycling of plastics, because in some cases the pigments, the shape of the product and the presence of more materials that are not plastics in a single product become obstacles.
In the recycling sector and in the plastics production sector, more solutions are still being done to reduce this environmental problem and more actions are carried out for it, such as redesign the containers to get them to have less different materials, or of a single material, and thus have containers that are easier to recycle. Therefore, we see that the design of the products has been revealed as a stage of the production and recycling of these that is very important for ecology. To learn more about this, you can read this other post with interesting information that leaves behind the famous 3r of ecology, between and knows at 7r of ecology, among which we find “redesign.”
As a summary, the plastic recycling process is the following:
- Plastics are classified according to the type of resin that composes them.
- Sometimes, they also separate according to their shape or size.
- Then they are crushed and washed to remove waste or impurities.
- The crushed and clean plastic pieces are melt.
- They are divided into parts of different sizes, to allocate these pieces to the manufacture of new plastic products.
This material can be recycled by three Types of plastic recycling:
- Mechanical recycling.
- Recycling for energy recovery.
- Chemical recycling.
To learn more about the plastic recycling process, we offer you this example about the recycling process of a plastic bottle. And finally, here we give you several tips on how to recycle plastic at home.
If you want to read more articles similar to Types of plasticswe recommend that you enter our recycling and waste management category.
