General Data > Polymers

The chart below shows the types of plastics (polymers) that can be recycled and the symbols which identify them. Some schools have a recycling policy whilst others at the moment do not. Either way, recycling and identifying polymer types is sometimes incorporated into lessons involving plastics and hydrocarbons.

This chart may also be of help if you are looking for a sample of a certain polymer.

Polymer	Typical Bottle types	Code/symbol	Polymer name
Clear PET	Mineral water, fizzy drinks, squash bottles, cooking oil	1	Polyethylene terephthalate (polyester)
Coloured PET	Most coloured fizzy drinks bottles	1	Polyethylene terephthalate (polyester)
Natural HDPE	Milk bottles, clear fruit juice	2	High Density Polythene
Coloured HDPE	Detergents, fabric conditioners bleach, hair care, shower gels	2	High Density Polythene
Mixed HDPE	A mixture of HDPE coloured and HDPE natural	2	High Density Polythene
PVC	Some bubble baths and shower gels	3	Polyvinyl chloride
Mixed Bottles	Brown PET and bottles made from mixed polymers	No specific symbol

In addition to these polymers, other plastic containers may have the following symbols:

Fig 1: Polymer Symbols