Plastic 1 — PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate)
Plastic 1 — PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate)
Polyethylene terephthalate — clear drinks bottles, salad and fruit punnets, oven-ready trays.
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What it looks like
A triangle with 1 inside and PET or PETE printed below.
What it means
The most widely collected plastic in the world and one of the few recycled back into its original use: bottle-to-bottle PET is routine, and the FDA has cleared recycled PET for food contact under specified processes. It is designed as a single-use container. Repeated washing scratches the surface, which gives bacteria somewhere to sit, and PET softens around 70 °C, so it deforms with boiling water. Rinse and empty; leave the cap on, because loose caps are too small for most sorting lines to catch.
Defined by ASTM D7611. Where a symbol differs between standards, the difference is described above rather than resolved — both versions are in circulation on real labels.
Other plastic resin codes symbols
| Symbol | Means |
|---|---|
| Resin identification code (the number in a triangle) | Which plastic the item is made of. It is not a statement that the item is recyclable. |
| Plastic 2 — HDPE (high-density polyethylene) | High-density polyethylene — milk jugs, detergent and bleach bottles, shampoo, yoghurt drink bottles. |
| Plastic 3 — PVC or V (polyvinyl chloride) | Polyvinyl chloride — pipe, window frames, blister packs, faux leather, garden hose, some cling film. |
| Plastic 4 — LDPE (low-density polyethylene) | Low-density polyethylene — carrier bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, squeeze bottles, six-pack rings. |
| Plastic 5 — PP (polypropylene) | Polypropylene — yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, takeaway containers, bottle caps, microwave dishes, kettles. |
| Plastic 6 — PS (polystyrene) | Polystyrene — disposable cups and cutlery, meat trays, foam packaging, CD cases, yoghurt pots in some markets. |
| Plastic 7 — OTHER | Anything that is not codes 1 to 6 — a catch-all, not a material. |
| Plastic 7 marked PC — polycarbonate | Polycarbonate — a rigid, transparent, impact-resistant plastic made using bisphenol A. |
| Plastic 7 marked PLA — polylactic acid | Polylactic acid — a compostable bioplastic made from fermented plant sugars, usually maize. |
Common questions
- What does the plastic 1 — pet or pete (polyethylene terephthalate) symbol mean?
- Polyethylene terephthalate — clear drinks bottles, salad and fruit punnets, oven-ready trays.
- What does it look like?
- A triangle with 1 inside and PET or PETE printed below.
Related pages
- Plastic 2 — HDPE (high-density polyethylene) High-density polyethylene — milk jugs, detergent and bleach bottles, shampoo, yoghurt drink bottles.
- Resin identification code (the number in a triangle) Which plastic the item is made of. It is not a statement that the item is recyclable.
- Mobius loop (chasing arrows) The producer claims the item can be recycled — not that it will be, and not that your council collects it.
- Resin identification code (the number in a triangle) Which plastic the item is made of. It is not a statement that the item is recyclable.
- Plastic 2 — HDPE (high-density polyethylene) High-density polyethylene — milk jugs, detergent and bleach bottles, shampoo, yoghurt drink bottles.
- Plastic 3 — PVC or V (polyvinyl chloride) Polyvinyl chloride — pipe, window frames, blister packs, faux leather, garden hose, some cling film.
- Plastic 4 — LDPE (low-density polyethylene) Low-density polyethylene — carrier bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, squeeze bottles, six-pack rings.
- Plastic 5 — PP (polypropylene) Polypropylene — yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, takeaway containers, bottle caps, microwave dishes, kettles.
- Plastic 6 — PS (polystyrene) Polystyrene — disposable cups and cutlery, meat trays, foam packaging, CD cases, yoghurt pots in some markets.
- Plastic 7 — OTHER Anything that is not codes 1 to 6 — a catch-all, not a material.
- Plastic 7 marked PC — polycarbonate Polycarbonate — a rigid, transparent, impact-resistant plastic made using bisphenol A.
- Plastic 7 marked PLA — polylactic acid Polylactic acid — a compostable bioplastic made from fermented plant sugars, usually maize.
Sources
- US Environmental Protection Agency — EPA (Public domain (US Government))