---
title: "Plastic 2 — HDPE (high-density polyethylene) — what it means"
description: "High-density polyethylene — milk jugs, detergent and bleach bottles, shampoo, yoghurt drink bottles. What the symbol looks like, what happens if you ignore it, and w"
url: https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-2-hdpe/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Plastic 2 — HDPE (high-density polyethylene)

**Plastic 2 — HDPE (high-density polyethylene): High-density polyethylene — milk jugs, detergent and bleach bottles, shampoo, yoghurt drink bottles.**

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## What it looks like

*[Symbol drawn on the page: Plastic 2 — HDPE (high-density polyethylene)]*

A triangle with 2 inside and HDPE below. Often an opaque or milky bottle rather than a clear one.

## What it means

Stiff, chemically stable and accepted kerbside almost everywhere, which together make it the most reliably recycled plastic after PET. It has no plasticisers to migrate and a melting point around 130 °C, so it is considered one of the safest for food and for repeated use, though it goes cloudy and brittle after long UV exposure. Natural HDPE — the uncoloured, milky sort — is worth more as scrap than pigmented HDPE, which is why milk bottles have stayed translucent.

> 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 1 — PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) | Polyethylene terephthalate — clear drinks bottles, salad and fruit punnets, oven-ready trays. |
| 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 2 — hdpe (high-density polyethylene) symbol mean?

High-density polyethylene — milk jugs, detergent and bleach bottles, shampoo, yoghurt drink bottles.

### What does it look like?

A triangle with 2 inside and HDPE below. Often an opaque or milky bottle rather than a clear one.

## Related pages

- [Plastic 4 — LDPE (low-density polyethylene)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-4-ldpe/)
- [Plastic 5 — PP (polypropylene)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-5-pp/)
- [Resin identification code (the number in a triangle)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-resin-code/)
- [Resin identification code (the number in a triangle)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-resin-code/)
- [Plastic 1 — PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-1-pet/)
- [Plastic 3 — PVC or V (polyvinyl chloride)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-3-pvc/)
- [Plastic 4 — LDPE (low-density polyethylene)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-4-ldpe/)
- [Plastic 5 — PP (polypropylene)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-5-pp/)
- [Plastic 6 — PS (polystyrene)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-6-ps/)
- [Plastic 7 — OTHER](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-7-other/)
- [Plastic 7 marked PC — polycarbonate](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-7-pc/)
- [Plastic 7 marked PLA — polylactic acid](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-7-pla/)

## Sources

- US Environmental Protection Agency — EPA (https://www.epa.gov/) [Public domain (US Government)]