Plastic 3 — PVC or V (polyvinyl chloride)
Plastic 3 — PVC or V (polyvinyl chloride)
Polyvinyl chloride — pipe, window frames, blister packs, faux leather, garden hose, some cling film.
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What it looks like
A triangle with 3 inside and PVC or V below.
What it means
Very rarely accepted in kerbside collection, and a genuine contaminant if it gets into a PET stream, because the chlorine it releases when heated degrades the other polymer. Rigid PVC is inert; flexible PVC is soft only because of the plasticisers blended into it, historically phthalates, and those are not chemically bound to the polymer, so they migrate out over time and faster into fat and heat. Keep it away from hot or oily food, and never burn it — combustion products include hydrogen chloride.
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 2 — HDPE (high-density polyethylene) | High-density polyethylene — milk jugs, detergent and bleach bottles, shampoo, yoghurt drink bottles. |
| 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 3 — pvc or v (polyvinyl chloride) symbol mean?
- Polyvinyl chloride — pipe, window frames, blister packs, faux leather, garden hose, some cling film.
- What does it look like?
- A triangle with 3 inside and PVC or V below.
Related pages
- Plastic 6 — PS (polystyrene) Polystyrene — disposable cups and cutlery, meat trays, foam packaging, CD cases, yoghurt pots in some markets.
- 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 7 — OTHER Anything that is not codes 1 to 6 — a catch-all, not a material.
- 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 2 — HDPE (high-density polyethylene) High-density polyethylene — milk jugs, detergent and bleach bottles, shampoo, yoghurt drink bottles.
- 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))