---
title: "Plastic 4 — LDPE (low-density polyethylene) — what it means"
description: "Low-density polyethylene — carrier bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, squeeze bottles, six-pack rings. What the symbol looks like, what happens if you ignore it, and whe"
url: https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-4-ldpe/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Plastic 4 — LDPE (low-density polyethylene)

**Plastic 4 — LDPE (low-density polyethylene): Low-density polyethylene — carrier bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, squeeze bottles, six-pack rings.**

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## What it looks like

*[Symbol drawn on the page: Plastic 4 — LDPE (low-density polyethylene)]*

A triangle with 4 inside and LDPE below. Usually a film or a squeezable bottle.

## What it means

Chemically the same family as HDPE and just as stable in contact with food, but its usual form is the problem: thin film wraps around the spinning shafts in a sorting plant and shuts the line down, so almost no kerbside scheme takes it. Supermarket front-of-store bag collections exist for exactly this reason and do work. Softens around 90 °C, so it is not a hot-liquid material even though it is a safe one.

> 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 3 — PVC or V (polyvinyl chloride) | Polyvinyl chloride — pipe, window frames, blister packs, faux leather, garden hose, some cling film. |
| 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 4 — ldpe (low-density polyethylene) symbol mean?

Low-density polyethylene — carrier bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, squeeze bottles, six-pack rings.

### What does it look like?

A triangle with 4 inside and LDPE below. Usually a film or a squeezable bottle.

## Related pages

- [Plastic 2 — HDPE (high-density polyethylene)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-2-hdpe/)
- [Resin identification code (the number in a triangle)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-resin-code/)
- [OPRL — Recycle / Don't Recycle (UK)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/packaging-oprl/)
- [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 2 — HDPE (high-density polyethylene)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-2-hdpe/)
- [Plastic 3 — PVC or V (polyvinyl chloride)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-3-pvc/)
- [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)]