---
title: "Plastic 7 marked PC — polycarbonate — what it means"
description: "Polycarbonate — a rigid, transparent, impact-resistant plastic made using bisphenol A. What the symbol looks like, what happens if you ignore it, and where its meani"
url: https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-7-pc/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Plastic 7 marked PC — polycarbonate

**Plastic 7 marked PC — polycarbonate: Polycarbonate — a rigid, transparent, impact-resistant plastic made using bisphenol A.**

## What it looks like

*[Symbol drawn on the page: Plastic 7 marked PC — polycarbonate]*

A triangle with 7 inside and PC printed below, often on a hard, glass-clear or amber-tinted item.

## What it means

Old five-gallon water-cooler bottles, some reusable sports bottles, safety glasses, DVDs and machine guards. Its strength and clarity are why it was used for durable food containers, and its BPA content is why it largely was replaced in that role: BPA migrates from polycarbonate into food, faster when the container is hot, scratched, or washed with strong alkaline detergent. The FDA banned BPA-based polycarbonate in baby bottles and sippy cups in 2012 and in infant formula packaging in 2013. A hard clear plastic bottle old enough to be polycarbonate is one to retire rather than to keep refilling.

> 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 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 PLA — polylactic acid | Polylactic acid — a compostable bioplastic made from fermented plant sugars, usually maize. |

## Common questions

### What does the plastic 7 marked pc — polycarbonate symbol mean?

Polycarbonate — a rigid, transparent, impact-resistant plastic made using bisphenol A.

### What does it look like?

A triangle with 7 inside and PC printed below, often on a hard, glass-clear or amber-tinted item.

## Related pages

- [Plastic 7 — OTHER](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-7-other/)
- [BPA free](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/cookware-bpa-free/)
- [Plastic 7 marked PLA — polylactic acid](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-7-pla/)
- [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 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 PLA — polylactic acid](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/plastic-7-pla/)

## Sources

- US Food and Drug Administration — FDA (https://www.fda.gov/) [Public domain (US Government)]