What do the symbols on the bottom of plastic cups mean?

Plastic products are very common in our daily lives, such as plastic cups, plastic cutlery, etc. When buying or using these products, we often see a triangular symbol with a number or letter marked inside at the bottom. What does this mean? The following will explain in detail.

This triangular symbol is called the recycling symbol, which tells us what material the plastic product is made of and indicates whether the material is recyclable or not. We can determine the material used and the recyclability of the product by observing the number or letter at the bottom. Specifically:

1. Number 1: Polyethylene (PE). Generally used to make food packaging bags and plastic bottles. Recyclable.

2. Number 2: High-density polyethylene (HDPE). Generally used to make detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, milk bottles, etc. Recyclable.

3. Number 3: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Generally used to make hangers, flooring, toys, etc. Difficult to recycle and may release harmful substances that pose certain hazards to the environment and human health.

4. Number 4: Low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Generally used to make food bags, garbage bags, etc. Recyclable.

5. Number 5: Polypropylene (PP). Generally used to make ice cream boxes, soy sauce bottles, etc. Recyclable.

6. Number 6: Polystyrene (PS). Generally used to make foam lunch boxes, insulated cups, etc. Difficult to recycle and may release harmful substances that pose certain hazards to the environment and human health.

7. Number 7: Other types of plastics, such as PC, ABS, PMMA, etc. The usage and recyclability of different materials vary.

It should be noted that although these plastic materials can be recycled, in practice, many plastic products contain other ingredients, so not all bottom symbols represent 100% recyclability. The specific situation still depends on the local recycling policy and processing capacity.

In summary, when buying or using plastic products such as plastic cups, we should pay attention to the recycling symbol at the bottom and choose products made of recyclable materials. After use, we should try to classify and recycle them to protect the environment.