Table 1: Common Uses of the Big Six Plastics
/ Polyethylene
terephthalate
PET / Clear tough plastic, may be used as a fiber. / Ethylene glycol
Terepthalic acid
/ High density
polyethylene
HDPE / Very common plastic, usually white or colored. / Ethylene
/ Unplasticized
polyvinyl chloride
UPVC / Hard rigid plastic, may be clear. / Vinyl chloride
Plasticized polyvinyl
chloride
PPVC / Flexible, clear, elastic plastic.
/ Low density
polyethylene
LDPE / Soft, flexible plastic. / Ethylene
/ Polypropylene PP / Hard, but flexible plastic - many uses. / Propylene
/ Polystyrene PS / Rigid, brittle plastic. May be clear, glassy. / Styrene
EPS / Foamed, lightweight, energy absorbing, thermal insulation
/ Other. Use of this code indicates that the package in question is made with a resin
other than the six listed above, or is made of more than one resin listed above, and used in a multi-layer combination.
Note on Teflon:
(Teflon)