What are plastics 1, 2, and 5?

Understanding Plastics 1, 2, and 5: What You Need to Know

When you turn a plastic container over and see a number inside a recycling symbol, you’re looking at its resin code—essentially a label that tells you what kind of plastic it’s made from. Among these, plastics #1, #2, and #5 are some of the most common, but not all are treated equally when it comes to recycling.

Plastic #1, known as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), is the workhorse of recycling. You’ll find it in water bottles, soda containers, and salad clamshells. Thanks to its high demand in recycling markets, it's widely accepted in most curbside programs across the country. Rinse it out, and it’s usually good to go.

Plastic #2, or HDPE (high-density polyethylene), is another recycling favorite. Milk jugs, detergent bottles, and most rigid plastic containers fall into this category. Like PET, HDPE is consistently accepted in commercial recycling programs because it’s relatively easy to process and reuse.

Then there’s plastic #5, polypropylene (PP). This one’s a bit trickier. You’ll often see it in yogurt cups, bottle caps, and some reusable containers. While technically recyclable, not all facilities accept it. Some municipal programs simply don’t have the infrastructure or market demand for PP, so it ends up in the trash. That said, specialized drop-off locations and certain retailers do take #5 plastics through designated programs.

It’s worth noting that just because a plastic has a recycling symbol doesn’t guarantee it will be recycled. Local rules vary, and contamination—like food residue or non-accepted items—can derail the whole batch.

The bottom line? Know your local rules. When in doubt, check with your provider. Recycling works best when we treat it not as a universal system, but as a community effort shaped by practical realities.