All plastic is created equal, right? Wrong. According to Resin Identification Codes (RIC), there are actually seven categories of plastic, each classified by the temperature at which they’ve been heated. Here’s a handy guide to what all seven mean, but the TL;DR version is that unless it’s a standard bottle or jar (like a milk jug, detergent container, or shampoo bottle), it probably can’t be recycled in most curbside recycling bins.
While #1 through #6 are pretty clear on whether or not they can be recycled (FYI: #5 and #6 are not), it’s #7—the “everything else” category—that you should be worried about. Baby bottles, eyeglasses, and lighting fixtures fall into this category, and most of the time it’s impossible to know whether or not they can be recycled. Look for the #7 in the center of the three-arrowed triangle—that’s how you know (that there’s no way to know).
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