Plastics by the Numbers

Understanding the differences between types of plastic will help you make better decisions in choosing and recycling plastics…

The well-recognized “chasing arrows” symbol we see on plastic containers and products does not mean the product is recyclable. The little number inside the triangle tells the real story.

Within each chasing arrows triangle, there is a number which ranges from one to seven. The purpose of the number is to identify the type of plastic used for the product, and not all plastics are recyclable or even reusable. There are numerous plastic-based products that cannot break down and cannot be recycled.

Understanding the seven plastic codes will make it easier to choose plastics and to know which plastics to recycle. For example,

El gas natural, ¿el mayor enemigo de la energía nuclear?

Un operario en las instalaciones de una planta de gas en China. | Reuters

Hace dos años, 15 eléctricas estadounidenses tenían planes para construir 29 reactores nucleares con una inversión de 90.000 millones de dólares (68.500 millones de euros).

USC Researchers Develop Liquid Nanocrystal Solar Cells that Can Be Printed Onto Plastic

Imagine a solar cell that comes in a jar instead of a big, clunky panel, and that could be painted on a piece of plastic. It might be closer than you think – scientists at the University of Southern California have developed a new type of solar cell made from nanocrystals that are so small that you could fit about 250 billion of them on the head of a pin. Due to their size, the