Recycling Symbols

Many manufacturers include recycling symbols on their packaging to make recycling and waste disposal easier. There are several rules and regulations in the UK that require recycling symbols to be included in the packaging. This helps inform consumers of what to do with an item when they’re finished with it and throw it away.

Some recycling symbols are very clear in their instructions, while others are used less frequently and may be a little harder to understand. That’s where this handy guide comes in! Below we explain the meaning of common recycling symbols in the UK, what to do when you see it, and examples of waste materials where you find it.

Recycling logos

There are various recycling logos you’ll see on all sorts of packaging. These aim to help you identify, sort, and dispose of recyclable rubbish items appropriately. Some recycling logos are just a shape, while others include numbers and text.

Learn more about each recycling logo and what they mean:

Mobius Loop

What does the Mobius loop mean?

The Mobius loop triangle on its own means the product can be recycled. Typically, this means that the item can be disposed of with your household recycling or dry mixed recycling. Sometimes, a variation of this logo exists with a percentage featured in the middle of the loop. This gives you an indication about how much of the product can be recycled.

Examples of waste with the Mobius loop logo

As this is the most common logo displayed on recyclable products, you’ll likely come across it several times a day. Some of the most common places you may see the Mobius loop are:

• Plastic waste – bottles and containers
• Paper waste – magazines
• Glass waste – bottles and jars

How much of this waste is produced?

We produce large volumes of recyclable waste daily. In the UK, we generate around 12 million tonnes of recycling waste each year, which is just under 50% of our overall waste output. However, too often recyclable waste finds its way into general waste collections, meaning it’s disposed of incorrectly. A recent report by National Geographic found that 91% of plastic waste is not sent to a recycling facility.

Recycle and Rinse symbol

What to do when you see the recycle and rinse symbol

The recycle and rinse symbol means that the item can be recycled, but it must be rinsed or cleaned before you throw it away. This is often used on food packaging to help remove any residue, which reduces the chance of your waste being contaminated or attracting vermin.

What waste uses the recycle and rinse symbol?

Various products feature the recycle and rinse symbol. This includes:

• Glass jars
• Metal cans and tins
• Plastic shampoo bottles

How much of this waste is produced?

Failure to rinse products before recycling them could mean your waste becomes contaminated. This means it may be impossible to recycle. Around 15% of dry mixed recycling bins are contaminated in this manner, which significantly reduces the material that’s recycled.

Recycle and Rinse with Lid/Cap on symbol

What to do when you see the recycle, rinse with lid/cap on symbol

Products with this symbol can be recycled. However, you must rinse them and ensure their lid/cap is tightly secured. This is because small bottle caps can interfere with the recycling process. The lid or cap is made from a recyclable material, so it should not be thrown away in general waste.

Examples of waste with the recycle, rinse with lid/cap on symbol

A variation of this symbol will appear on any products with small caps/lids. This could include:

• Plastic water bottles
• Plastic soft drink bottles
• Milk cartons/ and containers

How much of this waste is produced?

This kind of waste mainly includes bottles and drink containers with hundreds of thousands of them thrown away every day. In the UK alone, around 35 million plastic bottles are used every 24 hours, but only 19.8 million of these plastic bottles are recycled each day.

 

Don’t Recycle – Remove Sleeve symbol

What to do when you see the don’t recycle and remove sleeve symbol

What waste has the don’t recycle – remove sleeve symbol?

How much of this waste is produced?

Product packaging, such as sleeves, promotes a brand and informs consumers of what the products are made from (whether food items or commercial products). However, they’re often difficult to recycle, and as a result, packaging waste is a key contributor to crowded landfills. Plastic packaging makes up 70% of the UK’s packaging waste.

Flatten with Cap On recycling symbol

What to do when you see the flatten with cap on recycling symbol

What products have the flatten with cap on recycling symbol?

How much of this waste is produced?

Keeping the caps on your bottles when recycling reduces the chance of the lids getting lost during the recycling process. Sometimes lids will fall through holes in machinery. Taking the proper steps to recycle bottles with caps reduces the damage that single-use plastics have on the environment. Currently, less than 10% of single-use products are recycled

Recycle With Bags at Large Supermarkets symbol

What to do when you see the recycle with bags at large supermarkets symbol

What waste uses the recycle at large supermarkets with bags symbol?

How much of this waste is produced?

It is hard to monitor the amount of waste produced in this category, as it covers a wide range of products. However, since their implementation, supermarket recycling points have had a positive impact on the environment. They ensure that products that would otherwise be thrown away are taken to the appropriate treatment facilities to be processed and recycled.

Green Dot recycling symbol

What to do when you see the Green Dot recycling symbol

What products use the green dot recycling symbol?

How much of this waste is produced?

A large proportion of the waste we produce is non-recyclable. For example, in 2018 the UK produced around 37 million tonnes of waste, of which a very small fraction was sent to the appropriate recycling centres. Failing to source recyclable products or disposing of them incorrectly has a negative impact on the environment.

There are several different types of plastic, and some facilities will require the plastic to be separated before collection. This is due to the fact that each type of plastic is processed and recycled in a slightly different way. These are the different plastic resin identification codes and symbols:

Code 1: PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)

PETE plastic (or PET) is the most widely used form of plastic. Around 70% of all plastic bottles and containers in the United Kingdom are made from PET. Thankfully, it is widely recycled.

Learn about PET recycling

Code 2: HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)

HDPE is typically used by those who work within the construction industry, as it’s used to manufacture pipes. However, it’s now also used to create containers such as milk cartons and cleaning product bottles. It is widely recycled.

Learn about HDPE recycling

Code 3: PVC (High-Density Polyethylene)

PVC, like HDPE, is typically used within the construction industry to create products such as door and window frames. It is widely recycled.

Learn about PVC recycling

Code 4: LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)

LDPE is often used to create plastic carrier bags and bin bags. Unfortunately, it is the most typically discarded form of plastic. The world uses around 500 million plastic bags each year, of which a small portion are recycled. Thankfully, there are now initiatives in place to recycle more LDPE products.

Learn about LDPE recycling

Code 5: PP (Polypropylene)

PP plastics are often used to create packaging, such as plastic tubs and containers, or drinks cartons. It can also be used to create furniture. This type of plastic can be recycled.

Learn about PP recycling

Code 6: PS (Polystyrene)

Polystyrene is sometimes referred to as Styrofoam and is used predominantly for packaging purposes to protect fragile items from getting damaged. Polystyrene is not widely recycled and can pose a real threat to the environment.

Learn about polystyrene recycling

Code 7: Other

This section holds any type of plastic that does not fall within any of the above categories. It includes items such as fibreglass and acrylic plastic. Whether or not the items can be recycled varies.

Learn about code 7 recycling

Other Important Recycling Symbols

There are many other recycling symbols and logos you may see on items in the UK. Understanding what all recycling logos mean and being able to differentiate should ensure as much waste as possible is recycled and disposed of properly. Here are some more important UK recycling symbols to know.

Glass recycling symbol

This symbol is added to packaging to remind consumers that the glass can be recycled after use. It is recyclable (as glass is 100% recyclable) even if the materials contained within it aren’t, such as liquid or oil.

Aluminium recycling symbol

This symbol informs the user that the product is made from recyclable aluminium. For example, this is typically featured on tinfoil packaging and aluminium drink cans.

Steel recycling symbol

This symbol means that the product is made from steel, which can be recycled. This could be found on steel drink cans or food tins, for example.

Tidyman recycling symbol

This symbol was introduced as part of a UK initiative to remove waste from the streets. It is known as the ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ scheme, and the inclusion of the tidyman logo on packaging encourages users to safely dispose of the product after use.

Waste electricals recycling symbol

This symbol features prominently on electrical products, such as WEEE Waste. It signifies that the electrical item cannot be thrown away with your general waste and should be recycled in a WEEE bin at work or taken to an electrical waste bank.

Compostable waste recycling symbol

This symbol means that the products or packaging can be composted. This could include food waste or garden waste, but also certain types of packaging, which you can dispose of via composting. On some occasions, a slight variation of this logo will inform you whether or not this can be composted at home or at a specialist facility.

Forest Stewardship Council symbol

This symbol indicates that the product has been approved by the Forest Stewardship Council, meaning that it is produced in a way that is deemed environmentally friendly. It typically features on products made from paper, cardboard, and wood.

Understanding the meaning of recycling symbols

It’s important as a business owner and consumer that you take the time to fully understand what all recycling symbols mean. This can help you improve your recycling habits, working towards a better and brighter future.

There are many benefits of recycling at work and at home. It means you cooperate with government-mandated regulations and demonstrate to your customers that you’re committed to protecting the planet. By implementing a strong recycling scheme at work, you can also save your company a great deal of money while helping reduce pollution.

If you’re looking for help with your waste management and commercial waste disposal, please get in touch today. At Business Waste, we have years of industry experience, which means we are in a prime position to tackle any of your waste management and disposal needs, working to put together a plan that suits you.