What Do These Recycling Symbols Actually Mean?

Recyling Symbols - What do Recyling Symbols Mean

Do you get confused by what you can and can't recycle? It feels that this years key drive in the UK is to reduce the amount of single use plastic we use. However, its a bit of a minefield on what is recyclable, what's biodegradable, what's compostable and what actually isn't recyclable and needs to be sent to landfill.

In the UK most packaging has "on-pack" recycling labels, these should help guide you on what to do with the packaging once you've finished with it. Below are a few of the key symbols you might see:

What do recycling symbols mean?

The Mobius Loop with a number in the centre and a letter code bellow signifies what kind of plastic the packaging is made from. The code should help you identify whether it’s recyclable in your area.

Glossary:

The on-pack recycling labels are the work of Recycle Now, a national recycling campaign for England, supported and funded by Government. Recycle Now’s logo is the basis for all OPRLs and should be easily recognisable.