What Do Recycling Symbols & Codes Mean?

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Decluttering expert Marina Mahnken explains the universal recycling symbol and what items are actually recyclable

Co-authored by Marina Mahnken and Annabelle Reyes

Last Updated: February 23, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Universal Recycling Symbol
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• Plastic Recycling Symbols
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• Glass Recycling Symbols
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• Paper Recycling Symbols
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• U.K. Recycling Symbols
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• Tips

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You’ve probably seen the universal recycling symbol, which looks like three arrows in a triangular shape, on various plastic items. But what about the numbers inside these triangles, and the letters underneath? What do they mean, and do they affect whether or not something’s recyclable? If you’re looking for the answers to these questions, you’re in the right place! A decluttering expert and a recycling educator partnered with wikiHow to share their sustainability insights. Keep reading for everything you need to know!

The Universal Recycling Symbol Explained

Decluttering expert Marina Mahnken says the chasing arrows symbol identifies the material, not whether it can be recycled. Inside the triangle, the number indicates different types of plastic, glass, or paper. The symbol alone doesn't mean your curbside program accepts it, so check your town's local recycling page.

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Section 1 of 5:

Universal Recycling Symbol

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1. 
   The universal recycling symbol features three arrows in a triangle shape. This symbol is also called the Möbius Loop, and the three sides of the triangle represent the well-known slogan “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Each arrow represents a stage of the recycling process: collection/sorting, processing into raw materials for making new products, and selling the new products made with recycled materials. Although this symbol indicates that an item is capable of being recycled in general, it doesn’t always mean that the item will be recyclable in your area.

   • For example, recycling educator Kathryn Kellogg says you’ll find a number from 1-7 inside the Möbius Loop on plastic items. These numbers indicate the plastic resin content, not whether it belongs in your bin, notes Mahnken.
   • “Almost always, one and two are recyclable curbside, but for the others, you need to check with your own waste management company to see which ones are going to be picked up,” says Kellogg.
   • “It varies from city to city, county to county. So, it’s just best to check with whoever handles your waste management and see what numbers of plastic they accept for recycling,” Kellogg continues.
   • Acceptance usually depends on your specific municipality or waste hauler, agrees Mahnken. “If you’re unsure, it’s better to leave it out. One questionable item can cause more issues at a recycling facility than people realize. Most of the mistakes I see come from good intentions, not carelessness.”
   • Below, we’ll provide a more in-depth breakdown of each of these plastic recycling symbols and what they mean, as well as explanations of glass and paper recycling symbols.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Marina Mahnken is a professional organizer and decluttering expert based in Monmouth County, New Jersey, with almost 10 years of experience.

   Kathryn Kellogg is a recycling educator, sustainability specialist, and the founder of goingzerowaste.com. She's also the spokesperson for plastic-free living for National Geographic.
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Section 2 of 5:

Plastic Recycling Symbols 1-7

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   Number 1 (PET or PETE) This symbol includes three arrows in a triangle shape with the number 1 inside and the letters “PET” or “PETE” below. It indicates that the item is made of polyethylene terephthalate, which is one of the most common and easy-to-recycle types of plastic. It’s widely accepted by local curbside recycling programs, says Mahnken. But, it’s still a good idea to check with your waste management company to confirm.

   • This type of plastic is used in: Water bottles, dressing and condiment bottles, microwavable food trays, disposable food and drink containers
   • It’s recycled to make: Furniture, carpet, new containers, polar fleece
2. 
   2
   Number 2 (HDPE) This symbol includes the number 2 inside a triangle made up of three arrows. It has the letters “HDPE” below, which stands for “high-density polyethylene.” This type of plastic is widely used in household cleaner bottles, shampoo bottles, and some food and beverage bottles. It’s also commonly accepted by municipal recycling programs, says Mahnken. However, check your waste management company’s rules to be sure.

   • This type of plastic is used in: Household cleaner bottles, shampoo bottles, soap bottles, milk jugs, juice containers
   • It’s recycled to make: Detergent bottles, plastic crates, fencing
3. 
   3
   Number 3 (PVC) This symbol is a triangle made up of three arrows with the number 3 inside and the letter “V” below. It indicates that the item is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is harder to recycle than the previous two types of plastic due to the possible release of toxins. It’s not usually accepted by local curbside recycling programs, so reach out to your waste management service to ask about their process. You may need to drop the item off at a special recycling facility to recycle it.

   • This type of plastic is used in: Cooking oil bottles, mouthwash bottles, detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, children’s toys
   • It’s recycled to make: cables, paneling, mud flaps, roadway gutters
4. 
   4
   Number 4 (LDPE) As with the above symbols, this symbol starts with three arrows in the shape of a triangle. Inside the triangle, the number 4 appears, and below, there are the letters “LDPE.” This symbol indicates that the item is made of low-density polyethylene, which is most commonly used to make plastic grocery bags. LDPE is often not accepted by local recycling programs, but check with your waste management company to be sure. If they don’t, reach out to your local grocery store—many of them accept plastic grocery bags for recycling.

   • This type of plastic is used in: Grocery bags, other thin plastic items like cling wrap, frozen food bags, and sandwich bags
   • It’s recycled to make: Trash-can liners, floor tiles, lumber, envelopes
   • Mahnken says she sees flexible plastics—bread bags, produce bags, plastic wrap, and snack wrappers—tossed into recycling all the time. “Most curbside programs don’t accept those because they tangle in the sorting machinery. [Recycling] those items end up contaminating the load.”
5. 
   5
   Number 5 (PP) This symbol is a triangle made of three arrows with the number 5 inside it and the letters PP below it. This type of plastic is called polypropylene, and it’s commonly found in drinking straws, soft drink cups, food containers, and more. It’s sometimes accepted for curbside recycling, but reach out to your local program to make sure this is the case in your area.

   • This type of plastic is used in: Drinking straws, soft drink cups, food containers, yogurt containers, medicine and syrup bottles, ketchup bottles
   • It’s recycled to make: Batter cables, brooms, rakes, ice scrapers
6. 
   6
   Number 6 (PS) This symbol includes the number 6 inside a triangle made up of three arrows. Below, you’ll see the letters PS, which stand for polystyrene. Also known as styrofoam, this type of plastic is commonly used in disposable beverage and takeout containers. It is usually not accepted by municipal recycling programs, so you’ll likely need to drop it off at a facility to recycle it. Check Earth911 for more info on facilities in your area.

   • This type of plastic is used in: Takeout containers, disposable coffee cups, egg cartons, foam, packing peanuts
   • It’s recycled to make: Insulation, rulers, light switch plates, foam packaging
7. 
   7
   Number 7 (Other) This symbol is a triangle made up of three arrows with the number 7 inside and the word “Other” below. It indicates that the item is made up of miscellaneous plastics (polycarbonate, polylactide, acrylonitrile, acrylic, butadiene, styrene, fiberglass, and nylon). This type of plastic is usually not accepted by local recycling programs.

   • This type of plastic is used in: CDs and DVDs, baby bottles, large multi-gallon water bottles, eyeglasses, medical storage containers, exterior lighting fixtures
   • It’s recycled to make: Plastic lumber
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Section 3 of 5:

Glass Recycling Symbols

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1. 
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   General glass recycling symbol This symbol is a triangle made up of three arrows with a simple illustration of a person tossing a bottle into a recycling bin inside it. If you see this symbol on a glass item, this means that it is recyclable. Just remember to clean it out before tossing it into the bin!

   • Keep in mind that broken glass cannot be put in the recycling bin, since it can harm workers and damage equipment.
   EXPERT TIP

   

   Kathryn Kellogg

   Sustainability Specialist

   Kathryn Kellogg is the founder of goingzerowaste.com, a lifestyle website dedicated to breaking eco-friendly living down into a simple step-by-step process with lots of positivity and love. Kathryn is the author of two books focusing on sustainability, 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste and 101 Tips for a Zero Waste Kitchen. She is the spokesperson for plastic-free living for National Geographic, has been featured by the Guardian, CNN, Refinery29, and Bustle, and has a following on instagram of over 700k.

   

   Kathryn Kellogg
   Sustainability Specialist

   Try to reduce and reuse before recycling. People tend to jump straight to recycling, but really, we should first be reducing what we use, then reusing what we have. Then lastly, at the very, very end, we recycle.
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   Glass recycling codes As with plastics, certain items will have specific recycling symbols on them to indicate the type of glass the item is made of. In these cases, a number will appear inside the triangle, most commonly 70 (mixed glass), 71 (clear glass), or 72 (green glass). The letters “GL” also appear underneath the triangle. Most local recycling programs accept these types of glasses.
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Section 4 of 5:

Paper Recycling Symbols

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1. 
   1
   NAPM recycled symbol This symbol includes a circle made up of one arrow with “100%” inside it. Above the circle, you’ll see “NAPM RECYCLED,” and below the circle, you’ll see “APPROVED.” This symbol indicates that the item is paper or cardboard that is certified to have been made with at least 75% genuine waste paper or board fiber, or a combination of both.
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   2
   Paper recycling codes You may find the universal recycling symbol (a triangle made of three arrows) with the number 20, 21, or 22 on certain items. The number 20 indicates that the item is cardboard, 21 indicates plain paper, and 22 indicates mixed paper. These items are usually accepted by municipal recycling programs.
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Section 5 of 5:

U.K. Recycling Symbols

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1. 
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   Widely Recycled This symbol looks like a slightly open circle made of a white arrow against a square green background with the word “recycle” underneath it. When you see this label, it means that the item is accepted by 75% or more of local authorities across the U.K.

   • Labels like “widely recyclable” sound great, but they’re marketing language and don’t guarantee that your local program accepts that item, states Mahnken. “I usually tell clients to check their town’s recycling page instead of relying on the packaging.”
2. 
   2
   Widely Recycled - rinse This symbol is almost identical to the above symbol, except the word “RINSE” appears above the green square. It means that your item is widely accepted by local authorities, but you should rinse it before recycling to make sure there isn’t any food residue on it.
3. 
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   Widely Recycled - lids and caps You might come across versions of the “Widely Recycled” symbols with specific instructions on what to do with the item’s lid or cap. One version has “FLATTEN | CAP ON” above the green square, which means that you should flatten the item and put the cap back on before recycling. Another version has “RINSE | LID ON” above the green square, which means you should rinse the item and screw the lid back on before recycling.
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   Recycle with Bags at Larger Stores This symbol includes a black arrow in the shape of a slightly open circle with a green square underneath. Inside the green square, the words “RECYCLE WITH BAGS AT LARGER GROCERY STORES” appear, and underneath this box, you’ll see the words “Check Locally Kerbside.” This symbol indicates it’s not accepted in standard curbside recycling and may require a separate drop off, if there’s an option at all, says Mahnken.

   • You can try to drop it off at a large supermarket for recycling.
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   Not Yet Recycled This symbol is made up of a white arrow formed into a slightly open circle against a black square background with a white diagonal line across it. Underneath, the words “Not Yet Recycled” appear. If you see this symbol, it means that less than 20% of local councils in the U.K. currently accept this item for recycling.
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• Compostable and biodegradable packaging confuses people, says Mahnken. “Most compostable items require an industrial composting facility. If your area doesn’t have one, it doesn’t belong in the recycling bin.”
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• “Clothing, sheets, and towels should never go in curbside recycling,” notes Mahnken. “Even items that are too worn to donate often have textile recycling options, but that’s a completely separate stream. Donation and recycling are not interchangeable, and putting fabric in a recycling bin creates more problems.”
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