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Recently the California Green Chemistry Initiative was signed by the Governator, creating the most comprehensive framework in the country for the regulation of toxic chemicals. Though it stops well short of requiring the use of green chemistry in all products made and sold in California, the Initiative does give the state much better abilities to police the worst actors amongst chemicals and products.

We are big supporters of green chemistry. Its concepts inform our product development process, and we’ve been proactive about promoting green chemistry on a wider basis in industry and public policy. We are members of the glamorous group known as the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council, and our co-founder Adam Lowry even spent some time at the State Assembly in Sacramento earlier this year talking about the ability of business to make great, innovative products using green chemistry.

Cheers to the California legislature for its groundbreaking work, and here’s to hoping the example is followed by other states.

Awhile back, we asked you to send in any questions you had for our very own greenskeepers and designers. In return, we promised to take your questions and answer them right here. Here’s a great question we thought we'd tackle first.

Q: 
What is the difference between all those different plastic ratings? For recycling, what should people do with non-rated plastic? And are the caps and lids of bottles considered different or the same rating, and can they be recycled the same way as the bottle?

A:
Good question about recycled plastic. The numbers are actually a plastic identification code that specifies what material a given plastic package is made from. It’s easy to assume it’s an indicator of quality of recyclability, but it isn’t. Here’s a quick list of what each code stands for.

PET - 1 (Polyethylene Terephthalate) – used mostly for clarity and toughness. Commonly used for water bottles and food jars.

HDPE - 2 (High Density Polyethylene) – used mostly for strength and resistance to moisture. Commonly used for milk bottles and shopping bags.

PVC - 3 (Polyvinyl Chloride) – used mostly for versatility and strength. Commonly used for juice bottles, shrink wrap and PVC piping.

LDPE - 4 (Low Density Polyethylene) – used mostly for ease of sealing and resistance to moisture. Commonly used for freezer food bags and toothpaste bottles.

PP - 5 (Polypropylene) – used mostly for resistance to heat and resistance to moisture. Commonly used for microwavable ware and disposable cups and plates.

PS - 6 (Polystyrene) – used mostly for ease of usability.  Commonly used for egg cartons and disposable flatware.

7 (other) – Commonly used for electronic casings.

It’s true that very often, recycled plastic is used to make low-quality products (such as speed bumps and plastic lumber). And unfortunately, plastic that isn’t rated won't get recycled and should get tossed in the trash. It's important to check all your plastic before tossing it in the trash because there's nothing worse than tossing something away that has a chance at an afterlife. Most municipal recycling centers accept #1, 2, 4, and 5 coded plastics (method bottles are primarily #1 and 2) but it’s a good idea to always check with your own local municipal recycling center to see what they accept and learn where you can send off the plastics they don’t accept. Many caps, closures and triggers are plastic #5, PP, and could be recycled in your municipality, so it's worth checking out.

For more detailed information on the plastic codes, check out Wikipedia who has more information about the plastic identification code. To know what to compost, recycle vs. trash, use the handy chart below. It's something we've posted in our own kitchen to make knowing what goes in what bin, a little easier. Just know, this chart is best suited for our own San Francisco's Waste System, but it's still a good general guideline for every where else in the country.