Types of Plastic Bottles
You probably use a plastic bottle just about every single day. But how much thought do you put into the kind of plastic bottle it is? On the bottom of every plastic bottle, you'll find some letters and a number. Those letters and numbers denote what type of plastic bottle it is, how it can be recycled and what type of precautions you need to take when using that particular type of plastic bottle. Be aware of the types of plastic bottles you use on a daily basis. Does this Spark an idea?
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PETE--1
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PETE plastic bottles, which are made of polyethylene terephthalate and have a number one on them, are made of a strong, durable plastic that is good for portability. It is clear, and is good for protecting against leakage, gas and moisture. PETE plastic bottles are mostly used for soft drinks, sports drinks, water, juice and milk, which means you probably use a PETE plastic bottle fairly often.
HDPE--2
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HDPE bottles are the ones that have a number two stamped on the bottom, and they are made out high-density polyethylene. Because they are a more dense plastic bottle, they work well for things that spoil easily, such as milk or for bottling fruit to keep them fresher, longer. They also work well for household chemicals like bleach.
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PVC--3
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If you see a bottle with a number three stamped on the bottom, then it is a PVC bottle, made from polyvinyl chloride. This type of plastic bottle is very flexible, and used when the liquid or food inside is known to expand or contract, so that it can do so without cracking the plastic.
LDPE--4
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The number four type of plastic bottles are LDPE bottles, made from low-density polyethylene. This is a thin plastic that is most often used as a waxy moisture barrier that can be cheaply made. You'll find LDPE bottles where you find plastic milk cartons and squeezable condiment bottles. It melts easily, which makes it ideal for when heat sealing is necessary.
PP--5
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When you see a bottle with a number five stamped on the bottom, then you'll know that it's a PP bottle, made of polypropylene. Polypropylene has a very high melting point, which is why it is traditionally used for items that need to be heated or have hot liquids poured into it, like coffee. It is also good for small tubs that need to be heated.
Other--7
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You may notice that number six is missing. This is because number six is commonly known as Styrofoam, and not used for plastic bottles. If you see a number seven on your bottle, then you'll know that it is made out of something other than the five materials denoted by other numbers, or made from a combination of two or more layers of other plastics. You'll see this on various disposable, single use water, juice and soft drink bottles.
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