Why plastic use keeps us guessing?

Not every plastic is recyclable, even if it has the symbol on it

- WINSTON CHOI-SCHAGRIN & HIROKO TABUCHI

THE UNIVERSAL SYMBOL for recycling, known as the “chasing arrows” logo, is stamped on so many things. But that doesn’t mean they’re recyclable.

Manufacturers can print the logo on just about any product. That’s because its main purpose isn’t to say whether it’s recyclable, but to identify the type of plastic it’s made from. (For example, if there’s a “3” in the center, it’s PVC, which most curbside recycling programmes don’t accept.) The logo is so widely misunderstood that last year California banned its use on things that aren’t recyclable.

There are efforts to improve the system. But first, the central question: Why is this so hard? The unhelpful symbol is just one aspect of a recycling system that is far too confusing to be broadly effective. It puts the burden on individuals to decode a secret language, to figure out not only whether a thing is recyclable, but also if their local recycling programme actually accepts it.