What is "plastic #1 - 7"?

Plastics have the numbers (see “table of resin codes ”) on them.

It’s the codes for the type of plastic used so the recycling company know what the bottle (or whatever) is made of. You usually see it on label in the little recycle triangle.
Link

If you find plastic 9, that is used for shrinkie dinks. Craft away. You’re welcome.

Thank you @DoNotKnow. That’s exactly what I was looking for. Shrinkie dicks was not, @cazzie! But thanks. ;)

Looking through it left me a little confused on one thing. #6 lists, among other things, “packaging peanuts.” That’s styrofoam, right? My recycle list says styrofoam isn’t recyclable.

@Dutchess_III packaging peanuts are made from several different things now. Some melt because they are made from a corn starch base. You can dissolve them in the sink if you need to get rid of them. But getting back to the plastics and recycling… Styrofoam(which is blue) is different from expanded polystyrene (EPS). Packaging products and loads of household consumables are EPS and not Styrofoam and recycle number 6. It doesn’t get recycled, but it has to be burned so separating it out so it doesn’t go to landfills is very important. Styrofoam is a brand name, essentially but it is the stuff that is used in construction. Here is a wiki page that might help. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene

Why do you say all Styrofoam is blue, @cazzie?

@Dutchess_III, shrinkie dicks? I’ll be sure to avoid plastic 9 in my adult toys.

Don’t look at me! That’s what @cazzie said! Gosh. Not a good plan. Don’t think it will sell at all, whatever it is.

Not what I said. I said shrinkie DINKS. You read it wrong. Also Styrofoam is a brand name from Dow Chemical. They make their stuff blue. So if you are calling other plastic Styrofoam it is like calling any vacuum cleaner å Hoover.

It was a joke, @cazzie. We could have had some fun with it.

I understand, now, what you’re saying. However, generally speaking, everyone refers to the crunchy, airy plastic stuff as Styrofoam.
Just like every one refers to soft, airy tissue as “Kleenex,” whether it is actually the Kleenex brand or not.

The guidelines for recycling in my town says, “No styrofoam.” If I threw the white, crunchy, airy plastic tray that the hamburger came in, into the recycle bin, I’d be breaking that rule.

Out of curtiosity, what other name would we call those things if not “styrofoam?” Just to be clear, I used Rudyard Kipling’s word, in “The Elephant’s Child,” for “curiosity.” Yeah. Did it on purpose.

expanded polystyrene (EPS) is the generic name for it. You should read the wiki article for it that I linked to. it explains a bit why it can’t be recycled, but it should be collected separately to be incinerated because it doesn’t break down in the environment.

I meant, in general, for the general public. What casual name should we call it, if not styrofoam?

At any rate, I’ve been avoiding styrofoam polystyrene as much as possible, since it can’t be recycled.

Am I asking too much? In general? Was my reply too accurate and not convenient enough? Do we need to hire a marketing team to make something up and then have a promotional plan to convince everyone? or for ONCE can’t we just fucking get the public to learn something. PLEASE.

That is NOT aimed at you, personally @Dutchess_III . You rock…... but I am sure you know exactly what I mean.

Not exactly @cazzie. People use the word “styrofoam,” to refer to everything that they think is styrofoam ~ meat trays, coolers, insulation, whatever. We need another, casual word to use so we don’t mistake the trademarked “Styrofoam” with other stuff, because it’s really important. I just don’t see the word “polystyrene” catching on for every day use.

Do you know what I’m saying?

We use polystyrene and it was used in New Zealand too. I guess it goes the way of the metric system… simply too difficult for a particular section of the earth’s population.

Not difficult. There is just no reason to get in the habit of calling it “polystyrene”, just like there is no reason to stop calling Kleenex, Kleenex, even if it isn’t actually Kleenex. I don’t think it’s really hurting anything.

As for the metric system, it is far superior to our base 12, and a whole lot easier. But we just weren’t taught it as kids.

Good luck learning plastics and the recycling (or safe disposal) there of.

I’m working on it. Need to find out what I can do with my Styrofoam and polystyrene crap. The only other plastic I can’t recycle are plastic shopping bags, and, I guess, things like zip lock bags.

If you sew and like crafts, I can show you how to make stuff out of your plastic shopping bags… not least of which are more permanent and reusable shopping bags. MAN, this nerdy girl needs to get herself a you tube channel. at least expand on her Nerdygirl Nidelva website.

I don’t sew, and I don’t do crafts. The projects I do involve saws and drywall and mud and shit! Working on a broom closet now.