Plastic recycling codes are the numbers 1 to 7 inside the triangle symbol. The number shows which plastic a container is made from: 1 PET, 2 HDPE, 3 PVC, 4 LDPE, 5 PP, 6 PS, 7 other. However, the code does not prove that a container is food-safe or that it will be recycled.
In this guide, we first put all seven codes in one table. We then explain codes 1 (PET) and 5 (PP), the two you see most often on food containers. The final sections cover rPET, black plastic, the rules in Turkey and the criteria for choosing containers.
What do plastic recycling codes mean?
A plastic recycling code identifies the resin type; in other words, it tells you the container's raw material. The system is based on the numbering that the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) developed in the United States in 1988. Today, the ASTM D7611 standard governs these numbers under the name "resin identification code".
In Turkey, the Regulation on the Control of Packaging Waste (Ambalaj Atıklarının Kontrolü Yönetmeliği) follows the same logic. The manufacturer writes the material number in the center of the symbol and the abbreviation below it. Outside of specific regulations, however, this marking is voluntary.
One more detail matters. According to ASTM, the code does not show that a product enters recycling. The code only helps with sorting, so if there is no collection system, the container never reaches recycling.
Plastic recycling numbers 1-7: chart
The table below summarizes the seven codes by material, typical products and role in food containers. The recycling column shows only the general trend, because the outcome depends on the collection infrastructure in each city.
| Code | Material | Typical products | Use in food containers | Recycling status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PET (polyethylene terephthalate) | Water and beverage bottles, clear containers, cups | Common: cold food, salad, dessert and display containers | Among the most recycled plastics |
| 2 | HDPE (high-density polyethylene) | Milk and detergent bottles, jerrycans | Common in bottles and jerrycans, rare in thermoformed containers | Recyclable |
| 3 | PVC (polyvinyl chloride) | Pipes, cables, some stretch films | Rare in food containers | Limited; additives make processing difficult |
| 4 | LDPE (low-density polyethylene) | Bags, stretch film, freezer bags | Film and bags | Possible, but the thin structure makes processing difficult |
| 5 | PP (polypropylene) | Yogurt cups, bottle caps, microwave containers | Common: hot food, soup and microwave containers | Recyclable; the rate trails PET and HDPE |
| 6 | PS (polystyrene) | Foam plates, disposable cutlery | Foam food boxes, some cups | Limited |
| 7 | Other (polycarbonate, PLA, multilayer structures) | Water cooler jugs, bioplastic cups, multilayer packaging | Specialty applications | Difficult; no common recycling stream |
In practice, two codes dominate food containers: 1 (PET) and 5 (PP). That is why the rest of this guide focuses on these two materials.
Does a recycling code mean a container is food-safe?
No, the code only identifies the material. Separate legislation decides whether a container is suitable for food contact. In Turkey, the main framework is the 2018 regulation on food-contact materials (Gıda ile Temas Eden Madde ve Malzemelere Dair Yönetmelik), the Turkish counterpart of EU Regulation 1935/2004.
Under this regulation, a container that has not yet touched food must carry one of three marks when it goes on sale. These are the words "suitable for food contact", a statement that describes its intended use, or the glass-and-fork symbol. The manufacturer also confirms in a written declaration of compliance that the container was made according to the rules.
Plastic-specific rules come from Communiqué No. 2019/44 on plastic materials and articles (Plastik Madde ve Malzemeler Tebliği). So ask your supplier for the declaration of compliance, not just the code. The same PP resin also goes into buckets, for example, which means the number 5 alone guarantees nothing.
Number 1 plastic (PET): recycling and rPET
Number 1 plastic is PET: a rigid, light material that is as clear as glass. According to TUBITAK's Bilim Genç science portal, it is also the most recycled type of plastic. Beverage bottles drive this, because they create a large and steady waste stream.
rPET is a secondary raw material made from post-consumer PET waste. EU Regulation 2022/1616 recognizes the mechanical recycling of PET as a suitable technology for food contact. Each recycling process, however, needs its own authorization.
In summer 2025, Turkey's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry opened a similar draft regulation for public comment. So when you buy containers with rPET content, always ask for the food-contact declaration of compliance. For how the two materials differ in use, see our PP vs PET guide.
Is number 5 plastic (PP) recyclable?
Yes, number 5 plastic, PP (polypropylene), is recyclable. However, according to TUBITAK Bilim Genç, its recycling rate trails that of PET and HDPE. Because PP resists heat and flexes, it leads in hot food and microwave containers.
Food contact is a different story for PP. The EU regulation routes processes that turn post-consumer PP back into food containers through the "novel technology" pathway. As a result, this field does not yet have practice as established as that of PET.
Color also directly affects the outcome. The RecyClass guideline for PP containers rates a natural (uncolored) or white PP body as fully compatible. Light colors remain limited-compatible, while black and dark colors fall into the not-compatible class.
How does mono-material design affect recycling?
Mono-material design means making the container body, lid and label from the same plastic family. The sorting line then handles the container as a single piece. In addition, no foreign material lowers the quality of the recycled output.
RecyClass guidelines show the difference clearly. In the PP container guideline, a PP lid is fully compatible and a PET lid is limited-compatible. PS and PVC lids, by contrast, are in the not-compatible class.
The cleanest example is a container whose bowl and lid are made of the same material. Dipack's Eco leak-proof and PP leak-proof containers come with the container and lid as a single product. In cheese containers, however, a colored PP bowl pairs with a clear PET lid, so dispose of the two parts separately.
Why do black plastic containers get lost on the sorting line?
The problem with black plastic lies in the pigment, not the material. Sorting facilities identify plastic types with near-infrared (NIR) sensors. According to a 2020 WRAP report, carbon black absorbs this light and makes the container invisible to the sensor.
As a result, the sensor cannot direct a black container to the right stream. The container then often ends up outside recycling. That is also why RecyClass places a carbon-black PP body in the not-compatible class.
As a fix, pigment manufacturers have developed black colorants that NIR sensors can detect. If black containers are a must for your brand, ask your supplier whether the pigment is NIR-detectable.
Packaging waste rules and the deposit return system in Turkey
In Turkey, the core framework is the Regulation on the Control of Packaging Waste, published in the Official Gazette on June 26, 2021. It requires packaging to be designed in the form best suited to recovery.
The regulation also sets national, material-based targets. According to its 2021 text, the annual recycling target for plastic packaging is 55 percent, including the years after 2031. Packaging manufacturers must also register in the Packaging Information System (Ambalaj Bilgi Sistemi).
Turkey's deposit return scheme, officially the Deposit Management System (DYS), targets beverage packaging first. Its scope covers single-use glass, PET and aluminum beverage packaging. The Turkish Environment Agency (Türkiye Çevre Ajansı) runs the system, while thermoformed food containers currently go into general packaging waste collection.
6 criteria for choosing sustainable food containers
A good choice rests on design decisions more than on label claims. Check the six criteria below before you order.
- Match the material to the use: PP hot food containers for hot service and the microwave, PET for cold service and display. The wrong material means waste and a second container.
- Choose the container and lid in the same material: with mixed sets, tell your customers to separate the parts.
- Prefer clear or natural colors: if a black container is a must, ask for a pigment that NIR sensors detect.
- Ask for the code and the declaration of compliance together: the code alone is not a food-contact certificate.
- Match the volume to the product: an oversized container means extra plastic and extra carton volume.
- Give verifiable information: instead of generic green slogans, state the material code, the single-material structure and, if any, the share of recycled content.
Every Dipack product page lists the product dimensions, pieces per carton and carton volume. That way, you can make the right volume decision before you order.
Where is the recycling code on Dipack containers?
Every Dipack product page shows a recycling symbol badge for the container's material. In other words, you see the triangle with 1 on PET containers and the triangle with 5 on PP containers. Dipack thermoforms its PET and PP containers in its own molds.
On the PET side, the range includes leak-proof containers, salad containers and PET cups. The 500 cc (500 ml) leak-proof container, for example, comes in both the PET Eco series and the PP series. So you will see a different badge on each of the two pages.
If you need a single-material container in your own dimensions, see our custom packaging page. You will find all product families in the Dipack 2025 catalog.
Let's settle the material and the code together when you choose your container. Tell us your product, serving temperature and order volume, and our team will reply with a PET or PP recommendation.
Request a quote on WhatsApp Contact formPlastic recycling codes: frequently asked questions
What are the plastic recycling numbers?
There are seven numbers: 1 PET, 2 HDPE, 3 PVC, 4 LDPE, 5 PP, 6 PS, 7 other.
Is number 5 plastic (PP) food-safe?
PP is a common resin in food containers. However, the manufacturer's declaration of compliance shows whether a container is suitable, not the code.
What does number 1 plastic mean?
The number shows that the container is made of PET. Water bottles and clear meze containers, for example, belong to this group.
What does plastic code 7 mean?
Code 7 groups the plastics that do not fit into the first six categories. That is why there is no common recycling stream for them.
What does number 6 plastic mean?
Six stands for polystyrene (PS). Foam food boxes are a typical example of this material.
Do PET and PP containers contain BPA?
According to the FDA, BPA is a raw material for polycarbonate and some epoxy coatings. PET and PP, by contrast, are made from different building blocks.
Is a recycling code mandatory on packaging?
In Turkey, the regulation keeps this marking voluntary, except where specific rules apply.
