Why recycling symbols matter
The symbol on packaging tells you whether it can be recycled, but most consumers misread them. WRAP UK research from 2024 found 68% of UK households incorrectly identify at least one major recycling symbol. The confusion costs the recycling system around £180 million per year in contamination handling.
The most important distinction: some symbols mean "this CAN be recycled" while others mean "the producer paid into a recycling scheme." Two completely different things.
The 6 most important symbols
1. The Mobius Loop (three chasing arrows)
Most universally recognised symbol. Meaning: the material is technically capable of being recycled.
Critical caveat: it does NOT mean the item will be accepted in your local recycling. Many plastics carry the Mobius Loop but are refused by UK and US kerbside programmes because no end-market exists for the recycled material.
2. Resin Identification Codes (numbers 1-7 inside the Mobius Loop)
The number identifies the plastic type:
| Code | Plastic | Common items | UK kerbside acceptance |
|---|
| 1 (PET) | Polyethylene Terephthalate | Drinks bottles, salad pots | 99% of councils accept |
| 2 (HDPE) | High-Density Polyethylene | Milk bottles, shampoo, detergent | 99% accept |
| 3 (PVC) | Polyvinyl Chloride | Pipes, vinyl flooring | <5% accept |
| 4 (LDPE) | Low-Density Polyethylene | Carrier bags, food film | Some kerbside, mostly supermarket front-of-store collection |
| 5 (PP) | Polypropylene | Yoghurt pots, takeaway tubs | 82% accept |
| 6 (PS) | Polystyrene | Yoghurt pots, plastic cutlery | <3% accept (see our polystyrene guide) |
| 7 (Other) | Mixed or unidentified | PLA, polycarbonate | <2% accept |
The codes were introduced by the Society of Plastics Industry in 1988 to help recyclers sort materials. They are not a guarantee of recyclability.
3. OPRL - On-Pack Recycling Label (UK)
The new dominant UK symbol since 2020. Three variants:
- "Recycle" with green icon: accepted in most UK kerbside collections
- "Don't Recycle" with red/black icon: not currently accepted in UK kerbside
- "Check Locally" with amber icon: acceptance varies by council
OPRL labels are based on Royal Society of Arts research into actual UK MRF acceptance. They are far more accurate to UK reality than the Mobius Loop. Use OPRL labels as the primary disposal guide on UK packaging.
4. The Green Dot (Der Grüne Punkt)
A green circle with two arrows. Meaning: the producer has paid into a packaging recycling scheme as required by EU Packaging Waste Directive.
It does NOT mean the item is recyclable. Many UK consumers misread this as a recyclability guarantee. Since Brexit, UK producers no longer require the Green Dot, but many still carry it for EU sales. Treat as informational only.
5. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) labels
Three tick variants:
- FSC 100%: all wood/paper content from FSC-certified forests
- FSC Recycled: made from recycled paper or wood content
- FSC Mix: blend of certified, recycled, and controlled-source content
FSC certification applies to paper, cardboard, and wood products. It indicates responsible sourcing rather than recyclability. Most FSC-labelled paper is still recyclable in standard kerbside paper collections.
6. The Compostable seedling logo
A small green plant with "Compostable" or "OK Compost" text. Meaning: certified compostable under EN 13432 (UK/EU) or BPI (US).
Critical: "compostable" usually means industrial compostable, NOT home compostable. UK food waste collections route to industrial composting that handles these materials. Home composting bins typically cannot decompose certified compostable plastics within their natural cycle. The "OK Compost HOME" certification specifically indicates home-compostable.
Symbols that mislead consumers
Three symbols regularly cause confusion:
"Widely Recycled" star
Pre-OPRL UK symbol meaning "more than 50% of UK councils accept this." Replaced by OPRL but still appears on legacy packaging. Treat as "check OPRL or your council list."
"Recycle with bags at large supermarkets"
Soft plastic film label. Currently only available at large UK supermarket front-of-store collections (Sainsbury's, Tesco, Co-op, Morrisons, Lidl, Asda, Waitrose). NOT for kerbside recycling. Material is downcycled into items like park benches, plastic decking, traffic cones.
"Aluminium" or "Steel" symbols
Often appear on tins. Both UK and US kerbside recycling accept these - clean the can, leave the label, place in metal recycling. Simple symbol, no complications.
US recycling label rules
The US has more fragmentation than the UK:
- How2Recycle: standardised labels from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. Most consumer brands (Walmart suppliers, major brands) use these. Format similar to OPRL with "Widely Recycled / Check Locally / Not Yet Recycled" categories.
- Resin codes 1-7: same as UK
- No federal mandate: each state and city has its own acceptance rules; check municipal websites
Major US chains (Walmart, Target, Whole Foods) increasingly use How2Recycle for own-brand items.
Composting symbols specifically
Three certification levels for compostable packaging:
- OK Compost INDUSTRIAL (TUV Austria): breaks down in industrial composting facilities at 60-70C
- OK Compost HOME (TUV Austria): breaks down in home compost bins at ambient temperature within 365 days
- BPI Compostable (US Biodegradable Products Institute): equivalent to OK Compost INDUSTRIAL
Items marked compostable that lack one of these certifications should be treated as standard plastic and put in residual waste. "Biodegradable" without certification is meaningless and often misleading.
Practical reading rules
Three rules for quick disposal decisions:
- In UK 2026, prioritise the OPRL label over all other symbols. It's most accurate to local reality.
- Resin codes 1, 2, 5 are reliable for kerbside. Resin codes 3, 6, 7 are not. Code 4 is supermarket-only.
- "Compostable" without a certification logo means nothing. Treat as residual waste.
What the symbols don't tell you
Some recycling-relevant facts no symbol conveys:
- Black plastic is mostly rejected even when resin code 1 or 2, because optical sorters cannot see it
- Multi-material packaging (paper-coated plastic, foil-lined cartons) usually requires specialist routes
- Items smaller than 40mm are usually lost in sorting regardless of material
- Heavily contaminated items (food residue, oils, paint) are rejected at MRFs regardless of material
When in doubt, your local council website is the definitive guide for your area.
Key takeaways
- The Mobius Loop means "technically recyclable" not "accepted in your bin"
- OPRL labels (UK) and How2Recycle (US) are the most accurate disposal guides
- Resin codes 1, 2, 5 are reliably accepted at UK kerbside; codes 3, 6, 7 mostly are not
- The Green Dot indicates producer payment, not recyclability
- "Compostable" without EN 13432, OK Compost, or BPI certification means nothing
Sources
WRAP UK Recycling Tracker 2024. OPRL Ltd category guidance 2026. Sustainable Packaging Coalition How2Recycle label library 2026. TUV Austria OK Compost certification standards. Society of Plastics Industry Resin Identification Code system.
