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Not all plastic is created equal – the seven-category resin identification system that shows up as a small number inside a triangle on packaging actually tells you a lot about how recyclable that item is.
Plastics are grouped into types based on their chemical composition, and that composition determines not just the properties of the material but also how – and whether – it can be recycled.
The most common types include PET (used in bottles), HDPE (used in containers and bottles), PVC, LDPE (used in films and bags), PP (used in tubs and caps), PS (polystyrene), and a catch-all "other" category that includes mixed or composite plastics. Each has different physical properties, melting points and chemical behaviours.
PET and HDPE are the most widely recycled, with well-established processes and strong demand for the recycled material. PP and LDPE are increasingly recyclable depending on local infrastructure, while PVC, PS and mixed plastics remain harder to recycle economically – though improving sorting technology is gradually expanding what's viable.
This is where the sorting step becomes critical – ECOPICK uses artificial intelligence to identify plastic types and sort them accordingly, including types that are harder to distinguish visually. The more accurately a stream can be separated by plastic type at the sorting stage, the more of it ends up in a recycling process rather than in residue destined for disposal.
Discover ECOPICK robotic sortingGet in touch with our team to discover how PICVISA's optical sorting and robotics solutions can fit your recycling operation.