plastic by number.

By now you know that it’s important to reduce your use of plastic and to recycle the plastic you do use. What you may not know is that plastic has been categorized and numbered by type, and different numbers mean different things for the environment and your health. When talking about plastic food or beverage containers, a good rule of thumb is to look for plastic numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5. The numbers to avoid are 3, 6 and 7, which are typically full of all kinds of nasty chemicals that can cause cancer and other serious health problems. Another incentive to stick with the lower numbers? In most communities, only plastic with a number 1 or 2 can be recycled. Remember: Plastic is made from petroleum, a non-renewable and mostly imported resource, so avoid it where you can and be smart about which you use when you can’t help it. For more information on the different types of plastic, their recycling codes and what that means for you, click here.