Groups urge packaging makers to follow code guidelines

March 15 -- Two plastics recycling organizations are urging packaging manufacturers to follow SPI guidelines when marking bottles with the Resin Identification Code.

The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers and the National Association for PET Container Resources said bottles have recently entered the market marked "Compatible with PET Recycling" or improperly marked as "#1 PETE." This can create problems for recyclers, the organizations said.

Laws regarding the Resin Code vary from state to state, but the organizations said many manufacturers treat the code as a "de facto standard."

Steve Alexander, executive director of APR, said, "Mis-use of the code is an extremely serious issue for plastics reclaimers. à These rogue bottles can have a draconian impact on the plastics reclamation process. Many of these rogues have such low melting points that inclusion with PET bottles can shut down recycling operations."

The mislabeling could lead recyclers to reject entire bales of materials as contaminated, the organizations said.

For more information, visit http://www.napcor.com/ or www.plasticsrecycling.org/

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Amanda Smith-Teutsch at 330-865-6166 or asmith-teutsch@crain.com