What the recycling symbols on your plastic bin actually mean

As British households prepare to put away their Christmas decorations for another year, many will also be thinking about a clean before a fresh start for 2026.

As well as Christmas trees and the odd unwanted gift, expect to see lots of families scratching their heads over how to de-clutter their homes and throw away mountains of ‘stuff’ that should have been thrown away months ago – much of which will be made of plastic.

Cheap, lightweight and (mostly) durable, plastic is ubiquitous in UK homes and is used in everything from food packaging to toys to kitchen utensils.

But consumer confidence in what can – and cannot – be recycled often remains an obstacle to more people sifting through their rubbish and putting it in the correct bin.

According to a study by climate action charity WRAP, 82% of UK households add one or more items to their recycling collection that are not accepted locally. A study by the British Plastics Federation (BPF) found that 70% of people would recycle more plastics if they were better informed about the plastics that can be recycled at home.

Worryingly, official figures show that overall recycling rates have “fallen” in recent years, with the government hoping a range of initiatives will increase this figure, including a new approach to household recycling coming into effect in March.

But in the meantime, there’s plenty people can do – including being more aware of what the recycling symbols on plastic packaging actually mean.

What do the recycling symbols mean?

While recycling can be a bit of a minefield, most manufacturers try to help with labels to indicate what something is made of and if – or how – it can be properly recycled.

However, just because a product doesn’t have one of these labels doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t be recycled.

If in doubt, check the materials and consult your local authorities.

Recycling campaign group Recycle Now, which covers England and Northern Ireland, has created a handy guide on how to identify which plastic products you can recycle.

Here’s what they mean:

1. One of the most common recycling labels, this indicates that packaging is widely collected by local authorities for sorting, processing and recycling.

2. As the previous label, but with additional instructions to make the product suitable for collection, in this case, rinsing or cleaning. It is often used on food packaging to minimize contamination and prevent parasites.

3. Again, like the previous two labels, this indicates that a product can be recycled, but with specific conditions. This is usually used for things like soft drinks and milk cartons that have a lid attached.

4. This usually indicates that although the item may be recycled, it may not be accepted by regular kerbside collections (although you should always check with your local authority). Many supermarkets and other large stores can recycle such products.

5. This badge is applied to materials that are collected by less than half of UK local authorities. This is because the product is not recycled or because part of it cannot be.

6. “Seedlings” indicates that the packaging on which it is stamped is industrially compostable. Compostable plastics bearing this symbol should be recycled with garden waste.

7. The “Green Dot” symbol has indicated that the company producing the product contributes financially to recycling schemes, but this does not necessarily mean that it is recyclable.

8. The “Mobius loop” is perhaps one of the most recognizable yet misunderstood recycling symbols. This indicates that an item can be recycled, but is not an indicator of its acceptability for recycling. Sometimes it may include a percentage in the middle to show how much recycled material it contains. Plastic bottles, glass jars and newspapers often carry the “Mobius” symbol to show that they have been produced from recycled materials.

What changes will occur in plastic recycling in 2026?

Plastic recycling in England is undergoing a major overhaul this year thanks to the government’s simpler recycling initiative.

From 31 March, all local authorities in England will be required to collect ‘core recyclable waste streams’ (glass, metal, plastic, paper and card and food waste) from all households in England to eliminate the current ‘postcode lottery’ that households face.

This is also intended to standardize recycling across different areas, with paper and card being collected in one bin, while other recyclables – such as plastic, glass and metal – will all be collected in another.

Finally, households should have four waste containers for:

• Other types of dry recycling such as plastic, metal and glass

• Food waste (mixed with garden waste if applicable)

More plastics that previously ended up in landfills or incinerators recycled from curbside bins will be added to them starting March 31, 2027.

This includes some plastics that some Brits might have assumed were already recycled but weren’t, such as plastic wrap and so-called ‘scrunchable’ plastics.

Any plastic that is labeled as ‘compostable’ or ‘biodegradable’ will not be able to be recycled in the curbside plastic collections. This includes popular items such as coffee pods.

Plastic bottles that have contained motor oils, paints, antifreeze or white spirit cannot be recycled.

Polystyrene packaging (often used in foam packaging or packaging beads) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) packaging, used in shrink wrap and blister packs, will not be recycled either.

How much plastic does the UK recycle?

Plastic waste often does not break down and can last for centuries in landfills or in the environment, where it can pollute rivers, oceans and soil.

Figures on plastic recycling in the UK can be difficult to gather due to the huge amount in circulation, its wide variety of uses and the countless different types.

A survey last year by campaigners Greenpeace UK and Everyday Plastic suggested that British households were throwing away 1.7 billion pieces of plastic packaging a week.

However, while these will include some items that could be recycled, some of the total will also be products such as food packaging and bin liners that are not intended to be reused. For example, around 35.8 million plastic bottles are used every day in the UK, but only 19.8 million are recycled.

According to Greenpeace UK, only 17% of plastic used in the UK is recycled domestically.

A House of Commons Library report last year suggested the total figure could be much higher, with 50% of plastic produced in the UK being recycled either at home or abroad. It also reiterated the UK’s stated goal of eliminating avoidable plastic waste by the end of 2042.