The confusion over which plastics can or cannot be recycled continues to confound consumers. While common knowledge indicates that "good" plastics (numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5) are more readily recycled, and "bad" (numbers 3, 6 and 7) aren't, the truth is, different types of plastic require different processing, and even a small amount of the wrong type of plastic can ruin the melt during reprocessing.

Some municipalities accept all types of plastic for recycling, while others accept only jugs, or containers and bottles with certain numbers stamped on the bottoms. The number system we're familiar with--a single digit ranging from 1 to 7 and surrounded by a the recycling symbol, a triangle of arrows--was designed by The Society of the Plastics Industry in 1988 to allow consumers and recyclers to differentiate types of plastics while providing a uniform coding system for manufacturers. The number symbols are located on the bottom of plastic containers. Sometimes they are small and you have to look hard to find them. Scroll through our list to learn more about which plastics you can recycle, and for a more detailed shopping suggestion guide, take a look at The Green Guide.