How Do We Identify and Recycle Different Types of Plastics in Singapore?

Wall of Used Plastics in Singapore (📷: Tanvi Sharma, Unsplash)

Although 6 in 10 households was reported to recycle regularly (NEA, 2019), Singapore has sustained a low domestic recycling rate, with it being 13% in 2024 (NEA, 2024). This could be due to citizens placing contaminated or non-recyclable items in the recycling bin. Let us learn to recycle better today, starting from plastics!

What are the common types of plastics recycled?

In Singapore, there are 4 types of plastics accepted at recycling bins:

• Type 1
• Type 2
• Type 4
• Type 5

We will go through the items that belong in each category.

Type 1 Plastics (PETE - Polyethylene Terephthalate)

Plastics in this category include:

• Drink Bottles
• Fruit Boxes
• Plastic Egg Trays
• CNY Snack Containers

These will be shredded into flakes, before transforming into synthetic fabric, pillow fillings, and more bottles. Ensure that they are clean before recycling!

Type 2 Plastics (HDPE - High Density Polyethylene)

Plastics in this category include:

• Shampoo Bottles
• Detergent Bottles
• Plastic Milk Cartons

These will be shredded and melted into resin pellets, before transforming into chopping boards and back into HDPE bottles. Ensure that they are cleaned out as well!

Type 4 Plastics (LDPE - Low Density Polyethylene)

Plastics in this category include:

• Disposable Plastic Bags
• Ziplock Bags
• Bubblewrap

Although they are rarely recycled due to contamination, the clean items are recycled into new bags.

Type 5 Plastics (PP - Polypropylene)

Plastics in this category include:

• Takeaway food containers
• Bubble Tea Cups
• Tupperware

Although they are rarely recycled due to contamination, the clean items are recycled into brooms, brushes, bins and more.

Conclusion

As the Minister of Environment, Grace Fu, says at the COS Debate in 2022, "we must reduce waste and maximise resource efficiency" to strengthen our resilience.

We hope that you are more familiar with the different plastics in Singapore and what happens to them when you recycle them!

Now it is your turn to make an impact by starting your recycling journey! Curious about where to recycle your item? Find out where to recycle any item in Singapore with recycle.gov.sg's facility locator!

This post comes from the Uncle Semakau team, follow the team on Instagram for more content!