GREEN

 Biodegradeable products break down or decompose naturally by biological agents, especially bacteria. The products are usually made from a natural source. Some examples of biodegradeable products are paper and certain plastics made from corn. 

 Compostable plastics and other products must be able to break down into carbon dioxide, water and biomass at the same rate as paper. There should be no toxic material present while composting and it should be able to support plant life. They come from renewable raw materials like corn or potato starch, cellulose, soy protein, lactic acid, etc. These materials are not toxic or hazardous in production. A product will break down completely in a commercial composting facility. This should take between 90-180 days. 

 Recyclable products can be collected and remanufactured into new products after they’ve been used. These products do not necessarily contain recycled materials and only benefit the environment if people recycle them after use. Some recyclable materials are glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and electronics. Cell phones and computers (Aluminum) are also recyclable. It is usually more economical to recycle products into a different material rather than back into it’s original state. For instance, used copy paper will be recycled into cardboard for packaging. 

 1 PETE – Polyethlene Terephthalate: Soda bottles, water bottles, medicine containers. The easiest of plastics to recycle. PETE is recycled into bottles and polyester fibers.
2 HDPE – High Density Polyethylene: Laundry/dish detergent, bleach, milk, shampoo, conditioner, motor oil. These products can be recycled into more bottles or bags.
3 PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride: Pipes, toys, furniture, packaging, shrink wrap, clear medical tubing, etc.PVC is difficult to recycle – an environmental and health threat.
4 LDPE – Low Density Polyethylene: Wrapping films, grocery bags, sandwich bags.These plastics can be recycled back to their original state.
5 PP – Polypropylene: Yogurt tubs, bottles, clothing, outdoor carpet. These items recycle into fibers.
6 PS – Polystyrene: Coffee cups, disposable cutlery, cups (clear & colored), foam food trays, packing peanuts Polystyrene is often bulky and lightweight.