With the three-word question: "Paper or plastic?" the minds of consumers were focused on the impact of environmental waste. In many places, either can be recycled. Paper is properly broken down in landfills; plastic is not. It is up to consumers and businesses to separate recyclable waste. Envisioning the next process, how do recycle centers distinguish various types of discarded plastic?
What is generalized as "plastic" can be formed from many compounds. Some are suitable for use with food while others may be reserved for automotive parts. When applied to products during manufacture, seven different recycle symbols help recycle centers to separate similar plastics. Universal symbols include a numeral surrounded by three arrows in the shape of a triangle. To assist in recycling efforts, Reactive Imaging is identifying, where possible, chemical composition of synthetic materials. So far they fall into these categories.
- 1 - PET or PETE (Polyethylene Terephalate Ethylene)
- 3 - PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
- 5 - PP (Polypropylene)
- 7 - Other
PET (1) is another name for polyester (recycled into: automotive parts, such as luggage racks, headliners, fuse boxes, bumpers, grilles and door panels; Polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, (occasionally) PET, new containers). Polyvinyl Chloride (3) is a tough, flexible, and chemical-resistant plastic that may used in some banner cases (recycled into: decking, panels, binders, mudflaps, roadway gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps, mats). Since it is not used on actual banner material, symbol art is not provided. Polypropylene (5) is the base material for some synthetic printable media and lamination (recycled into: signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, and trays). Unidentified materials may fall into the Other (7) category, though more likely if used as printable media, they are either (1) or (5).
Customers are asked to consider having appropriate recycle symbols printed in a tiny repeating pattern along at least one edge of large banners, perhaps in a faint tint, for easy identification at recycling centers after banners serve their useful purpose. The long edge is preferable since banners are usually shredded into short strips before disposal. Short-edge patterns can usually be concealed during display. Symbols can be added by Reactive Imaging or EPS art can be downloaded from this page to incorporate into designs provided by customers. Such identification is not necessary for unlaminated paper or cotton banners. It is also possible to request "Green Printing" for offset press runs.
Though lamination offers ideal surface protection, environmentally conscious customers might consider combining compatible materials. It is possible to apply polypropylene hot lamination to Polypro printed banners. The result is an extremely strong, weather resistant banner within a homogenous recyclable compound.
Another way to reduce environmental impact is to recycle banner stand hardware at designated e-waste neighborhood facilities.