Transformers plastic packaging now has Plastic Recycling Codes

[griffin]

In their efforts to become greener, Hasbro have now started stamping their plastic bubbles, inserts and even box windows, with the recycling triangle logo.
This means that you can now put them in recycling bins, and the people sorting the rubbish will no longer throw them out (they can only recycle plastics with the logo, because it has a specific number in the triangle).
EDIT - Reading up on Plastic Recycling, the plastic code actually makes it easier for the sorters to recycle the plastics, as all unidentified plastics get recycled together (and is apparently sent overseas). This will mean more plastic can be recycled properly and locally now that they can be identified by the sorters.
Most towns and cities now take all hard plastics, but obviously it helps them out if they are now numbered by Hasbro.

Please still check the plastic bits though before you throw them in with your recyclables, as some small bits may not have the logo... and be sure you take out all the string and bandings that were attached to the toys.
(and separate the plastic windows from the cardboard boxes)

I had a look over some toys from the last couple years, and it looks like it has indeed just started in the last year with Beast Hunters, Generations and BotShots.

It's good news for those of us who have quite a bit of plastic rubbish from their toys and wasn't sure about throwing them in the Recycling bin.
(check your local government websites for specific recycling details though)

[Hursticon]

Whoa! - Wait!, so only Plastics baring one of these:



(See here for further information & clarification)


...Are able to be recycled!?! - Man, if it's plastic I've just been whacking it in the Recycling Bin (regardless) since... well, forever!

[griffin]

Recycling bins usually start out with a label on the lid that says what can be recycled, but local councils should have details on their websites (as it is their jurisdiction).
On the Brisbane city site, their recycling guide mentions the plastic codes (page 7), but does say that they take any rigid plastic now (when it first started years ago, it was only plastics with the triangle symbol... and didn't use to take pizza boxes either, so Brisbane City must be expanding their Recycling range).
So google your local council's website, and see if your town/city takes all plastics, or just ones with the triangle.


Just did some more reading, and this document by Cleanup Australia says that most councils are expanding their plastic recycling, but some may still only take some plastic codes, which is probably why Recycling bins used to ask that only plastic with the Triangle was acceptable, so that the sorters could at least find those types of plastic, and apparently export the rest for recycling.
So I guess if you still live in a town/city council that can only recycle certain plastics, find out, and help them out with just those plastics.


It is also worth noting that there is an element of confusion here as well - the actual Recycling symbol is a different triangle to plastic triangle (at the bottom of this page)... and some plastic products will have both triangles stamped on them (one for you to know it is Recyclable, and one for the Recycling station to know what sort of plastic it is).
In other words, this news topic should actually be changed to note the addition of the Plastic coding stamps on the packaging, NOT that the packaging is now recyclable - as it seems that most local councils here have been recycling all hard plastics now (any plastic that can't be scrunched into a ball).

[GoktimusPrime]

Another ace move from Hasbro!

[Hursticon]

So google your local council's website, and see if your town/city takes all plastics, or just ones with the triangle.

Well I've done just that for the Wollongong Council and from the looks of this link (PDF Document), they recycle all plastics labelled with triangle's 1-6 - However; in the fine print it states that due to Human Resource & Economical factors, they can ONLY recycle plastic objects labelled with triangles 1-6.

So even though our council has a leading (Within the Southern Hemisphere) recycling facility, apparently they don't do all plastics - There would be an extremely large amount of people who wouldn't necessarily know this I bet you.

Point is though, it is an excellent further initiative that Hasbro Corporate is taking with their packaging - I'll feel less guilty though once this is in full effect.

[5FDP]

People are still recycling I though that this was just a fad from the early nineties... you know, like the hole in the ozone layer, terrorism, and Julia Gillard.