Types of plastic

The following table illustrates the most common types of plastics used, their applications and the symbol which is often used to identify them on forms of plastic packaging.

 

(plse click the image for a larger view)

 

According to The Green Guide, a website and magazine devoted to greener living and owned by the National Geographic Society, the safest plastics for repeated use in storing food are made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE, or plastic #2), low-density polyethylene (LDPE, or plastic #4) and polypropylene (PP, or plastic #5). Most Tupperware products are made of LDPE or PP, and as such are considered safe for repeated use storing food items and cycling through the dishwasher.