How the 3-arrows ‘recycling’ symbol turned into a tool for greenwashing
That small triangle of arrows stamped on nearly every plastic container feels so familiar it’s easy to forget it hasn’t always been there. In fact, it only dates back to 1988, when the plastics industry introduced the resin identification code as a tool for recyclers—not consumers. Yet paired with the recycling symbol, it gave people the impression that nearly all plastics were recyclable, when most weren’t. The story behind the code is one of industry self-preservation, clever marketing, and a symbol whose meaning still confuses us today. If you’re curious about how we were all fooled, you’ll learn more from this article by Saabira Chaudhuri from Fast Company
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