Frequently Asked Questions

Recycling Question

• What is the 'greenest' sign available?

Recycling Questions

• What is the significance of the color purple for the Recycled Water warning signs? Are there color codes for “grey water” or “de-sal” water?

• Do all recycling signs and labels need to be green?

• For some of our bins, the old labels do not seem to stick well. What can be done?

• I some stickers for our middle school spring recycling project? Can you donate some recycling labels to us?

• What are the Recycling numbers mean on the bottom of the plastic bottles?

• What colors of recycled bins should we use for aluminum? Or, white paper? Or, plastic bottles?

What is the 'greenest' sign available?

Our GoGreen signs are some of the most environmentally friendly signs on the market. They are made from modified polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, which means they look, feel, and hold-up like durable plastic, but they are also 100% biodegradable when discarded in compost piles an landfills. We also offer signs in 100% recyclable aluminum. Recycled aluminum save 95% of the energy that is used to make aluminum from raw materials. Although aluminum is non-renewable and non-biodegradable, it can be recycled and reused indefinitely.

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What is the significance of the color purple for the Recycled Water warning signs? Are there color codes for “grey water” or “de-sal” water?

A number of California agencies have now standardized on purple for their recycled water signs. Given the large investment in new recycled water infrastructure in California, the California standards have now come to dominate other states as well. Purple Recycled Water signs are used by many other states. We have not seen color codes emerging, yet, for signs used to warn against certain uses of greywater and, certainly, not for desalination systems.

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Do all recycling signs and labels need to be green?

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For some of our bins, the old labels do not seem to stick well. What can be done?

Yes, some bins provide a difficult application surface for labels. They are often made of polyethylene, which can be a tough and rather slick surface. We have had best luck when we ”rough” up the surface slightly. Also, make sure that the application surface is clean. Use a cleaning solution and a Scotchbrite pad. Remove oils. Rough up the surface slightly. You will be amazed at how much difference a simple cleaning will make.

If you are still having troubles, give us a call. We have some very aggressive adhesives that are great for many “hard-to-stick-to” surfaces.

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I some stickers for our middle school spring recycling project? Can you donate some recycling labels to us?

I’d love to help. Generally, we take each project on an case-to-case basis and give you a discounted price that just covers our out-of-pocket costs. Please give me a call with the details of your spring project. Getting our kids involved with recycling and educating them on the importance of renewable resources is a special interest of mine.

Another affordable way to make recycle signs and labels is to use our free design service. Just design your own stickers and print them on your laser or ink jet printer. These can be used with one of the standard Avery label sheets. You can buy these packs of blank labels at most office supply stores.

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What are the Recycling numbers mean on the bottom of the plastic bottles?

These numbers indicate the type of plastic that is used for that product. Instituted by the American Society of Plastics, this “Resin Recycling Code” helps recyclers quickly identify the proper recycling stream. PET, for example, is “1”; Vinyl is “3”, etc. For more information see our Guide to Recycling Symbol.

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What colors of recycled bins should we use for aluminum? Or, white paper? Or, plastic bottles?

No standard has yet to emerge. Generally, we see red or blue as being most common for metal; green is used for yard waste and, sometimes, food. Blue is often used for glass and blue or yellow are common for paper. And, black is used, often, for non-recyclable trash.

As you can see, colors are not consistently applied! Coding seems to vary enormously by community and depends, often, on the initial purchase of the bins.

In any case, we have found that color-coordinating your bins is a great idea. Make it easy distinguish each type and, importantly, increase participation rates!

If you have a unique color scheme in mind and cannot find a recycle label or sign that aligns with your scheme, it is easy to customize any of our designs.

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