49-835. Recycling of plastics; labels

A. The department shall develop and administer a program to encourage the recycling and proper disposal of plastics.

B. By July 1, 1991, a person shall not distribute, sell or expose for sale in this state a plastic bottle of sixteen ounces or more up to five gallons and a rigid plastic container of eight ounces or more up to five gallons unless the product has a molded or imprinted label indicating the plastic resin used to produce the plastic container product. The label must appear on the bottom of the plastic container product and must be clearly visible. This label shall consist of a number placed within three triangulated arrows and letters placed below the triangle of arrows. The triangle shall be equilateral, formed by three arrows with the apex of each point of the triangle at the midpoint of each arrow, rounded with a short radius. The pointer of each arrow shall be at the midpoint of each side of the triangle with a short gap separating the pointer from the base of the adjacent arrow. The triangle formed by the three arrows curved at their midpoints shall depict a clockwise path around the code number. The number and letters shall be as follows:

1. For polyethylene terephthalate, the letters "PETE" and the number "1".

2. For high density polyethylene, the letters "HDPE" and the number "2".

3. For vinyl, the letter "V" and the number "3".

4. For low density polyethylene, the letters "LDPE" and the number "4".

5. For polypropylene, the letters "PP" and the number "5".

6. For polystyrene, the letters "PS" and the number "6".

7. For any other, the word "OTHER" and the number "7".