More than often we find ourselves confused with foreign packaging while sorting out our recycling - not understanding what they mean, or how to recycle them properly.

So, here is a simple guide we hope will come in handy when you are done with your Korean skincare product, or your favourite Japanese snack.

Japanese Terms

Plastic: プラ

Often printed on Japanese products to indicate plastic recycling. This symbol may have the type of plastic (PET, LDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, OTHER) written directly underneath. If you see the plastic symbol but no indication of type, these items need to be placed into the “other” or number 7 plastic category at your local recycling facility in Hong Kong.

Some plastic products from Japan do not specify what type of plastic they are made of, but are still able to be recycled in Japan. For some products, there might be information on the plastic type of each component!

Use these terms to sort your recycling:

• Bag: 袋
• Body / Container: 本体 / 容器
• Bottle: ボトル / 瓶
• Cap: キャップ / 蓋
• Label / Wrapper:ラベル
• Outer packaging: 外装
• Pump: ポンプ (keep in mind that pumps tend to be mixed materials, unless you can take them apart, pumps are not recyclable)
• Tube: チューブ 
• Paper: 紙                                       

Korean Terms

Plastic: 플라스틱

Vinyl: 비닐류 (ie. bag and wrapper type plastic , this does not indicate PVC)

Often printed on Korean products to indicate plastic recycling. In Korea, plastic and vinyl have to be separated in order to be recycled, this does not apply to Hong Kong. Both symbols may have the type of plastic (PET, LDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, OTHER) written directly underneath, or within the recycling triangle. If you see the plastic symbol but no indication of type, these items need to be placed into the “other” or number 7 plastic category at your local recycling facility in Hong Kong.

Korean products may sometimes specify the type of plastic within the recycling triangle, this is referring to the plastic of the main container. For some products, there might be information on the plastic type of each component!

Use these terms to sort your recycling:

• Cap: 캡 / 뚜껑
• Label / Wrapper: 라벨
• Pump / Spray nozzle: 펌프 / 노즐 (keep in mind that pumps and spray components tend to be mixed materials, unless you can take them apart, pumps are not recyclable)
• Tray: 트레이
• PET (#1): 퍼트