Eco & Environmental Symbols

This page catalogs 53 environmental symbols, covering globally recognized recycling marks, plastic material identification codes, green product certifications, and renewable energy icons. Environmental symbols serve as an essential visual language for promoting sustainability, guiding waste sorting practices, and identifying eco-friendly products. Each symbol carries specific environmental information and behavioral guidance. Below is a detailed breakdown of each symbol's technical parameters and common use cases, organized by category.

♻️ Universal Recycling Symbols

♳ (PET 1) is called the PET resin identification code. It is commonly used for beverage bottles and food containers in recycling programs. Its Unicode is U+2673, with the HTML entity ♳. In LaTeX, you can use the \textpet command or input the character directly. ♴ (HDPE 2) is called the high-density polyethylene symbol. It is often found on milk jugs and detergent bottles. Its Unicode is U+2674, with HTML entity ♴. ♵ (PVC 3) is called the polyvinyl chloride symbol. It commonly appears on pipes and packaging materials. Its Unicode is U+2675, with HTML entity ♵. Note that incinerating PVC can release harmful substances. ♶ (LDPE 4) is called the low-density polyethylene symbol. It is typically used for plastic bags and cling wrap. Its Unicode is U+2676, with HTML entity ♶. ♷ (PP 5) is called the polypropylene symbol. It is often found on microwave-safe containers and bottle caps. Its Unicode is U+2677, with HTML entity ♷. PP has good heat resistance. ♸ (PS 6) is called the polystyrene symbol. It is commonly used for disposable foam containers. Its Unicode is U+2678, with HTML entity ♸. It has poor heat tolerance and should not be heated. ♹ (OTHER 7) is called the other plastics symbol. It is found on water cooler bottles and various mixed-material containers. Its Unicode is U+2679, with HTML entity ♹. This category often includes polycarbonate blends. ♺ (Recycled Paper) is called the recycled paper symbol, indicating the product contains recovered fibers. Its Unicode is U+267A, with HTML entity ♺. LaTeX users can try the \textrecycled command. ♻ (Universal Recycling) is called the universal recycling symbol, the classic Möbius loop design. Its Unicode is U+267B, HTML entity ♻, and LaTeX command is \recycle. ♼ (Recycled Content) is called the recycled content symbol, indicating the product contains post-consumer fiber. Its Unicode is U+267C, with HTML entity ♼. ♽ (Partial Recycled) is called the partial recycled paper symbol, meaning a percentage is made from recycled stock. Its Unicode is U+267D, with HTML entity ♽. ♾ (Permanent Paper) is called the permanent paper symbol, signifying the paper meets long-term archival standards. Its Unicode is U+267E, with HTML entity ♾. ♿ (Recyclable Aluminum) is called the recyclable aluminum symbol, used for aluminum containers. Its Unicode is U+267F, with HTML entity ♿. These symbols are widely used in global recycling systems. Note that some older fonts may not fully support Unicode 6.0+ characters.

📦 Plastic Resin Codes

1 PET is called the PET plastic code, the most common material for beverage bottles. Its Unicode corresponds to the digit symbol U+0031 when combined with a triangle. 2 HDPE is called the high-density polyethylene code, used for thicker plastic containers. Its Unicode is U+0032 as a combined identifier. 3 PVC is called the polyvinyl chloride code, often found in construction materials and medical supplies. Its Unicode is U+0033. Note its plasticizers can pose environmental risks. 4 LDPE is called the low-density polyethylene code, the primary material for plastic bags. Its Unicode is U+0034. 5 PP is called the polypropylene code, offering the best heat resistance, often used for microwave containers. Its Unicode is U+0035. 6 PS is called the polystyrene code, used for disposable cutlery and packaging. Its Unicode is U+0036. 7 Other is called the other plastics code, a catch-all category covering various mixed resins. Its Unicode is U+0037. These numeric codes are typically enclosed within the recycling triangle ♻️ to form a complete plastic identification system, playing a critical role on sorting lines.

🌿 Green Certifications & Green Dot

🌱 (Seedling) is called the seedling symbol, commonly used to indicate plant-based or compostable products. Its Unicode is U+1F331, with HTML entity 🌱. 🌍 (Globe) is called the globe symbol, used for ecological themes. Its Unicode is U+1F30D, with HTML entity 🌍. LaTeX requires image packages for this. ☘ (Shamrock) is called the shamrock symbol, often used as a natural eco badge. Its Unicode is U+2618, HTML entity ☘, and LaTeX command is \textshamrock. 🍃 (Leaf) is called the leaf symbol, representing natural and green products. Its Unicode is U+1F343, with HTML entity 🍃. ♲ (Green Dot) is called the Green Dot symbol, a widely used European packaging recovery funding mark. Its Unicode is U+2672, with HTML entity ♲. ♳-♹ Series is also considered part of eco-certification, helping consumers identify material types at a glance. Möbius Loop Percentages like ♹ with percentage variants indicate recycled content ratios. They have no single Unicode but can be formed by combining digits with the loop. These certification marks hold significant weight in packaging regulations across the EU, North America, and Asia. Be mindful of regional regulatory differences when applying them.

⚡ Energy & Sustainability Symbols

☀ (Sun) is called the sun symbol, representing solar power and renewable energy. Its Unicode is U+2600, HTML entity ☀, and LaTeX command is \sun. 💨 (Wind) is called the wind symbol, often representing wind energy. Its Unicode is U+1F4A8, with HTML entity 💨. 💧 (Droplet) is called the water droplet symbol, indicating water conservation and saving. Its Unicode is U+1F4A7, with HTML entity 💧. ⚡ (Lightning) is called the lightning symbol, representing electric power and energy efficiency. Its Unicode is U+26A1, HTML entity ⚡, and LaTeX command is \lightning. 🔋 (Battery) is called the battery symbol, commonly used for battery recycling and energy storage. Its Unicode is U+1F50B, with HTML entity 🔋. 🔥 (Flame) is called the flame symbol, representing biomass energy or waste-to-energy incineration. Its Unicode is U+1F525, with HTML entity 🔥. ♨ (Hot Springs) is called the hot springs symbol, representing geothermal energy. Its Unicode is U+2668, with HTML entity ♨. ⚛ (Atom) is called the atom symbol, used for nuclear energy identification. Its Unicode is U+269B, with HTML entity ⚛. It carries specific connotations in energy discussions. 🌊 (Wave) is called the water wave symbol, representing ocean or tidal energy. Its Unicode is U+1F30A, with HTML entity 🌊. These energy symbols appear frequently in sustainability reports and environmental campaigns. It is recommended to pair them with textual descriptions for clarity.

🚮 Waste Disposal & Sorting Symbols

🚮 (Trash Bin) is called the trash bin symbol, indicating a waste disposal point. Its Unicode is U+1F6AE, with HTML entity 🚮. It is widely used in public signage systems. 🗑 (Wastebasket) is called the wastebasket symbol, often used for delete/trash functions in electronic interfaces. Its Unicode is U+1F5D1, with HTML entity 🗑. 🚯 (No Littering) is called the no littering symbol, a common environmental reminder sign. Its Unicode is U+1F6AF, with HTML entity 🚯. ♲ (Recycling Processing) also appears in waste processing flowcharts, sharing the same Unicode U+2672 with the Green Dot. ♻ (Recycling Bin) The universal recycling symbol ♻ is often rendered in different colors to represent sorted bins—blue for paper, yellow for plastic. Sorting Triangles In material recovery facilities, the number inside the triangle dictates the sorting destination, serving as a critical recognition point for automated systems. EU Waste Symbols typically combine a crossed-out bin with material text. While lacking a single Unicode, they can be represented with ♻ plus text. These symbols play a crucial role in global urban sanitation and resource recovery systems. Proper recognition helps improve recycling efficiency.

🌐 Supplementary International Eco Symbols

🏭 (Factory) is called the factory emission symbol, often used to denote industrial emission reduction and cleaner production. Its Unicode is U+1F3ED, with HTML entity 🏭. 🌳 (Deciduous Tree) is called the deciduous tree symbol, representing afforestation and carbon sinks. Its Unicode is U+1F333, with HTML entity 🌳. 🐟 (Fish) is called the fish symbol, used for sustainable fisheries and marine protection. Its Unicode is U+1F41F, with HTML entity 🐟. 🦋 (Butterfly) is called the butterfly symbol, representing biodiversity conservation. Its Unicode is U+1F98B, with HTML entity 🦋. 🌾 (Rice Ear) is called the rice ear symbol, representing sustainable agriculture and organic farming. Its Unicode is U+1F33E, with HTML entity 🌾. 🍂 (Fallen Leaf) is called the fallen leaf symbol, representing composting and natural biodegradation. Its Unicode is U+1F342, with HTML entity 🍂. ISO 14001 is an environmental management system certification, usually represented by text and a globe symbol combined, without a standalone Unicode character. These supplementary symbols serve as accents and reinforcements in ecological reports and sustainable product labels. Be aware that unsupported fonts may render them as tofu (□); using vector icon libraries is recommended as a fallback.

💡 Usage Tips

To copy a symbol's Unicode, HTML entity, or generate an SVG vector graphic, simply click the corresponding symbol card above. In the detail panel that appears, click any item to copy it instantly. For composite symbols like plastic resin codes, using the full Unicode sequence is recommended to ensure consistent display across different systems. When writing environmental reports or designing product labels, it is advisable to test font support on major operating systems and browsers. If a symbol fails to render, using the SVG format as a graphic replacement will maintain visual integrity.