Video: Investigators: Some recyclers getting greenwashed

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WOODINVILLE, Wash. – Many people search for the recycling symbol when they're trying to determine what products to buy.

While they may think they're making good environmental choices, in some cases they're getting greenwashed.

Many plastic products share an international symbol, the triangle of arrows.

"I think that most people see this and say, this is recyclable," said Rita Smith, of Waste Management.

But not all plastic packaging and products with the symbol are recyclable. KING 5 had recycling experts examine all kinds of products and in just about every case, if it wasn't a bottle, jug or dairy tub, we couldn't recycle it.

But what about the symbol?

"It's called the recycle symbol but technically it is called the resin identification code," said Robert Krebs, of the American Chemistry Council. "It was developed in the 1980s by the Society for Plastics Industries."

Actually that's not right. This symbol was created by a college student 10 years before that who won a contest put on by the paper industry. The plastics people just adopted it and have been putting on just about everything they make ever since.

KING

This well-known recycling symbol was created by a college student who won a contest put on by the paper industry.

Most people believe that symbol means one thing – it's recyclable. And many feel good about buying a product they think they can recycle.

"But the public cannot recycle it," said Tom Watson, of King County Recycling Services. "And to have that on an item that the public buys at the electronics store or the toy store is deceptive."

"Nobody's trying to deceive anybody," Krebs said. "First of all these are international products. So they're going all over the world, and there are places where that particular symbol is recycled."

Waste Management's recycling line is one of many owned by the nation's largest municipal recycling company.

When it comes to just about everything but plastic bottles, jugs, and dairy tubs, nobody there wants it.

"So it's a frustrating job for me to say, that really doesn't mean you can recycle it," Smith said.