Using the recycling symbol (mobius loop)

The recycling symbol or 'mobius loop' consists of three twisted chasing arrows in a triangle. No one 'owns' the mobius loop, however there are guidelines regarding its use.

General use of the mobius loop

If your organisation is not making an environmental claim about a product or packaging, then there are no restrictions on using the mobius loop. No one 'owns' the mobius loop and there are no copyright restrictions.

Some organisations have used the mobius loop to create signs for recycling bins or posters to encourage recycling. Sustainability Victoria has official signage for recycling bins available for download: 

• Away from Home Waste Signage
• Signs For Transfer Stations and Landfills

Using the mobius loop to make an environmental claim about a product or packaging

Manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers often use the mobius loop, as well as other statements, symbols or graphics, on their products or packaging to make an environmental claim about them. For example, to indicate that a plastic bottle contains a certain percentage of recycled content.

When, how and what kind of terminology can be used in environmental claims is outlined by the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS ISO 14021:2000 (ISO 14021). To obtain this Standard, visit the Standards Australia website.

Under ISO 14021, the mobius loop can only be used in relation to products or packaging with 'recyclable' or 'recycled' content. 

The term 'recyclable' can be used when there is evidence that:

1. The collection, sorting and delivery systems to transfer the materials from the source to the recycling facility are conveniently available to a reasonable proportion of the purchasers, potential purchasers and users of the product.
2. The recycling facilities are available to accommodate the collected materials.
3. The product for which the claim is made is being collected and recycled.

When the term 'recycled content' is used, the percentage of recycled material must be stated. According to the standard, recycling both pre-consumer and post-consumer waste materials is considered as recycled content. Pre-consumer waste material means material diverted from the waste stream during a manufacturing process.  Post-consumer waste material is material generated by households or by commercial and industrial facilities. 

Misleading environmental labelling

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has identified the potential for environmental labelling to mislead consumers. For example, consumers are likely to understand the term 'recyclable' or recycling symbols on products to mean that there is real likelihood that the product will find its way into a recycling facility. If such facilities do not exist at all, or there are few facilities, or they exist only as pilot plants, then the use of the term or symbols may be misleading.

The ACC has developed a brochure, 'News for business: Self-declared environmental marketing claims', which outlines the use of environmental labelling and can be accessed from the Publications section on the ACCC website.

For more information about whether your organisation can use the mobius loop on its products or packaging, consult the appropriate Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS ISO 14021:2000 (ISO 14021). These standards are available from Standards Australia.

Mobius loop and the plastics coding system

The mobius loop is different to the Plastics Coding System. The Plastics Coding System is used to indicate the most common material used in the manufacture of the product or packaging. Their purpose is to assist recyclers with sorting the collected materials but they do not necessarily mean that the product/packaging can be recycled in Australia either through domestic kerbside collection or industrial collections.  Residents are advised to contact their local council for information on what kinds of plastics are collected through kerbside in their local area.

Read more about the plastics coding system.

Top | Last updated 11/07/2008