Plastic recycling symbols only tell you what type of plastic an item is made from — not that the item is recyclable. Plastics 1, 2, and 5 are typically recyclable, while 3, 4, 6, and 7 can ...

We all want to be more sustainable and eco-friendly, but today, there’s so much pressure to be a purist that it can be intimidating—not to mention costly or geographically unattainable.

The agency wants to stop using the “chasing arrows” logo on plastics that can’t be recycled. The man who designed it more than 50 years ago agrees that the symbol has been misused.

The recycling symbol—those three arrows stamped on myriad plastic items—doesn’t mean what most people think it does, and a California bill wants to change that. The California Legislature ...