HTML Entity for Recycling Symbol Type 4 Plastics (♶)

Beginner

6 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+2676

HTML Entity for recycling symbol for type 4 plastics (♶) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Type 4 Plastics Recycling Symbol Entity?

Recycling symbol for type-4 plastics (♶) is the Miscellaneous Symbols character at Unicode U+2676 (RECYCLING SYMBOL FOR TYPE-4 PLASTICS). It marks resin identification code 4 — LDPE (low-density polyethylene). There is no named HTML entity; use hex, decimal, UTF-8, or CSS.

Remember

Character     ♶
Unicode       U+2676
Named entity  none
Hex entity    &#x2676;
Decimal       &#9846;
CSS escape    \2676

All numeric and UTF-8 forms produce the same glyph: ♶. Prefer ♶ for portable markup; paste ♶ in UTF-8 when convenient. Do not confuse it with the universal recycling symbol (U+267B).

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	none	Not defined in HTML5
Hex entity	`♶`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`♶`	HTML markup
Direct character	`♶`	HTML text (UTF-8 default)
CSS escape	`\2676`	Stylesheet `content`

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Portable HTML without pasting Unicode	`♶` or `♶`
UTF-8 packaging / recycling guides	Type or paste `♶`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\2676"`
Universal recycling (Mobius loop)	`♻` (`U+267B`)
Other resin codes (1–3, 5–7)	`U+2673`–`U+2675`, `U+2677`–`U+2679`
Accessible plastic labels	Glyph + clear wording (e.g. “LDPE — resin code 4”)

See it

Live Preview

Type-4 plastics recycling symbol rendered in common eco contexts.

Glyph ♶

Large glyph ♶

In a label ♶ LDPE (resin code 4)

With entities Hex: ♶ | Decimal: ♶ | Named: none

Related ♻ (universal) · ♵ (type 3) · ♷ (type 5)

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows the type-4 plastics symbol with hex, decimal, direct, and CSS forms. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Hex + Decimal + Direct + CSS

Four ways to produce ♶ in a single document (no named entity).

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Type 4 Plastics (♶) in HTML</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\2676";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x2676;</p>
  <p>Using Decimal: &#9846;</p>
  <p>Using Direct Character: ♶</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>&#x2676; LDPE (resin code 4)</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Hex: U+2676 → ♶ in HTML. Best portable choice (no named entity).

2. Decimal: same code point as 9846 → ♶. Same glyph.

3. Direct: paste ♶ in a UTF-8 file with <meta charset="UTF-8">.

4. CSS: use \2676 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ♶ after the paragraph text.

5. Named: HTML5 has none — do not invent a name like &ldpe; for this symbol.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with this recycling entity.

No name

Do not invent a named entity

There is no &…; name for U+2676. Use ♶ or ♶.

Not ♻

Not the universal recycling symbol

♻ (U+267B) is the general Mobius-loop mark. ♶ is specifically resin code 4 (LDPE).

Code

Do not swap resin codes

Types 1–7 are different Unicode characters. Using the wrong code mislabels packaging.

A11y

Pair glyph with text

Screen readers may announce ♶ inconsistently. Keep clear wording nearby (e.g. “LDPE — resin code 4”).

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\2676 belongs in CSS. ♶ / ♶ belong in HTML.

UTF-8

Declare charset

If you paste ♶ directly, serve the page as UTF-8 with <meta charset="UTF-8">.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Type-4 plastics recycling symbol (U+2676) and its entity forms (♶, ♶, CSS \\2676) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Glyph availability depends on the font.

✓ Universal support

Type 4 Plastics (♶)

Prefer ♶, or encode with decimal or CSS escape — same glyph everywhere (when the font has it).

100% Browser coverage

Google Chrome Supported

Yes

Microsoft Edge Supported

Yes

Mozilla Firefox Supported

Yes

Apple Safari Supported

Yes

Opera Supported

Yes

Internet Explorer All versions

Yes

U+2676 / entities Full support

Bottom line: There is no named entity. Prefer ♶ or ♶ in HTML, and \\2676 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: type-4 plastics symbol is U+2676 (decimal 9846), Miscellaneous Symbols.
HTML: no named entity — use ♶ or ♶.
CSS: use \2676 inside content for generated text.
Meaning: LDPE resin code 4 — not ♻ or other resin codes.

One line: U+2676 → ♶ / ♶ / CSS \2676 (no named entity).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display the Type 4 Plastics recycling symbol (♶) in HTML?

Use ♶ (hex), ♶ (decimal), type ♶ in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \2676 in content. There is no named HTML entity for U+2676.

What is the Unicode value for Type 4 Plastics recycling?

U+2676 (RECYCLING SYMBOL FOR TYPE-4 PLASTICS). Hex 2676, decimal 9846. It belongs to Miscellaneous Symbols. Resin code 4 = LDPE.

Is there a named HTML entity for ♶?

No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for this character. Prefer ♶ or ♶, or paste ♶ in a UTF-8 document.

When should I use this HTML entity?

Use it for LDPE packaging labels, recycling guides, and sustainability content about resin identification code 4. Prefer ♶ for portable markup. Pair the glyph with clear text for accessibility.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for ♶?

HTML numeric entities (♶ or ♶) go in markup. The CSS escape \2676 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ♶.

How is ♶ different from ♻ or other resin codes?

♶ (U+2676) is type-4 plastics (LDPE). ♻ (U+267B) is the universal recycling symbol. Type 3 is U+2675 (PVC); type 5 is U+2677 (PP). Do not swap resin codes.

Did you know?

Type-4 plastics recycling symbol (♶) is Unicode U+2676 (decimal 9846) — RECYCLING SYMBOL FOR TYPE-4 PLASTICS in Miscellaneous Symbols. There is no named HTML entity; use ♶, ♶, UTF-8 ♶, or CSS \2676. Resin identification code 4 is LDPE (low-density polyethylene). It is not the universal recycling symbol (♻, U+267B).

Next: Recycling Symbol Type 5 Plastics

Learn the HTML entity for the type-5 plastics recycling symbol — the next character in this entity sequence.

Type 5 Plastics tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P 🔗

Developer, cloud engineer, and technical writer

Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
Focus Full Stack Development, AWS, and Developer Education

I write practical tutorials so students and working developers can learn by doing—from databases and APIs to deployment on AWS.

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