Arizona Statewide Rule

Arizona Plastic Resin-Code Labeling Law (A.R.S. 49-835)

Light RestrictionsApplies statewide across Arizona (2026)

Key Facts

Statute: A.R.S. § 49-835
Enforcing agency: AZ Dept. of Environmental Quality
In effect since: July 1, 1991
Applies to: Plastic containers 8 oz to 5 gallons
Required mark: Resin code in chasing arrows

Last verified: July 31, 2026

Summary

Arizona forbids selling plastic bottles and rigid containers unless they carry a molded resin identification code, the familiar number inside the chasing-arrows triangle. A.R.S. § 49-835 has mandated this labeling statewide since July 1, 1991.

A. The department shall develop and administer a program to encourage the recycling and proper disposal of plastics. B. By July 1, 1991, a person shall not distribute, sell or expose for sale in this state a plastic bottle of sixteen ounces or more up to five gallons and a rigid plastic container of eight ounces or more up to five gallons unless the product has a molded or imprinted label indicating the plastic resin used to produce the plastic container product.

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Full Breakdown

Under A.R.S. § 49-835, any plastic bottle from 16 ounces up to five gallons and any rigid plastic container from 8 ounces up to five gallons sold in Arizona must bear a molded or imprinted resin code: a number 1 through 7 inside three clockwise triangulated arrows, with the identifying letters (PETE, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS, OTHER) printed below the triangle. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality runs the state recycling program and monitors compliance under A.R.S. § 49-832. Arizona has no statewide mandatory household-recycling law; cities offer curbside collection under A.R.S. § 9-500.07.

Violations & Penalties

Distributing, selling, or exposing for sale unlabeled plastic containers violates the article ADEQ enforces under A.R.S. § 49-832. The department monitors manufacturers and sellers and can pursue enforcement against containers lacking the required resin identification code.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Arizona require households to recycle?

No. State law sets no mandatory household recycling. A.R.S. § 9-500.07 lets cities offer curbside programs, but the services and participation are set locally, not by statewide mandate.

What exactly does A.R.S. § 49-835 require?

Plastic bottles from 16 ounces to five gallons and rigid plastic containers from 8 ounces to five gallons must carry a molded resin identification code before they can be sold in Arizona.

Sources

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