Resin reference · Resin code 7
LAIN Other engineering resins
ABS, PC, nylon — Electronics housings, PC gallons, nylon spools, acrylic.
- Resin code
- 7
- Density (g/cm³)
- 1,04 – 1,20
- Water test
- Sinks in water
- Accepted form
- Loose
What is LAIN
Code 7 is not one plastic but a catch-all for everything outside codes 1 to 6. What lands in it is often the highest-value material per kilogram: ABS from electronics housings, polycarbonate from water gallons, nylon from spools and machine parts. Because one code holds many materials, sorting is done by type rather than by code — ABS and PC mixed together are worth far less than either apart.
How to identify it without equipment
- ABS is opaque and rigid, and breaks with a rough, sugary fracture.
- Polycarbonate is clear with a blue cast and very hard to shatter.
- Nylon feels slick and slightly oily, and absorbs water so it gains weight in damp air.
Everyday items that carry it
- TV, monitor and power-tool housings (ABS)
- 19-litre refillable water gallons (PC)
- Yarn spools and machine gears (nylon)
- Acrylic signage sheet
What it becomes after recycling
Cleanly sorted engineering resin goes back into injection moulding for non-critical parts: casings, housings and unseen internals.
What gets a load of it turned away
- Housings with circuit boards, batteries or screens still fitted.
- ABS, PC and nylon thrown into one sack unsorted.
- Parts with chrome plating or heavy metallic paint.
Holding material of this type?
This page covers how to identify and handle the resin. For questions about volume, form, or visiting the yard, get in touch directly.