Plastics
How to Recycle Your Plastic
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How to Recycle
Clean out these items. It is important they are mostly clean and dry when sent to recycling centers. For plastic containers or beverage containers, make sure they are empty. If they have residue, then give them a rinse and let them dry out.
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Other than that, the only other basic rule to follow is to NOT bag them in plastic bags or any type of bag. Curbside plastic recycling bins can accept any type of plastics from the list above, but they should not be bagged. The plastic bags can become entangled in the machinery at the recycling centers and cause a lot of delays and potential damage.
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The different types of plastic.
Plastic #1 or PET/PETE is the most recycled type of plastic. It is not suggested for reuse and is used in water bottles, beverage containers, and salad dressing bottles. This is the type most people are familiar with and take into collection points for payment.
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Plastic #2 or HDPE is a little thicker and used for things like milk jugs and shampoo bottles. This type of plastic is also highly recyclable, and almost always accepted curbside.
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Plastic #3 or PVC is flexible and is used for plastic film on foods or mouthwash bottles. It is not usually accepted at recycling locations. It also can leach into foods and shouldn’t be heated or reused.
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Plastic #4 or LDPE is thin and flexible, it is the type of plastic used in shopping bags and bread bags. It is also not commonly accepted, but many places collect the bags, and some recyclers have found uses for them.
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Plastic #5 or PP is used in products like ketchup bottles and plastic straws and medicine bottles, among other products. It is recyclable and can be made into various items.
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Plastic #6 or PS is basically styrofoam, which is a product name. The technical name is: polystyrene. It should be avoided and is not recyclable. It is used in to-go food containers and in packaging. It ends up in landfills and is harmful to our environment. Alternatives are available for it’s purposes.
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Plastic #7 or BPA, polycarbonate is the type of plastic used in 5-gallon water jugs and sometimes in food containers. It is a category for all that don’t fit within the others. It is safe to assume these products are not recyclable. They don’t break down like paper does and will sit in a landfill for a very, very long time. There may be some exceptions that can be recycled, but definitely not in a curbside program.
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In general, Plastic #1 and #2 can be tossed into your curbside recycling bin. Plastic #3 and #4 require specialized handling, so they cannot be tossed into a regular recycling bin.
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How it is recycled?
The process of plastic recycling involves collecting, sorting, cleaning, and then shredding the plastic into small pieces.
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The first step in the recycling process is collection, of course. There are numerous ways recyclers end up with recyclable materials at their facilities, from a city-wide program to private drop-off, and commercial contracts. Recycling facilities often contract with medium to large companies to properly dispose of their recyclables and waste. In many states, there are strict requirements for companies to minimize landfill waste. Some of the plastic comes from regular customers or community events.
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After collection, the plastic is sorted by machines at the facility. They are often sorted by type, thickness, and sometimes even color. The sorted plastics are then cleaned and washed. It is still important to clean your plastic item at home before sending it to the center. In this stage, labels, adhesives and other impurities are removed.
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The final step is shredding. The plastic is fed through shredders, and some of it is ready to be used at this stage. Small pieces of shredded plastic can be used as additives to things such as asphalt. The rest of the shredded plastic is then melted and formed into pellets so more impurities can now be removed. For example, metals mixed in which couldn’t be washed away earlier can be found using magnets. Now pure plastic pellets can be used to create new plastic products.
Where is it recycled?
One major benefit of recycling plastic is, of course, reducing the trash in our landfills. This is particularly important when it comes to plastic waste since the chemicals in plastics often leach into the groundwater and can negatively affect the surrounding ecosystem. We produce so much waste and if we can minimize that waste, we should.
Waste reduction is just one way plastic recycling is beneficial to the environment, which benefits all of us. Recycling plastics reduces the need to produce more plastic, which in turn reduces pollution. Plastic production requires significant use of oil and burning the oil increases greenhouse gases. In turn, this reduces the demand for fossil fuels and other natural resources such as water, natural gas, and coal.