We’re all aware of the bad reputation that plastic has, so we’ve already looked at and discussed if plastic packaging is really that bad. We found out that, like most materials, plastic is a great resource when it’s disposed of in the correct way; recycling.
Whilst recycling plastic is less accessible than recycling paper and cardboard, it certainly isn’t any less important. Recycling plastic bottles is straightforward with 99% of local authorities accepting them, but that’s just one of the many types of plastic we use, so what about the rest, like carrier bags and cling film which just 18% and 11% of councils accept respectively? Having seen the effect that not disposing of plastic waste correctly has had on our planet and environment as a whole, more councils are starting to collect more types of plastic in curbside collection, but it’s a postcode lottery for if you’re one of the lucky few.
But, first things first – you need to know what types of plastic can be recycled, how easy it is, and where you can do it. The only thing you’ll need is the little numbered triangle to get started:
| Symbol | Material | What’s it used for? | What an it be recycled into? | How easy is it to recycle? |
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Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) | Soft drink bottles and food packaging | Used to make more PET products | Easy |
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High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) | Milk cartons and yogurt pots | Pipes and more milk cartons | Easy |
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Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) | Window fittings and car parts | Make more PVC products | Difficult |
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Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) | Shopping bags and magazine wrapping | Bin liners and plastic furniture | Difficult |
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Polypropylene (PP) | Butter tubs and ready meal trays | Food containers and speed bumps | Easy |
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Polystyrene (PS) | Protective packaging and insulation | More packaging | Very Difficult |
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Other Plastics | Salad bags and crisp packets | Landfill | Very Difficult |
If you want to find where you can recycle particular items or plastic types near you, use the RecycleNow recycling locator.
So, once you’ve done your bit and disposed of your plastic packaging in the correct way, what happens to it?
How Is Plastic Recycled?
Firstly, plastic will get sorted by polymer type to ensure that, for example, just PET plastic is in the PET recycling. This stage is really important because If the wrong types of plastic get recycled together, it can cause all sorts of issues further down the line, including completely ruining the recycled plastic to the extent it can no longer be used and has to be incinerated or put into landfill.
The plastic then gets shredded into smaller pieces so it’s easier to treat and work with, before getting washed so it’s clean for future uses. The pieces of shredded plastic are then melted together and then are made into pellets which can be taken and moulded into countless types of new products.
Why Is Recycling Plastic Important?
So we’ve covered how to do it and what happens, but the real thing we’re here for is telling you it’s so important. Reducing our need to create new plastics would have so many benefits on the environment; from conserving non-renewable fossil fuels like oil, reducing gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere, reducing the amount of energy used, and of course, reducing the amount of solid waste going to landfill.
It may not seem like you’re making a difference when you put your plastic bottle in the recycling, but the reality is that it’s having more of an effect than you know. Reducing our impact on the environment is critical, so we need to take action now.
