Look around you. How many objects can you find that are made of plastic? From water bottles to clothing, furniture, and even computers, most homes today are full of items that contain plastic. Unfortunately, so are our oceans, streams, and rivers.
In 2016, the U.S. alone used about 46.3 million tons of plastic. Worldwide, the total was over 350 million tons. This is a huge increase since 1964, when the world used just 16.5 million tons of plastic. If plastic usage continues to grow, it is expected to double by 2036.
However, very little of the plastic that goes into recycling bins actually makes it through the recycling process. In fact, experts estimate that only around nine percent of plastic is recycled. An estimated 16 percent is burned for electricity or heat. The rest ends up in landfills or bodies of water.
How can you make sure the plastics you use are recycled? Begin by making sure the items you put in your recycling bin can actually be recycled.
In most cases, items can't be used again if they contain more than one type of plastic. That's because, when the items are melted at the recycling center, the plastics contaminate each other. Instead, these items are sent to a landfill.
How about those plastic bottles that do arrive at a recycling center? They ensure that each item is clean. Those that aren't may be thrown away -that's why it's important to rinse items before putting them in the recycling bin.
Once the plastics are separated and labels have been removed, they're shredded. Those shreds are bound together and sold to processors. Once at a processing plant, the plastics are melted and then formed into small pellets. These are used to create new items.
What can be made from recycled plastic? One common product is new plastic bottles. Recycled plastic can also be used to make carpet, polyester clothing, and building materials. However, plastic loses a bit of its quality each time it's recycled. Each piece can only be recycled two or three times before it must be thrown away.
That's why it's also important to reduce and reuse plastic.
