Behind The Scenes: Recycling Plastic
A Closer Look: Before plastics can be recycled, they will be inspected and sorted to remove contaminants like rocks and glass.
Unrecyclable plastics will also be removed at this stage; however this process is not fool proof and often involves a lot of human error…so it’s best to make sure the plastic is ready for recycling before it hits the bin.
To The Cutting Board: After sorting, the plastic is washed and chopped into flakes.
It’s All Afloat: At some recycling plants, if mixed plastics are being recycled together, they are sorted using a flotation tank, where some types of plastic will sink or float depending upon weight.
The Heat Is On: The plastic flakes are then dried and melted.
Making The Cut: The molten plastic is filtered one more time to remove any contaminants that were missed in the washing process and then cut into strands.
Pelletizing: The plastic strands are cooled and chopped into uniform pellets where they can be sold to manufacturers to make new products. Recycled plastic can be used to make new plastic containers, clothing (like fleece), luggage, carpeting, and even fiberfill for sleeping bags or winter coats.
Need to dazzle the kids with more recycling info? Check out these posts:
The Green Parent Guide to Recycling
Stop Catalogs With The Click of A Mouse
Reuse and Recycle Old Magazines
E-Cycling: The Green Parent’s Guide to Disposing of Electronic Gadgets
Test Your Trash Can I.Q.
Recycling 101
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As my son pointed out, “But that just makes more plastic.” Kids are smart. More plastic, be it recycled plastic, and a huge waste of water and energy. Wonder if it’s all around better if we went back to glass or metal milk bottles.
That’s such a great point! I love a kid who can cut to the chase. Of course, the best option is to REDUCE the amount of “stuff” we use in the first place. But if we do need to discard plastic, it’s still better to recycle it than to toss it in the landfill.
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It’s been pretty cold this winter. Of course, in the summer it’s hot.
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