Chloe Zhang
Plastic is one of the most popular and useful materials of modern times, and recycling it is a complex process. Plastic waste is collected from households, businesses, and schools, then sent to Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to be sorted. From there, it is washed, shredded, and sorted further before being melted down and moulded into new products. However, the plastic recycling process is not perfect, and plastic waste is often shipped overseas, contributing to pollution. Additionally, even recycled plastic can release chemicals and microplastics into the environment. To address plastic pollution, it is essential to reduce plastic consumption, reuse plastic items, and support more sustainable alternatives.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Recycling rates | In 2017, only 9% of the 8.3 billion tonnes of virgin plastic produced worldwide was recycled. |
| Recycling process | Collection, sorting, shredding, washing, melting, moulding into new products. |
| Plastic types | PET and HDPE are more recyclable. |
| Recycling destinations | Plastic is often shipped from the Global North to the Global South. |
| Recycling challenges | Plastic becomes contaminated and less useful with each use, and it is now cheaper to produce new plastic than to recycle. |
| Environmental impact | Recycling reduces natural resource extraction and greenhouse gas emissions. |
| Alternatives | Reuse, refill, and plastic-free alternatives like glass, wood, ceramic, and stainless steel. |
| Policy solutions | Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) plans require producers to fund management of plastic waste. |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic is sorted and cleaned
Plastic waste is collected from households, businesses, and local recycling centres and sent to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF). Here, the plastic is sorted and separated from non-plastic material. This process is done mainly through automation, but a manual sort is also carried out to ensure all contaminants have been removed.
MRFs use sorting equipment such as optical sorters, which can distinguish between different types of plastics. For example, a ballistic separator is a mechanical device that uses oscillating paddles to separate rigid items (bottles, containers, cans) from flexible items (paper, card, plastic wrapping). A magnet separator is used to remove any metals.
After the initial sort at the MRF, the plastic may be sent to a Plastic Recovery Facility (PRF) for further sorting into different types of plastic. The plastic is then sent for reprocessing, where it is washed and cleaned. This stage may also involve shredding the plastic into flakes or melting it down to form pellets before being moulded into new products.
The recycling process is complex, and contamination is a significant issue. Plastics become more contaminated with each use, making them less useful for recycling. Transportation of plastic waste also contributes to plastic pollution, as plastic waste can easily escape and enter the environment. Despite these challenges, recycling plastic can reduce the need to create new plastic, driving jobs and revenue and reducing natural resource extraction and greenhouse gas emissions.
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It's shredded into flakes
The recycling process for plastic begins with the collection of plastic waste from homes, businesses, and schools, which is then sent to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF). At the MRF, the plastic waste is separated from non-plastic items, and it may then be sent to a Plastic Recovery Facility (PRF) for further sorting into different types of plastic.
Once the plastic has been sorted, it is washed and shredded into flakes, which are then heated and extruded into new pellets. These pellets can then be moulded into new products. Shredding the plastic into flakes is an important step in the recycling process, as it helps to reduce the volume of plastic waste and prepares it for further processing.
The process of shredding plastic into flakes can vary depending on the specific recycling facility and the type of plastic being recycled. Some facilities use mechanical shredders to shred the plastic into small flakes, while others may use a combination of mechanical and manual processes to ensure that all contaminants have been removed. It's important that individuals correctly sort their plastic waste before sending it for recycling, as this can help improve the efficiency of the recycling process.
After being shredded into flakes, the plastic is typically heated and extruded into new pellets, which can then be used to create a variety of new products. This process, known as melt processing, involves melting the plastic flakes and forcing them through a small opening to create uniform-sized pellets. These pellets are then used as a raw material to create new plastic items, such as bottles, containers, or even clothing fibres.
The recycling of plastic is a complex process that involves multiple steps and organisations. While recycling plastic is important for reducing waste and preserving the environment, it is not a perfect solution. Even when reused, refilled, or recycled, plastics can still release chemicals, emissions, and microplastics into the environment and human bodies. To address the issue of plastic pollution, it is crucial to reduce plastic consumption, develop better recyclable products, and increase the circularity of plastic items.
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Flakes are heated and made into pellets
Once plastic has been sorted, cleaned, and shredded into flakes, it is ready to be heated and made into pellets. This process varies depending on the type of plastic and the desired end product.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, for example, are first ground into flakes, which are then washed to remove any contaminants. The flakes are then heated and stretched into fibres, which can be spun into polyester yarn. This yarn can then be used to make fabrics for items such as seat belts, bags, carpets, and clothing. Alternatively, the PET flakes can be melted and made into spherical, crystalline-PET pellets, which are then used to produce new PET bottles.
The production of recycled polyester pellets and flakes has become more energy-efficient in recent years with the introduction of infrared drying (IRD). This technology reduces energy costs and the size of the system while drying and crystallizing the flakes in a single step.
Another method of recycling plastic into pellets involves the use of a two-stage recycling machine with a die-face pelletizer. This machine can process various types of plastic films, including multi-layered and highly printed films, by cutting, compacting, and extruding the material. The resulting pellets are of higher quality than those produced by other methods.
These plastic pellets made from post-consumer waste are small granulates that serve as the principal material in various production processes. They are used in machines such as blown film machines, injection machines, and plastic moulding machines to create new plastic products like films, bottles, containers, and bags.
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Pellets are moulded into new products
The recycling process for plastic involves several steps and organisations that ensure plastic recycling is transformed into new products. After being placed in a recycling bin, plastic waste is collected from homes, businesses, and local recycling centres and sent to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF). MRFs separate plastic and non-plastic waste, and a Plastic Recovery Facility (PRF) further sorts plastic by type. These facilities use sorting equipment such as optical sorters that can distinguish between different types of plastics.
The plastic is then washed, shredded, and sorted further before being melted down and formed into pellets. These pellets are then moulded into new products. This process of melt processing involves heating the plastic flakes and extruding them into new pellets. The pellets are then ready to be moulded into new products.
The demand for recycled products is critical to keeping the recycling system going. Consumers, companies, and governments must choose items made with recycled plastic to create a pull-effect that encourages all supply chain companies to participate. Recycling is a complex, reverse supply chain, and while it is not enough to solve the plastic pollution crisis, it is an important part of the solution.
The transportation of plastic contributes to plastic pollution, and recycling rates in the west are stalling. It is cheaper to produce new plastic than to recycle, and even recycled plastic releases chemicals, emissions, and microplastics into the environment. However, recycling can reduce natural resource extraction and greenhouse gas emissions, and some countries have successfully reduced landfill waste through waste management and recycling systems.
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Recycling rates are stalling
Secondly, a lack of public trust in the recycling process and a lack of communication about how to recycle effectively contribute to low recycling rates. Despite access to recycling services, many individuals do not recycle everything they could, with only 57% of recyclable materials being placed in recycling containers. This is partly due to a lack of trust that recyclables are actually being recycled, as well as a lack of clear guidance on how to recycle properly. For example, in the US, 76% of recyclables are lost to trash in homes, and nearly 20 million households are effectively excluded from recycling due to a lack of access.
Additionally, the recycling process itself has limitations. Plastics, for instance, become more contaminated and less useful with each use, and it is now often less expensive to produce new plastic than to collect, reuse, refill, and recycle plastics. The transportation of plastic also contributes to pollution, as plastic waste can easily escape and enter the environment, breaking apart into particles that can be ingested by humans and animals.
While recycling is important, it is clear that additional measures are necessary to address the waste crisis. This includes reducing consumption, reusing and refilling, and utilizing more sustainable materials such as glass, wood, ceramic, and stainless steel. Governments and industries also have a responsibility to reduce plastic production and support systemic solutions to end plastic pollution.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic that is collected from homes, businesses, and local recycling centres is sent to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF), which separates plastic and non-plastic. It is then sent to a Plastic Recovery Facility (PRF) to be sorted by plastic type. The plastic is then washed, shredded, and sorted further before being melted down and moulded into new products.
Plastic #1 (PET) and plastic #2 (HDPE) are the most recyclable types of plastic.
Plastic that is not recycled often ends up in landfills or is incinerated, contributing to plastic pollution and the release of harmful chemicals and emissions.
Recycling plastic helps reduce our need to create new plastic, conserving natural resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In addition to recycling, it is important to reduce plastic consumption and reuse plastic items as much as possible. Supporting companies that use recycled plastic and packaging is also critical in keeping the recycling system going.
