Ethan Clarke
Plastic waste is a major environmental concern, with the vast majority of plastics disposed of in non-environmentally friendly ways, resulting in polluted oceans, landfills, and ecological damage. While almost all plastic can be recycled in theory, in practice, this is not always financially or technically feasible. The most commonly recycled plastics include PET or PETE (used for soda, water, and food packaging), and HDPE (used for milk jugs, shampoo bottles, and detergent bottles). Other types of plastic, such as PVC, LDPE, and PP, are more challenging to recycle due to factors such as cost, contamination, and the difficulty of separating and processing certain materials.
What Types of Plastic Can Be Recycled?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Plastic Types | 7 |
| Recyclability | Depends on the type of plastic and the local recycling facilities |
| General Rule | The lower the resin code, the more likely the plastic type is to be easily recyclable |
| Hard-to-Recycle Plastics | Styrofoam, shrink wrap, manufacturing scrap, bioplastics, composite plastic, plastic-coated wrapping paper, polycarbonate, cling film, blister packaging, plastic bags, plastic wrap, salad bags, crisp packets |
| Easily Recyclable Plastics | PET/PETE/Polyethylene Terephthalate, HDPE, PP/Polypropylene, LDPE/Low-Density Polyethylene |
| Recycled into | Shampoo bottles, cosmetic caps, packaging films, plastic lumber, tables, roadside curbs, benches, auto parts, speed bumps, industrial applications, soda bottles, water bottles, fiber products |
| Plastic Numbers Accepted by Most Recyclers | 1 and 2 |
| Plastic Numbers That Are Difficult to Recycle | 3 to 6 |
| Plastic Number That Is Challenging to Recycle | 7 |
| Recycled Plastic Products | Post-consumer recycled material |
| Recycling Process | Bailing, transporting, shredding, melting, pelletization, pyrolysis |
| Recycling Rate | 8.7% to 9% according to 2018 data |
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What You'll Learn
PET/PETE plastic is recyclable
Plastic is a major source of waste, with the vast majority being disposed of in non-environmentally friendly ways. This has resulted in polluted oceans, overextended landfills, and ecological damage. Thus, recycling plastic is critical to improving the environment and bettering waste management solutions.
PET/PETE plastic, also known as Polyethylene terephthalate, is a widely used polymer in various industries due to its excellent physical and chemical properties. It is used to make bottles for soda, water, and other drinks, as well as cooking oil containers, plastic peanut butter jars, and containers for other popular food items.
PET/PETE plastic can be recycled and is marked with a resin code of 1. It is important to separate PET/PETE bottles from other types of plastic as the presence of other plastics can contaminate the PET/PETE recycling process, reducing its quality for reuse. After collection, PET/PETE bottles are taken to a recycling plant where they are separated from other recyclable materials, such as glass and metal. The bottles are then processed, which includes washing, decontamination, and melting, to create recycled PET (rPET) that can be turned back into packaging or other products.
While bottle-to-bottle recycling is ideal, sometimes the quality of the collected plastic is not high enough. In these cases, recycled PET can be flaked, washed, heated, and stretched into fibre, which is then spun into recycled polyester yarn. This yarn can be used to make fabrics for seat belts, bags, carpets, roofing insulation, and even clothing.
Overall, PET/PETE plastic is recyclable, and its successful recycling depends on the participation of consumers in collection schemes and the availability of recycling capacity at plants.
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HDPE plastic is recyclable
Plastic waste is a key concern for environmentalists, governments, and organizations, as the vast majority of plastics are disposed of in non-environmentally friendly ways, resulting in polluted oceans, overextended landfills, and ecological damage. Thus, recycling plastic is critical to improving the environment and bettering waste management solutions.
HDPE, or High-Density Polyethylene, is a stiff plastic that can be recycled. It has a plastic recycling code of 2 and is often used in the manufacture of bottles, particularly for milk and fruit juice. It is also used for pipes, cans, crates, wheelie bins, and other plastic objects that may spend some time outside. It is a tough, hard-wearing plastic with high tensile strength that resists tearing or bursting. This is why HDPE is used in wood-effect decking. It is valued for its utility in injection moulding and its lightweight nature. Products made from HDPE are often lighter and therefore cheaper and easier to transport. Its non-corrosive properties mean that detergents and household cleaning chemicals are often bottled in HDPE plastic.
HDPE can be recycled up to ten times. It is often downcycled into plastic lumber, tables, roadside curbs, benches, and other durable plastic products. In New Zealand, HDPE is washed and melted down, then turned into durable and weather-resistant items like picnic tables and decking.
Despite the recyclability of HDPE, there are barriers to the process of recycling. For example, small quantities of plastics can make recycling non-economical due to low efficiencies and high costs. Additionally, items that include multiple types of plastic and different layers are hard to separate and make recyclability difficult and costly.
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Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is not commonly recycled
Plastic recycling is a complex process that is critical to improving the environment and bettering waste management solutions. While in principle, almost all plastic can be recycled, in practice, there are a variety of barriers that can undermine this process. For example, many items include multiple types of plastic and different layers that are hard to separate and make recyclability difficult and costly.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is the third-most used plastic in the world and is commonly used in the construction industry for pipes and signs, as well as in healthcare applications and clothing. Despite its widespread use, PVC is not commonly recycled. One reason for this is that PVC is often contaminated with other materials, such as adhesives, paints, or metals, which complicate the recycling process and require extensive cleaning.
Another challenge associated with recycling PVC is the use of additives like plasticizers, stabilizers, and fillers during production. These additives alter the properties of PVC and can affect the quality of the recycled material, making it less suitable for certain applications. For example, recycled PVC may not have the same durability, resistance to chemicals, heat, water, and moisture, low thermal conductivity, and electrical insulation as virgin PVC.
Additionally, the thermal recycling of PVC has been indicated as ineffective and not future-proof. This is due to the misconception of its low thermal stability and the production of dangerous degradation products that can cause increased corrosion of processing equipment and pose a threat to people. However, it is important to note that intensive work is underway to improve the thermal recycling of PVC, and it is believed that PVC meets the requirements for materials involved in the circular economy.
Furthermore, the disposal of PVC waste through incineration, which is often used as a last resort for PVC disposal when recycling is not feasible, can release toxic gases like dioxins and hydrogen chloride. These gases require advanced filtration systems to prevent environmental harm.
Overall, while PVC can be recycled, it is not commonly recycled due to the challenges and disadvantages associated with the process. However, with ongoing developments in recycling methods and an increasing focus on sustainability, it is possible that the recyclability of PVC will improve in the future.
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Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is technically recyclable
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a thermoplastic made from the monomer ethylene. It is commonly used in film applications due to its transparency, flexibility, and toughness. LDPE is also used to make plastic bags, food containers, and packaging. It is technically recyclable, but there are several complexities and challenges associated with its recycling.
LDPE is the most common form of plastic used by manufacturers in the UK, accounting for 19.3% of plastic usage. While it is widely used, LDPE is not widely recycled, which has significant environmental implications. LDPE products, such as plastic bags, can pollute oceans and harm wildlife. Therefore, recycling LDPE is crucial to diverting waste from landfills and improving waste management.
The recycling process for LDPE involves collecting, sorting, and processing the plastic. Some municipalities offer curbside recycling programs that accept LDPE, while others provide drop-off locations at grocery stores or recycling centres. However, LDPE is not always accepted in standard recycling bins due to the challenges it poses in the recycling process.
One major challenge in recycling LDPE is the tendency of plastic bags to tangle in recycling machinery. This issue can endanger equipment and employees, requiring routine interventions that are time-consuming and costly. Additionally, LDPE is a cheap and low-quality plastic, making its recycling financially unviable in many cases.
The recyclability of LDPE also depends on its form. Flexible LDPE products, such as plastic bags, are more difficult to recycle due to contamination from the items they package. On the other hand, the more rigid form of LDPE is easier to recycle and can be used to create new products like garbage cans, manufactured lumber, and new plastic bags.
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Polypropylene (PP) is recyclable
Polypropylene, or PP, is one of the most common plastic types in the world. PP is marked with the number 5 plastic resin identification code on the bottom of its packaging. It is the second most manufactured plastic after polyethylene, composing around 17% of annual global plastic production. PP is used in a wide range of applications, including bottle caps, straws, disposable diapers, textiles, upholstery, industrial and manufacturing materials, automotive parts, and medication packaging.
Despite its popularity and diverse applications, PP's recycling rate is low. In the US, only around 1-3% of PP is recycled, with the rest ending up in landfills. PP recycling is challenging due to its sensitivity to high heat, which causes it to lose chemical integrity, strength, and flexibility during the mechanical recycling process. Additionally, recycled PP often has inferior physical and mechanical properties compared to virgin PP due to contamination or degradation during recycling.
However, PP can be recycled into various products, including fibers for clothing, industrial materials, and kitchenware, plastic lumber, park benches, auto parts, and speed bumps. Proper PP recycling involves collecting, sorting, shredding, separating by color, and then compounding the material.
The low recycling rate of PP is also attributed to economic factors. The price of recycled PP is significantly higher than virgin PP due to the costs associated with testing and additives required for food-grade certification. The poor performance of PP in mechanical recycling has also limited the development of dedicated recycling facilities.
Overall, while PP is recyclable, its recycling rate is hindered by technological and economic challenges. Improving PP recycling technologies and proving their profitability are crucial steps toward enhancing the recyclability of PP and reducing its environmental impact.
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Frequently asked questions
Types 1 and 2 plastics, known as PET or PETE and HDPE respectively, are the most commonly recycled types of plastic. These are typically used for water and soda bottles, shampoo bottles, and milk jugs. Other types of plastic can be recycled, but it is not as common, and it depends on your local recycling program.
Plastic #3, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), is not recyclable in normal collections. Plastic #7 is also extremely challenging to recycle. Other plastics that are hard to recycle include Styrofoam, shrink wrap, manufacturing scrap, bioplastics, composite plastic, plastic-coated wrapping paper, and polycarbonate.
Plastic recycling is one of the most complex processes. It is often not economically viable to recycle plastics, as it is cheaper to make new plastic than reuse old plastic. Additionally, some plastics are not easily recyclable due to their composition, such as thermoset plastics, which contain irreversible chemical bonds. Other barriers to recycling plastics include the difficulty of separating different types of plastics and contamination by food and other substances.
