From Guest Blogger Lana Hawkins: Surprising Facts About Plastic Recycling

Plastic is non-biodegradable and leads to serious pollution when it’s not recycled. Plastic recycling is the process where scrap or waste plastic are recovered and remade into some other useful products. This process includes sorting, shredding, washing, melting and pelletizing of plastic bottles which can be cast as plastic tables, chairs and lots of other products. Also, the plastic could be melted down into a new shape, or shredded into pieces and melted down and processed into granulates. Now that you know a little more about the whole recycling process, there are some fun facts about plastic recycling that you should know.

Bottles Can Become Fashion

For bottles to become stylish clothes they first need to be cleaned, shredded, heated and stretched into fine threads, which would later be woven into durable fabrics. More and more fashion designers use these fabrics in order to make clothes. The variety of clothes made from recycled plastic bottles goes from comfy T-shirts to fancy dresses like one Sandra Bullock wore on 2010 Golden Globe. A lot of people, today, do not realize how many of their favorite pieces of clothing are made out of recycled plastic. Items such faux fur and leather, swimwear, athletic gear, sunglasses, sneakers and many other products we wear every day are made in this eco-friendly process.

Used Packaging is not Always New Packaging

Many can think that if you recycle used packaging that you make new packaging out of it. This is true, but it is not always the case. For example, out of recycled plastic soft drink bottles you can make patio furniture, kitchen tools, clothes, dog toys and many other items. Also, if you recycle yogurt containers you can equip your home with new rugs, tableware and even reusable containers for storing food. As you can see, lists of new items made of recycled plastic is endless, and you can get help from the rubbish removal businesses in Sydney to help you collect and reuse any excess plastic you have.

Caps and Lids are recyclable, too

Caps and lids are made of valuable plastics, these are not trash. Instead of taking of any caps from plastic bottles and lids from tubs, leave them be and throw them into the recycling bin together. Also, for more safety and to make things easier for the recyclers, you can separate the lids and caps from bottles, since they are made from different type of plastic. Lids and caps are usually shredded into small flakes and submerged into water. The flakes that sink are from bottles and other flakes will float, thus making it easy to separate the plastics which will be recycled.

Bags and Wraps are recycled at numerous places

With today’s raised awareness for the clean and healthy environment, it is easy to recycle any grocery bags, food and product wraps, among other things. Clean and dry plastic wraps and bags are collected at thousands of locations and then recycled. Over 18,000 of grocery and retail stores have their own bags and wraps recycling bins to help preserve the environment. These bags are later turned into new ones, as well as into any other product. Also, if you are a user of plastic wraps and bags, you can do your share of work and not throw them away. Reuse them as many times as possible to carry groceries, as bin liners, as shower caps etc. The best option would be recycling them or even consider stopping using plastic bags.

After considering these four fun facts about plastic recycling, you should get engaged in such processes yourself. Collect any plastic items you have but do not need, and help our planet stay healthy and pollution-free.