RECYCLING PLASTICS

Introduction:

By RECYCLING we mean the processing of used or abandoned materials in order to make new products. Discarded plastic materials, many of which have a lifetime that runs into decades or more pose a threat to the environment, because,
  • they are unsightly, and degrade the appearance of our environment;
  • they pose a danger to wild and domestic animals;
  • are a threat to marine life;
  • produce greenhouse gases when burned;
       

Therefore it makes good sense to recycle plastic materials whenever possible. The empty cool drink container that is too often carelessly tossed aside has a certain value, and in fact, you paid for that container when you bought the cool drink in the first place.

Plastic recycling codes:

Before thermoplastic materials can be recycled, they have to be sorted out, as therere are many such types of plastic materials, and they generally cannot be mixed when melted down. How can we tell what a plastic object is made of? Many countries make it obligatory to label plastic objects with an internationally accepted code. These codes are shown below.

Code Plastic Normal use
01 PET - polyethylene terephthalate Bottles, jars
02 HDPE - High density polyethylene Bottles and jars, water pipes
03 PVC - Polyvinyl chloride Bottles, films, piping
04 LDPE - Low density polyethylene Plastic bags, flexible containers and lids, cling wrap
05 PP - Polypropylene Kitchenware, tableware, disposable cups and plates, jars and tubs.
06 PS - Polystyrene Packing material, containers, disposable cups, plates and trays, casings for electrocic equipment.
07 Other materials - not defined specifically. Bottles, containers, casings for electronic equipment.

Recycling operations provide employment for underprivileged communities, who supply the labour required to hand-sort the various items according to their codes.

The recycled product frequently bear no resemblance to the original articles. For example, the PET cool drink bottle may end up as fabrics for the clothing industry, as the recycled plastic can be spun into threads. A HDPE jar may land up as part of a park bench! Why do you and your classmates not consider being involved?