What plastic gets recycled? The answer isn’t always so simple 🤔

preview_player
Показать описание

Рекомендации по теме
Комментарии
Автор

I've always wondered what plastics are being recycled. I have been stripping all plastics for recycle for years...and now I find it's still going to a landfill

gulliblegreedyignorantindi
Автор

Since so little plastic is reused/recycled I've started using my own washable cloth bags. My little personal part to help future generations clean up our beautiful planet🤗

denisephillips
Автор

Even with the #1 (PETE) and #2 (HDPE) plastic containers, they’re recycled only when they’re 1) unpigmented (un colored like water bottles or jugs) and 2) have a label that covers less than 25% of the height.
The former is because that’s what manufacturers want to use and colorants, especially black, interferes with automated sorting equipment at MRFs (Material Recovery Facilities). Why manufacturers want the un colored stuff is because it has the least impact on the visual appeal of the product made from it. There are also impacts on processing consistency, but they can deal with that. The latter because it interferes with the automated sorting equipment at MRFs.
Do your best to avoid packages designed in such ways AND send in comments and complaints to the manufacturer’s customer service department. With enough consumer pushback, manufacturers eventually listen.

chow-chihuang
Автор

It varies by country, but in some places plastics don’t end up in landfills - they get burned off, along with scraps of paper/card and other misfit recyclables.

kernelkertz
Автор

In 1, 000 years will be known as the plastic people

RobertJahrling-pbxw
Автор

Went can't we pass legislation to start to phase out/ban plastic?

Briaaanz
Автор

Plastic recycling! Brought to you by the…plastics industry!!!

johnr
Автор

Somebody found a way to make money selling trash.
Oh well, gotta get to the office.

guybeingaguy
Автор

An excellent episode for us humans to pay attention to!!!🙏👌🦉❣️

mauricedavis
Автор

It’s also because you can only recycle something so many times before it becomes non-recyclable. So I assume that those numbers probably refer to the number of times it’s been recycled.

misswill
Автор

Why can't we recycle more than 9%??😅

shaunkong
Автор

I’ve always been a big a recycler or up-cycler. Tired of helping out, when what we do makes so little difference. I will continue to recycle paper, metal etc. however, if I can’t upcycle a container it’s going in the garbage. 9% being recycled doesn’t even compare in the 91% going to distributors of more trash around the world. I think I’ll keep my trash here.

jryland
Автор

Recycling plastic is a myth since you can't mix plastics together due to different strength and thermo properties. The problem is going to get worse as 3d printing gets easier and popular. the most common 3d printer plastic is PLA plastic derived from sugar. While the manufacturers would like to market is eco friendly and bio degradable, it is not that easy. It requires an industrial compose under specific temp and pressure to make PLA biodegradable. As a result, you throw the PLA wast into regular trash instead of the recycling bin. Unfortunately recycling plastic is a myth.

benashbaugh
Автор

They could turn the left over plastic into homes for the homeless 😢

Hooksnkneedles
Автор

Been on rubbish tips numerous times and recycling doesn't exist there, huge pails off everything mince together

henryjanicky
Автор

Ok, so why aren't the companies obligated to make pet and htpe plastics?

Alfred-fj
Автор

Nope. I knew that it wasn’t. It’s terrible because plastic garbage getting sold to other countries is awful.

HollyGolightly-ov
Автор

In the not exactly verbatim words of Bjorn Lombard, innovation is the key, not banning things. When horses were filling the roads with manure they weren't banned, the car was invented. We need to start looking for either alternatives for plastic, or plastics that are biodegradable.

jgcoverkknot
Автор

They need to burn the waste and generate electricity from it

mikebeckman