Plastic Recycling Types: Facts About What is Recyclable
Plastic pollution represents a significant ecological challenge worldwide. A major problem with plastic manufacturing is the disparity between the large quantities produced and the much smaller amounts recycled or reprocessed.
After a high of 9.5% in 2014, the plastic waste recycling rate in the United States fell to about 5-6% in 2021. Globally, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled. These figures highlight a gap between the proposed solutions to plastic pollution and the actual outcomes.
Explore why plastic recycling falls short, learn what materials can and cannot be recycled, and discover solutions to address these discrepancies.
Why Current Plastic Recycling Methods Aren’t Working
Recycling plastic is vital for the environment, but current practices are falling short of their potential effectiveness. There are several reasons why plastic recycling is not as successful as it needs to be. Some of the main challenges that prevent recycling from reaching its full potential include:
Insufficient consumer education. For decades, most plastic recycling initiatives have shifted the burden onto consumers and end-users, emphasizing the need to avoid littering and prioritize recycling. However, the public lacks adequate information about the various types of plastics, making efficient recycling challenging.
For example, few people can distinguish between recyclable and non-recyclable plastics. This lack of knowledge leads to confusion, which in turn results in inefficiencies at processing plants, where sorting and separating items becomes more difficult.
Economic challenges. Most recycled plastics cost more to produce than virgin (new) plastics. For instance, recycled PET (R-PET) costs approximately $1,000 per ton, whereas regular virgin PET ranges from $800 to $900, depending on oil prices.
These challenges include the high costs of collecting, sorting, and processing plastics destined for recycling.Infrastructure and sorting issues. Numerous regions simply lack access to appropriate plastic sorting and recycling facilities, resulting in large amounts of recyclable plastics not going to landfills. In 2018, the EPA estimated the United States produced 35.68 million tons of plastics but only recycled 3.09 million, and 26.97 million tons went to landfills.
21 Facts About Plastic Recycling
Understanding plastic production and recycling facts is vital to finding more efficient solutions. Below are 21 essential plastic recycling facts:
The world produces over 380 million tons of plastics each year.
Approximately 50% of all plastics produced are single-use, such as plastic bags, straws, and food packaging.
According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 79% of worldwide plastic is landfilled, 12% is incinerated, and only 9% is recycled.
Depending on the type produced, making recycled plastic reduces energy consumption by up to 88% compared to manufacturing virgin plastics.
Using recycled plastics reduces emissions related to plastics production by 67% to 71%.
Approximately half of all plastic on Earth today has been produced in the last 13 years.
Landfilled plastics can take up to 500 years to decompose, depending on the type, disposal conditions, and corresponding biodegradation rates.
Even when plastic does decompose, most types do not fully disappear. Instead, they become microplastics, pieces measuring less than 5 millimeters in size.
Recycling one ton of plastic saves about 5,774 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, about 55% of the average U.S. household’s yearly electricity consumption.
Recycling one ton of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can save up to 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space.
Recycling one ton of plastic saves 1,000 to 2,000 gallons of gasoline.
Producing a typical 500 ml plastic water bottle from virgin materials costs about 5.3 liters of water or over 10 times the bottle’s contents.
Recycled PET (RPET) consumes up to 90% less water to produce than virgin PET.
For recycling purposes, most plastics manufactured today are grouped into seven categories: PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and other plastics.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the world’s most widely produced and commonly recycled plastic.
Besides PET, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is another commonly recycled plastic. It is considered one of the easiest plastic materials to recycle.
PET drink bottles are the world’s most recycled packaging material. Europe recycles 58% of PET bottles, whereas Brazil recycles 55%. However, that rate drops to only 37.8% for North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico).
All types of PET bottles, regardless of size and thickness, can be recycled.
Most plastic materials can be recycled multiple times before they degrade too much for further recycling. While the number varies depending on the type and quality, it is usually 2 to 3 times per item.
Recycled plastic is used for a range of purposes. Most of it is remanufactured into its original packaging, such as water bottles and food packaging. The rest is repurposed into different consumer items, such as clothing, backpacks, or furniture.
Certain plastic items are never recycled despite being made of recyclable plastics due to the risks of tangling or jamming sorting machines. Common examples include plastic bags, shrink wrap, and other stretchy plastics.
Recyclability of Different Plastic Resin Codes
Each of the seven plastic material categories has different levels of recyclability and is used to produce various items. Below is a summary of plastic recycling by type, recyclability, and primary challenges.
Plastic Type Recyclability
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) High
Requires high-temperature cleaning as part of its recycling process. Tends to absorb bacteria and flavors.
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) High
Most recycling facilities do not accept HDPE bags and films due to the risk of tangling.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Low
Many types of PVC formulations must be sorted and separated. They contain chlorine, which may be released during the recycling process. They also contain hazardous phthalates that can leach into other plastics and contaminate them.
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) Moderate
Many recycling facilities do not accept LDPE bags, films, shrink wrap, and other stretchy plastics due to the risk of tangling in machinery. Requires specialized facilities for sorting, cleaning, and decontamination.
Polypropylene (PP) Moderate
A large number of formulations. Commonly mixed with other plastics, requiring precise sorting. Requires dedicated sorting and recycling facilities.
Polystyrene (PS) Low
Leaches styrene, which is believed to be a carcinogen, makes recycling potentially hazardous. There are few applications for recycled PS.
Other Lowest
This category encompasses a wide range of different plastic materials, from ABS to polycarbonate. Plastics in this category are often complex or composite, making them challenging or impossible to recycle.
Partner with Pristine® to Make a Difference in Plastic Recycling
Solving the problem of plastic pollution requires rethinking how we approach plastic recycling. At Pristine, LLC, we believe in change at all stages, from manufacturing to the consumer. We offer a biodegradable plastic additive compatible with most major plastic materials. Treating plastics with our additive makes them easier to recycle and ensures they biodegrade more quickly in landfills and marine environments, reducing their environmental footprint.
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