Where Does Recycled Plastic Go?
October 10, 2017
Is there anything plastic can’t do? In our world, it’s a durable, lightweight packaging option, but it can be so much more than that! It’s the beachball we toss around during vacation, the refreshing soda we crave on a hot summer day… it can even open up worlds of creativity for children and adults alike. But what happens to that versatile plastic when we toss it into a recycling bin? Strap in for a wild ride!
The video below follows plastic on its journey from the recycling bin to its new future. Spoiler alert: it gets a new lease on life! That plastic gets compressed into blocks then shredded back into tiny pieces. The synthesized plastic pieces are washed and melted into raw materials that can be used to make a completely new product.
Your plastic water bottle may end up as a tote bag or a toothbrush! Several companies are working diligently to reclaim plastics that wash up on beaches, and we’re striving for a world where plastic is used in a more conscious manner to better protect our planet.
Source reduction is one of the most vital components of reducing plastic usage; that might mean reducing the size of your inner packaging while still maintaining its structural integrity, or it might mean replacing the material it’s made of altogether. Either way, by using less material in packaging, we can prevent unnecessary amounts of plastic from entering the recycling process altogether.
At Ernest Packaging Solutions we know the importance of going green, and every day we implement methods to help our clients reduce, reuse and recycle. Bringing more sustainable options to the industry is one of our chief goals in Moving Packaging Forward. See how we can help your organization drive sustainable solutions for years to come!
