reduce, re-use, recycle / recycle / plastic

Types of recyclable plastic and their common uses

In the UK we use over 4,000,000 tonnes of plastic each year* as consumers and in business.

- Most families throw away about 40kg of plastic per year, which could otherwise be recycled.

- The use of plastic in Western Europe is growing about 4% each year.

- Plastic can take up to 500 years to decompose.

There are two key types of plastic. They are:

Thermosetts - Products like Formica & Bakelite that can be heated & formed only once.
Thermoplastics - Can be heated & formed many times. Thermoplastics represent more than 95% of all plastics used and in principle all can be recycled.

Within these two type of plastic there are more than 60 sub types. New plastics and uses are constantly being developed. Different types of plastic must generally be kept separate for recycling.

Types of Plastic, and their common uses & the products that can be made by recycling them:

TPET (Polyethylene Terephalate) Bottles are made into fibre fill for jackets and pillows, the production of fleeces, and pellets back into bottles

PVC/UPVC (Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride) – Cable Scrap, Window frames can be made into road cone bases, cable ducts, conduit and ducting

LDPE (low Density Polyethylene) Packaging & Cling Film are made into imitation wood products, damp-proof membranes, packaging film and traffic cones

HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) are made into bottles, Crates & general mouldings, imitation wood products, pipes & ducting, water butts & compost bins, car windscreen washer bottles imitation wood table

PS (Polystyrene) – Packaging made into Imitation wood products and packaging applications

Other common plastics include:

PPVC Plasticised Polyvinyl Chloride

PP Polypropylene

EPS Expanded Polystyrene Includes all other resins and multi materials (eg laminates)

The two types of plastic most commonly recycled in the UK are PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and HDPE (high density polyethylene).

PET is commonly used for soft drink packaging and HDPE is used to make plastic milk and detergent bottles. Other types of plastic can be recycled, but are not recycled in the same quantities.

When you recycle plastics: first, re-use plastic containers and bags; sort your plastic into different types - follow the instructions at the drop-off centre or the instructions provided for your kerbside collection; rinse containers and remove lids (lids are often a different type of plastic); ask your supermarket to recycle plastic bags (some already do); and look for the code number on any plastic item you buy and try to choose those which can be recycled in your local recycling program.

<< back

Submit this story to:

Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble It! | Furl | Reddit

We have added 3 surveys to the take action section for any business or organisation in the Canterbury area to take part in to support the work of the Canterbury Partnership Environment Group. If you are working in an Partnership Environment Group elsewhere in the country please get in touch if we can support your strategy deliverables.

We have recently added a comments box at the bottom of each article. If you have anything you would like to add or even if you disagree with what is being said please add your comments.