| Plastic recycling is the new environmental policy | | | | countries that import this material and have found |
| trend in communities across the nation. Last year, | | | | conditions to be hazardous and exploitive. In |
| a statewide law went into effect in California to | | | | addition, Greenpeace found that exported plastics |
| provide at-store plastic bag recycling in every | | | | were very poorly sorted. Green Building Council to |
| community. Plastic recycling is now greatly | | | | develop the store and is planning to build others |
| expanded. Products and empty containers labeled | | | | like it. Greenpeace says embracing the three Rs - |
| with resin codes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 are now | | | | reduce, re-use and recycle - would help tackle the |
| acceptable. Plastic recycling is relatively new and | | | | problem. Plastic recycling is lagging well behind |
| has a growing infrastructure. In addition, weather | | | | paper and cardboard. |
| (wind, rain, snow, and even sun) in Summit | | | | Types of plastics are assigned a number, called a |
| County makes recycling plastic bags extremely | | | | resin identification code , which is usually stamped |
| difficult as they must be dry to be shipped and | | | | or printed on the bottom of containers and |
| are easily blown away. | | | | surrounded by a recycling symbol (a triangle of |
| Plastic recycling is very fast developing field of | | | | arrows). Many programs exist in the United |
| recycling. The post consumer items made from | | | | States and the reduction of weight in numerous |
| PET and HDPE resins have found reliable markets. | | | | packaging applications has been significant over |
| Plastic recycling is the process of recovering scrap | | | | the last 25 years. Type 4 is less commonly |
| or waste plastics and reprocessing the material | | | | recycled. The other types are generally not |
| into useful products. Compared to glass or metallic | | | | recycled, except perhaps in small test programs. |
| materials, plastic poses unique challenges?because | | | | PVC cannot easily be mixed with other plastics |
| of the massive number of types of plastic, they | | | | for recycling because it releases toxic additives |
| each carry a resin identification code , and must | | | | when melted down. PVC has a low melt point and |
| be sorted before they can be recycled. | | | | produces acidic by-products when it burns. They |
| Greenpeace and other organizations have | | | | are the most valuable plastics, but unsuitable to |
| documented conditions at recycling facilities in | | | | our application. |