How recycling works is a good question. The process is something that many of us take for granted. You toss something into the appropriate bin, dust off your hands and go happily on your way with the comforting thought that you’ve done your bit to help save the planet. Even so, the knowledge of how recycling works is not a process that most people are familiar with. The basic understanding…
Polypropylene plastic is a recyclable ingredient found in many useful products. It is often marked with the number 5 by the traditional plastic coding system. It is considered a safe packaging solution as it does not drain any harmful chemicals into foods or liquids. Polypropylene (also referred to as PP or polypro) has the highest hot melt point of any of the plastics used to manufacture packaging. Hot fill is…
Here’s a quick video illustrating the types of film and plastic bags and film that are acceptable for recycling…
The manufacture of blister pack packaging became a prominent part of the plastic industry in the 1960s with the introduction of the birth control pill. Over time, it proved to be a more efficient and cost-effective way to provide a container for many pharmaceutical products that had previously been packaged in boxes, tubes and strip packages. Most often formed from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), blister pack is a thermoformed plastic that…
If you type in the word ‘plastics’ in your favorite news feed, its likely you will be presented with a long list of articles dealing with the problem of plastic in our oceans. While plastic manufacturing and recycling are a major force in the world economy, the pollution problem seems to dominate. It’s not that there is not reason for concern, but the actual source of the problem is usually…
With increased awareness about environmentally-useful recovery processes, not much thought is given to post-industrial plastic recycling. Most are familiar with post-consumer plastics like bottles, packaging and other household items that are placed in bins to be picked up, with varying degrees of efficiency, by municipal trash collection. Less familiar, but still a useful way of eliminating waste, is material that comes directly from a factory. Post-industrial plastic scrap comes in…
One of the hottest markets in home furnishings is the the recycled plastic patio furniture niche. When you consider that the average household in the U.S. disposes of over 2 lbs of plastic on a daily basis you can appreciate the fact that there is no shortage of material for manufacturing these popular products. As a matter of fact, over 100,000 lbs of scrap plastic per day is kept out…
One of the earliest recycling innovations is carpeting made from recycled plastic bottles. Growth has been substantial and today a company like Mohawk Flooring is processing over 8 million bottles each day provided by recycling facilities all over the U.S. Arriving in bales at the manufacturing plant, the bottles are separated into clear and color batches. Without this kind of separation all the resulting carpets would be colored green. Slicing…
Despite concerns about plastic pollution, particularly when it comes to recycling plastic shopping bags, there is a flourishing industry that is providing solutions to many environmental concerns. Plastic bags, much like the paper ones, are flimsy and can be blown about by the wind, littering the landscape. Additionally, even when they are tossed randomly into local recycling bins, there can be a problem when combined with other plastic materials because…
Hard plastic flooring has many benefits for the discerning home improvement enthusiast and, in many instances, the product can be environmentally friendly, as it is often made in part from recycled materials. While it is commonly installed in heavily trafficked venues like stores, schools and hospitals, many homeowners appreciate its clean and resilient qualities. Plastic tiles and planking have a variety of styles to choose from, with tile, ceramic, stone,…