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Can plastic be green?
Plastic is a material which hasn’t received good press over the past few years. It’s fair to say that it is a tough time for companies producing plastic products. It's not necessarily bad news though as a lot of plastic used can be easily recycled and we can work to reduce our use of plastic which isn't so easy to re-use.
PLASTIC CATEGORIES
Concerns about plastic range from the ever-lasting, indestructible plastic entering oceans, being consumed by fish and other sea creatures and then ending up in our food chain.
Other issues relate to the pollution caused by the burning of plastic to the difficulties of recycling the material itself.
Let’s start by looking at which plastics can be recycled easily. In most countries plastic for recycling is divided into seven categories.
HOW EASY IS IT TO RECYCLE PLASTIC PRODUCTS?
The easiest of all plastics to recycle is PET, usually indicated by the number 1. Many water bottles and popular consumer products are PET and after recycling they can become a range of new products from balls to combs, more plastic bottles and furniture.
Number 2 is HDPE, high-density polyethylene plastics. In the home, these are found in containers which might hold stronger liquids like shampoos and detergents. These plastics can be recycled and can be recycled into toys and piping fairly easily.
V is for Vinyl which is number 3 on the list. Pipes, plastic curtains and tubing is often in this category. After recycling these can later become flooring and more piping. Much industrial plastic falls into this category.
Number 4 is LDPE, low-density polyethylene which is usually found in thin plastics like film and bags. This type of plastic represents a large amount of consumer use of plastic so is therefore an important one to focus on.
Number 5 is PP, polypropylene which is what you’ll see in most food containers and many plastic cups. This plastic is sometimes difficult to recycle because it is frequently combined with other products.
Meanwhile, number 6 is PS, polystyrene. This can be a difficult plastic to recycle because contaminants like dirt and liquids mean that the products are often discarded rather than recycled. Coffee cups, disposable cutlery and foams often fall into this category.
RECYCLING PROBLEMS
The final category isn’t really a category as it includes combinations of the other plastics or types of plastics which aren’t frequently used. This group is often labeled number 7 or given no category. These can be very difficult to recycle. A few areas may attempt to recycle these types of plastics but, more often than not, they are re-purposed or thrown into the general garbage. Consumers today try to avoid buying this group of plastics.
Obviously, we should try to reduce our use of plastic where possible and especially try to eliminate the use of plastics in number 6 and 7 groups. There are also other things we can do to ensure our use of plastic is less damaging. Cutting out single use plastics is an easy step most people can take. Not buying bottled water or using plastic straws is one way. Considering wood in the home instead of plastic products for flooring and walls will make a difference too. Switching your plastic shampoos and soaps for solid alternatives may help. Bringing your own (paper or cotton) bags when you go shopping is a step in the right direction as well as buying products in bulk rather than single items.
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