All plastic can be recycled, it’s just a case of demand for the recycled product and facilities existing to do it!
5 million tonnes of plastic are used each year in the UK, recycling rates are around 25% with most families throwing away about 40kg of plastic per year, which could otherwise be recycled.
The most common type of plastics that are widely recycled by local councils are type 1 & 2, things such as fizzy drinks bottles and milk cartons, some councils now take type 5 & 6 plastics – yogurt pots, margarine tubs, food trays and plastic plant pots as demand for this type of plastic increases.
This is great because many people use a lot of these products on a daily basis, creating a lot of waste from them
- We produce and use 20 times more plastic today than we did 50 years ago!
- Britain exports 60% of the plastic it generates
- Plastics consumption is growing about 4% every year in western Europe
- The UK uses 4 billion plastic cups each year
After you’ve put your washed out milk carton into a container for recycling what happens to it next?
Used in: Fizzy drinks, mineral water, squashes and cooking oil bottles.
Used in: Milk bottles, washing up liquid, detergents, fabric conditioner, bleach, hair care, bath and shower bottles.
Used in: Cake trays, fruit trays, blister (bubble wrap) packaging and the cling-film used to cover food.
Used in: Squeezy bottles, carrier bags, heavy duty sacks and general packaging.
Used in: Furniture, appliances, luggage, toys, also bumpers, cladding, and exterior car trims.
Used in: Toys, rigid packaging, refrigerator trays, cosmetic packs, costume jewellery, audio cassettes, CD cases and vending cups. Can also be found in an expanded form in packaging and cups.
Used in: An example of one type is Polycarbonate which is used in compact discs and baby feeding bottles.