Is plastic recyclable

Recycling plastic has become more important than ever because it allows consumers to reuse their plastic waste and it won’t end up in a landfill. On this page we would like to give you a deeper insight into plastic recycling. We did some research and came across the following information. 

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What is the percentage of plastic is recycled?

According to National Geographic, 91 % of plastic isn’t recycled, which means that plastic waste lands in landfills. Microplastics occur from the breakdown of plastic products, which are dangerous and can be found in air, water, food, and human blood.

Just 9 % of plastic waste has been recycled.

By 2050, 12 billion metric tons of plastic will be produced in landfills worldwide. Furthermore, National Geographic says that this amount is approximately 35,000 times as heavy as the Empire State Building.

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How many times can plastic be recycled

Plastics aren’t biodegradable, because they have consisted of several different polymer types. For that reason, it is impossible to recycle the plastic types together. With that being said, when plastic is recycled, the polymer chain grows shorter, which means the quality decreases.

To answer this question, most plastics can be recycled once or twice – sometimes even three times, before they are downcycled and converted into clothing or other products.

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What numbers of plastic are recyclable

A fact that you may didn’t know yet: 

Did you know that the well-known “recycling-code symbols” of plastic with the number inside the triangles were started by the Society of Plastics Industry (SPI) to identify the plastic resin content and not for recycling? 

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Generally speaking, there are seven types of plastics. Just because the presence of the resin code, doesn’t mean that the plastic can be recycled.   

• Plastic that can be recycled: 1, 2, 4, 5
• Plastic that is not recyclable: 3, 6, 7

Here is more information about the different plastic types to help you identify each plastic and what it will be recycled into.

Plastic Identification	Abbreviation	Recycling plastics
01	PET Polyethylenterephthalat	Most common plastic for disposable beverage bottles. Recycled into: fibers, furniture, food containers as long as it does not contain hazardous contaminants.
02	HDPE Polyethylen High-Density	Can be found in particular in the packaging sector. Recycled to: drainpipes, shampoo bottles, recycling bins.
03	PVC  Polyvinylchlorid	Can be found in vinyl records or for making window frames. Recycled into: flooring, cables, toys such as plastic dolls, speed bumps. Note: Never burn PVC as it can release toxins (Hydrogen Chloride “Hydrochloric Acid”).
04	LDPE Polyethylen Low-Density	Can be found in shopping bags or furniture. Recycled into: garbage bags , lumber, floor tiles.
05	PP Polypropylen	Especially in some yogurt containers or straws. Recycled into: brushes, bike stands, trays.
06	PS Polystyrol	Also known as Styrofoam and can be found in egg cartons or meat trays, for example. Recycled into: foam packaging, insulation, plastic cutlery.
07	O Other	Can be found in sunglasses or cell phone cases. Recycled into: custom made products.

Tip: You can download our free recycling code infographic and may also want to check out how the recycling process of plastic works.

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Excellent solution for companies

Many companies would like to replace plastic for their shipping of products.

With the help of a cardboard shredder, you can easily produce old cardboard boxes in environmentally friendly packaging and thus replace them with plastic. The purchase is worthwhile if you want to give your old boxes a second life, as the investment pays for itself after a short time.

• » No bubble wrap
• » No packaging chips

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Plastic Baler

Another option is to purchase a plastic baler that presses plastics into bales. The machine is beneficial for the environment and the company’s finances.