A couple of years ago there were a few news articles explaining the miserable track record of recycling post-consumer plastics in this country. It turns out that, despite everything recycling advocates had told us, less than 10% of all post-consumer plastics were actually recycled. But does that mean recycling plastic is impossible? No.
I am guessing you are familiar with the proverb that says, “where there is a will, there is a way.” It is a pretty common English idiom that suggests we can figure out a way to do whatever we really want to do – including recycling plastic. There is proof all around us. The fact that we don’t do it is a reflection of our collective lack of will.
Post-Industrial Plastic Recycling
There are plenty of examples proving that recycling plastic is possible. Let us start with post-industrial plastic recycling, the very practice on which Seraphim Plastics’ business is built. Seraphim has been recycling post-industrial plastics in seven states for years. They do quite well. Guess what? They are not alone. There are plenty of other post-industrial plastic recyclers making good money.
Any of them could accept PET water and juice bottles. Did you know that PET is the most recycled plastic in the world? It is easily recycled and can be put back into the manufacturing stream almost endlessly.
At Seraphim Plastics, one of the things they readily accept is scrap generated by injection mold manufacturing. The scrap is reduced to pellets and then sold to manufacturers as regrind. The regrind is mixed with virgin plastic to create new products.
Products Made With Recycled Plastic
Additional proof that plastic recycling can work is found in the many items manufacturers currently make using recycled plastic. In some cases, they use 100% recycled materials. In other cases, they combine recycled material with virgin plastic. Here are some of those items:
- Clothing and Accessories – All sorts of clothing and accessories are manufactured using recycled plastic. Things like jackets and leggings are made with PET scraps. Sneakers, shoes, and boots contain their fair share of recycled plastics as well.
- Household Goods – You probably have a tremendous amount of recycled plastic in your home by way of certain household goods. Take carpets, rugs, and mats, they contain a healthy dose of recycled PET. You might also want to take a look at your furniture and tableware.
- Sporting Goods – The sporting goods industry is a big proponent of recycled plastics. From yoga mats to surfboards to tennis racquets and plastic bats, there is a ton of recycled plastic being used in the sporting goods sector.
- Eyewear – Most eyewear frames are made from plastic. Several companies turn recycled plastic fishing nuts into sunglasses. Others rely on a variety of recycled plastics to make frames for traditional lenses.
- Construction Materials – Even manufacturers of construction materials are getting into the recycled plastic game. If you look hard enough, you can find everything from wall panels to exterior fence sections made at least partially from recycled plastic.
While it is true that fewer than 10% of all post-consumer plastics never get recycled, our failure to recycle is more a reflection of our own collective will rather than a recycling concept itself. We have positive proof that plastic recycling can work. It doesn’t work right now because we don’t have the will to do it.
Remember that next time you hear someone talking about the evils of plastic. Plastic is actually one of the best manufacturing materials we have ever come up with. It can be recycled effectively. There is proof all around us.
