Studying the Plastic Recycling Facts


Many people unfortunately feel that one person and their recycling habits simply can't make a difference in the overall health of the environment. This couldn't be less true. Obviously, the more people that get into recycling, the better, but every effort, no matter how small, has a positive impact on the world around us. All you have to do is study up on some plastic recycling facts to see what the planet stands to lose if no one were to recycle. Keep in mind that we are only looking at things from the plastics point of view. When you choose to recycle glass, metal, and paper as well, the benefits to the earth become astronomical. Take a look at some of these plastic recycling facts and see the good that is being done everyday.

For those people who say plastic recycling is a waste of time and not aiding the environment at all, they need to study this plastic recycling fact, plastics alone make up about 8% of all municipal waste. It might not sound like a lot, but picture a landfill. In your mind, cut off a little less than 10% of it. That area is nothing but plastics. Now, think of how the landfill would look if none of that plastic were there. By recycling plastics worldwide, tons of landfills would be reduced by 8% and things would indeed look much rosier.

Another one of the interesting plastic recycling facts to think about is that over 1.3 billion pounds of used plastics make their way into the recycling centers across the U.S. every year. That means enough people are making the effort to reshape the planet's future by taking the time to drop their plastic bottles and other products into the correct recycling bins. It also means people are making an attempt to use plastics less when possible. Plastic bottles and household plastics aren't the only ones being recycled. Try this plastic recycling fact on for size. Annually, over 23 million lbs. of those plastic packing peanuts are being sent to recycling centers as well. That is enough plastic peanuts to fill up a building the size of the Empire State Building.

Maybe one person can't do it all by themselves. However, every person working together with others certainly can make a huge difference. It might be that the most exciting of the plastic recycling facts is that communities and the recycling movement are working to together to not only get the post consumer plastics to the recycling center, but to buy the recycled products it's used to make. From carpets to clothing to automobile bumpers, recycled plastics are given new and useful life.