We are all aware of the damage plastics can have on the environment and that we should be recycling wherever possible. However, with so many different rules regarding the best way to recycle and reuse and also so many different types of plastic, the whole thing can be extremely confusing and overwhelming. Here is our definitive guide to recycling plastics .
What are plastics?
To start off with, we want to understand exactly what is meant by the term plastic, as it covers a myriad of things. The properties of plastic mean that they can be moulded into practically anything, from forks to straws to cars. Although all of these are classed under the umbrella term of plastic, there are in fact many different types. Here we describe some of the different types.
• Epoxy resin filler is a type of plastic that becomes hard after only a few minutes and can be placed into wood that has rotted away
• D30 is a soft plastic that hardens once it has been suddenly hit. This type of plastic is often used for sports equipment as it can provide added protection
• Fibreglass is a combination of plastic and glass and is often used for constructing methods of transport such as boats or cars
Plastics are formed from polymers which are compounds made from combining monomers. Depending on the different monomers chosen, different plastics are created which all have their own specific properties. Plastics also act differently when they are heated. Thermoplastics (such as water bottles and plastic toys) soften and bend when heated, whereas others, known as thermosets, will never soften (for example, epoxy resin and polyurethane).
In order to properly recycle plastic, a person must have an understanding of what type of plastic it is. Plastics need to be placed with others of their kind before they are recycled.
You may not even realise that some items contain plastic. For example, the material tights are made from, Nylon, is in fact a plastic, but isn't what usually springs to mind when you imagine plastic.
Why is plastic problematic
Although some plastics can be recycled, overall plastic is a huge problem because they are as a whole synthetic. Since they do not naturally form in nature, animals and other forms of life have not yet adapted to them being in their environment. The disposable nature of many plastics means that they often end up in our landscapes and oceans, causing significant damage to our wildlife.
Some plastic can also be extremely toxic when they are heated. Certain chemicals can be exuded from the plastic which can end up in the air or going into the ground, which can bring significant health issues.
Why is recycling plastic important?
As it can take up to 1,000 years for plastic to degrade, landfills cannot cope with plastics. Therefore, it is imperative that plastic is recycled whenever possible. By recycling plastics we are conserving energy as new plastic is not being created from scratch, we are avoiding plastic ending up in our natural environments, we are limiting pollution and also reducing greenhouse gases.
These are merely a few of the benefits to recycling plastics so it is a no brainer that everyone should be doing their part. However, unfortunately, it is not always simple. We regularly check items to see if they are recyclable but the symbols can often be confusing. This can lead people to assume the product is not recyclable when in fact it is. Alternatively, it can lead people to automatically assume it is recyclable when it isn't, which can then contaminate the rest of the recycling.
How we can recycle at home
Reuse plastic containers
Before throwing anything away, see if you can use it again. Plastic containers make great storage and saves you buying some new containers.
Save plastic bottles to use in the garden
They can make great watering cans
Squash plastic bottles down
Before placing plastic bottles in the bin, squash them down. Not only does this mean you can fit more in your recycling bin, but it also makes it easier to sort at the recycling plant if the plastics are lying flat.
Remove any food
Rinse out items before placing them in the recycling bin.
Have recycling bins around the house
Do not limit yourself to only having a recycling bin in the kitchen. A lot of waste from bathrooms and home offices can also be recycled. However, many people simply place all the items in the nearest bin and may not think about recycling.
Whilst a plastic-free world is not attainable at the moment as plastics have many positive uses, it is important for us to understand that not all plastics are the same. They need to be treated differently and if we can all do our part at home and at work, we can slowly make recycling second nature.
Guide to Recycling Plastics
9 Ways To Reduce Plastic In Your Beauty Routine
To reduce the plastic we use in beauty routine is not as difficult as it sounds. So why do we focus on food products when we talk about recycling?
The amount of plastic waste we are putting into the oceans is at a catastrophic level. Although governments and large businesses are being asked to radically change, there are also some small changes we can all make. If more of us made these changes, the impact could be significant.
One area of our lives where plastic can be found in high-quantities is our beauty routines. From shampoo bottles to plastic razors and toothbrushes, there are many plastic elements to our beauty routine which cause plastic waste.
Here we discuss 9 ways to easily reduce plastic in your beauty routine.
1. Use recycled packaging
An easy switch to make is by choosing products packaged using recycled materials. Also, choose items that can be reused such as glass products. Buy reusable bottles and instead of buying plastic bottles, more and more people are offering refills.
2. Buy supersized Items
If the items you use are not available in recycled packaging, then buy the larger version. Not only will it work out cheaper for you in the long run, less plastic will be used. Larger bottles of shampoo are less convenient. However, they can be decanted into travel-sized reusable bottles for everyday use.
3. Stop using disposable razors
Invest in a safety razor instead. They look nicer, will last longer and are extremely effective.
4. Switch to a bamboo toothbrush
Unlike their plastic alternatives, bamboo toothbrushes will decompose in only 6 months. This makes them much more environmentally friendly than plastic disposable toothbrushes or electric toothbrush heads.
5. Buy items with no packaging at all
Avoid packaging altogether. Opt for items such as soap boars and solid shampoo bars which do not come in any plastic packaging. Shops such as Lush are offering customers a large range of “Naked” products. These green alternatives help cut back on plastic waste, making it easier for you to reduce plastic in your beauty routine.
6. Use recycling initiatives whereas possible
Some retailers are trialling recycling initiatives. Boots, among other retailers, are trialling a reverse vending machine. Customers are rewarded for bringing back their empty containers. If you have a scheme like this near you, make the most of it!
7. Avoid wipes and other single-use items
Standard makeup wipes, baby wipes and cotton pads are extremely convenient. However, they are not biodegradable so they end up adding to landfill waste. In addition to that, they can take up to a century to decompose. As these items are single-use, they are contributing to a significant amount of waste which will never biodegrade naturally. An alternative is to use a facecloth or buy reusable cotton pads which are machine-washable. Sheet masks should also be avoided as well. Konjac is a great alternative to cotton as it is made of natural materials and is eco-friendly.
8. Choose eco-friendly glitter
Many people incorporate glitter into their beauty routine. This is especially true at festival-goers. It is now possible to buy biodegradable glitter. This means that glitter is not something you need to completely remove from your beauty regime.
9. Recycle
Biochemist Brianne West, the founder of zero waste beauty brand, Ethique, said that “Every year, over 80-billion plastic bottles are disposed of from just shampoo and conditioner alone.” In addition to these, some plastics can take up to 500-years to naturally decompose. Taking these horrific statistics into consideration, being able to reduce our individual plastic waste is a great step in the right direction.
Although adopting a zero-waste strategy may not be possible yet, options are increasingly available to us to reduce plastic in our beauty routines. All we need to do is make some small changes to make a big impact.
To find out more about how we can help you with your waste disposal and recycling needs, please contact us on 0800 083 7807 or visit our website for further information.
24-hour plastic-free challenge – could you do it?
Single-use plastics are often dubbed an ‘unavoidable’ part of our everyday lives. However, from coffee cups and plastic straws to single-use carrier bags there have been plenty of victories in recent years to help curb the mountains of plastic making their way to our oceans, polluting water sources and harming marine life.
Environmental charity Friends Of The Earth is encouraging people to go one-step further and take on a new challenge called Drastic On Plastic. This experiment asks those taking part to take a pledge to avoid single-use plastics for a 24hour period, or as long as they can.
The idea is to start your timer on your phone and leave it running until you use your first piece of single use plastic such as a packaging on food. Once this happens you stop your timer and record your findings on their website. These findings will help to highlight the difficulties people face in reducing plastic waste and where stronger action is needed. Those interested in taking part can register here: foe.uk/0702-timer-challenge.
Friends of the Earth’s plastic-free campaigner Julian Kirby said:
“Lots of companies have made proud claims about reducing plastic - but just how easy is it to avoid plastic bags, cups, bottles and packaging in our everyday lives?
“Take the plastic challenge and find out how long you can go before you have to use an item of throw-away plastic.
“And by letting us know which bit of unwanted plastic ended your challenge, it will help us put pressure on retailers and manufacturers to reduce the waves of pointless plastic pollution that blights our environment and harms our wildlife.
“It’s time for the government to get drastic on plastic - and that’s why we need a new law to ensure tougher action to end the plastic pollution crisis.”
Here at LSPS, recycling is of great importance to us and we help businesses and individuals all across Leicestershire to reduce the amount of their waste that ends up at landfill sites. Our Waste Transfer Station is open to traders and has an extensive range of state-of-the-art equipment.
To find out how about we can help with your waste disposal needs please contact us on 0800 083 7807 or visit our website for further information.
How are the new bottle deposit schemes going to work?
Consultation will take place later this year to look at rolling it out, but how will the scheme actually work? Luckily there are lots of other examples around the world that can give us a clue or two.
The basic premise of a bottle and can deposit scheme is that a levy is added to the cost of any single-use glass or plastic bottle or steel and aluminium can. This extra cost can then be refunded when the bottle or can is returned. This helps to boost recycling and ultimately cut down on waste that goes to landfill or is littered into the environment.
Some factors that are still to be decided are the cost and the price of such a scheme. Across the world there are currently 40 counties that utilize a deposit return scheme as well as 21 US states. The price of the extra cost addition to the drink ranges between 8p and 22p with Germany at the top-end and Sweden the cheapest.
In terms of returning the bottles and cans, most schemes either see collections made at supermarkets and shops where they are purchased, or at automated collection points, typically in easy to access public areas such as supermarket car parks.
Obviously, not everyone will make the effort to return their bottles and cans for a deposit and what happens to the money when this happens varies from country to country. In some cases the money is donated to charities, while in other schemes the money goes back to the producer, retailer or is put towards the costs of running the scheme.
Currently in the UK only 7.5 billion plastic bottles are recycled every year out of the 13 billion sold. Another 15,000,000 are dropped as litter, landfilled or incinerated every day, a process which creates almost 250,000 tonnes of CO2 in the atmosphere. The move towards a recycling scheme has also been welcomed by environmental activists concerned about the effect that plastic waste has on marine life, with recent figures showing that plastic pollution could treble in our seas within the decade unless efforts are taken to keep it in check.
Here at LSPS, recycling is of great importance to us and we help businesses and individuals all across Leicestershire to reduce the amount of their waste that ends up at landfill sites. Our Waste Transfer Station is open to traders and has an extensive range of state of the art equipment.
To find out how about we can help with your waste disposal needs please contact us on 0800 083 7807 or visit our website for further information.
