Plastics are recycled through a seven-step recycling process. N.E.W. Plastics Corp. reconverts its own plastic waste, but buys most of its recycled plastics from other North American recyclers - after it has gone through all seven steps below:
- Inspection
Workers inspect the plastic trash for contaminants like rock and glass, and for plastics that the plant cannot recycle.
- Chopping and Washing
The plastic is washed and chopped into flakes.
- Flotation Tank
If mixed plastics are being recycled, they are sorted in a floatation tank, where some types of plastic sink and others float.
- Drying
The plastic flakes are dried in a tumble dryer.
- Melting
The dried flakes are fed into an extruder, where heat and pressure melt the plastic. Different types of plastics melt at different temperatures.
- Filtering
The molten plastics forced through a fine screen to remove any contaminants that slipped through the washing process. The molten plastic is then formed into strands.
- Pelletizing
The strands are cooled in water, and then chopped into uniform pellets. Manufacturing companies buy the plastic pellets from recyclers to make new products. Recycled plastics can be made into flowerpots, lumber, carpeting, and more.
Source: Energy Information Administration
|
