Everyone know plastic is everywhere. On shelves, at home, in trash, landfill, and burned. But as years go by, we don't take responsibility of our actins of how and where to recycle plastic. every month to years we put plastic in landfill and mostly burned. But there is a reason why curtain plastic is difficult to handle for both disposing and recycling process.
There is 2 different plastic family. thermoplastic & thermosetting. thermoplastic has the ability to reheat the material until it becomes malleable or liquid to recast, remold, and reuse. for thermosetting is a one time plastic. once it is heated it can be molded and cast. But when it is cured and cooled, it cannot re-melt but give a strong structure.
We all know thermoplastic can be recycle with a symbol in hidden areas. the one with a triangle arrow with numbers 1 to 7 or short description. e.g. PLA, PETE, HDPE, and PVC. These plastic are recyclable and yes they can be re-melted. But they did not say what condition. for example, #1 plastic bottle and #2 HDPE cartons are recyclable and they can accept them with few condition such as few liquids inside, they can re-rinse the inside and clean them with factory solutions. However, if they are left untreated by customers if the inside is molded and rotten. and if they tried to recycle it. What does the factory do, they throw it away to trash for burning.
Another example for curtain plastic, if you have kitchen appliances, plastic toys, food storage of plastic bags and tote box, apparel storage such as tote boxes, and plastic related items and products. In cities and populated area they are thrown in trash and where the trash factory is located. They can be recycle, but in curtain conditions. If plastic are slight ok, they can be recycle with the number assigned. But if they are not recycle because they are thermoset they have to be burn. Another is the condition of the plastic with contaminates, mold, deteriorate from direct sunlight, small items that is missed, and more reasons. They have to burn or set in landfill if they become brittle and crumble. Including furniture's and appliances that is plastic material. That will be discuss in another article.
Then for small populated areas they have no choice but to burn them. Picture this in your head of what goes in the trash. your first thing you throw is plastic bag from coming back from the store. Then throw in another plastic from the vegetables and fruits storage. Plastic storage from meat process and maybe meat sandwich. After that you dig in your lunch bag and found moldy food in plastic bag and throw that in trash. Then your plastic item is broken such as a calculator. Broken earphones even though this is the future with Bluetooth product. Then dusty and old appliances your doing spring cleaning. Old clothes that one bag is clean, but another bag has a small hole with mouse nest and feces. Then you throw away your rug and incline chair that is old. You get idea of what items in the plastic bag and now become a large trash outside. But when they toss them in the 50 gallon steel barrel and burn them. They are releasing toxins in the air and mainly releasing carbon in the air mixing oxygen that create carbon monoxide. But not only that your burning other contaminants such as plastic chemicals, feces, and rotted items. Even though there is small trace of other chemicals, but they are toxic gas develop. But They have no choice even though you throw your trash in the can. curtain factories will still trash them and burn them.
And finally, factory choice and plastic choice. If the factory does/do recycle. It depends on the demand for material selection. depends what plastic is piled more, such as #1 and #2 is used more they can be recycle back. But if it's rare such as #7 and # 6, it's not a big deal because it is a few. Another is the work put in to sort, clean, and recycle plastic. The big spend with these options is massive because of contaminates inside the plastic, sorting through that take man power to check individually, and how the plastic is recycle. for example #2 plastic is easy to clean the inside or can be melted down to use for another product. For #1 is difficult because when it is melted and cool down it become very brittle and cannot be reuse again unless their is a different approach. This will be discuss in another topic about plastic melting condition and results.
That is a problem with plastic now and it is demanding on plastic material. Some have to burn due to contaminants, molds, condition of it if they are worn down, and what need to be recycle depends on the factory or plastic product. Another is the demand in the market for these material that is costly for cleaning, sorting, and condition. And finally what is recycled and what not to be recycle.
in conclusion: don't use plastic at all. There has been alternatives before plastic was invented. Remember back when your mom and dad cook food and store them. Remember the type of storage they use to transport. And when landfill is clear and clean. Well because the products before were functional such as ceramic, glass, and porcelain are used toward kitchen and bathroom products and they last a few longer. But easy cleanup when plastic leave scratch surface and contain contaminants. Metal such as stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and bronze replace plastic for transport, kitchen, structure monuments, and stronger components. And wood toward construction, products, and kitchen. Curtain materials has a pro and cons on how long they last, condition, performance, proper use, and eliminate plastic. Paper storage was used, but still has cons with contaminants. But these materials still have cons, that will be discuss in another article.
But when you use plastic, make sure you do it responsibility to throw your plastic in trash and we'll take care of the rest. But also no choice due to other contaminants that has to be burn and throw away. Materials will always have issues with pros and cons. But they can be recycle with limitations depends what approach is used.
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