Recycling Plastics
Plastic facts
- In 2008/09 over 3,200 tonnes of plastic bottles were recycled in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
- We now use about 20 times more plastic than we did 50 years ago
- There are 30 different common types of plastics
- Three types (that make plastic bottles) can be recycled in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
- Recycling just one plastic bottle saves enough energy to power a 60W bulb for six hours
- It takes 25 two-litre bottles to make one adult size fleece
What happens to my plastic bottles?
- Plastic bottles are collected, squashed and baled
- The bales are sent to recycling plants in the UK and abroad
- At the recycling plant the bottles are sorted, shredded or granulated and cleaned
- The flakes or granules are then melted and moulded or spun to make new products
Buy recycled – recycled plastic has many uses
It is important to buy products made from recycled materials to keep the markets alive!
The following items can be made from recycled plastic:
- Polyethylene bin liners and carrier bags
- Plastic bottles
- Flooring and window frames
- Building insulation board
- Fencing and garden furniture
- Video and compact disc cassette cases
- Water butts, garden sheds and composters
- Seed trays
- Fleeces
- Fibre filling for sleeping bags and duvets
- A variety of office accessories
Frequently Asked Questions
Q) How can I reduce the amount of plastic I use?
A) There are several ways you can do this:
- Try to buy an alternative product that is packaged in reusable or recyclable containers
- Use lunch boxes and reusable sandwich bags rather than shrink-wrap
- Reuse plastic shopping bags; better still use a plastic ‘bag for life’ or a cotton shopping bag
- Buy goods, such as fruit and veg, loose where possible rather than pre-packed. Shopping at your local market will help and you may find locally produced food too!
Q) How can I recycle plastic bottles?
A) Most local authorities now collect plastic bottles from the kerbside. Please check out your recycling scheme for recycling services related to plastic bottles.
Q) How do I know which types of plastic to recycle?
A) Simply, all clean plastic bottles, without lids, can be recycled. This includes drinks, toiletries and cleaning products.
Q) Why do the councils only collect plastic bottles?
A) Local councils have to consider both environmental and financial factor when collecting materials and can only collect materials for which there are markets, otherwise they will not be recycled! The current market is focused on bottles.
However, there are currently huge investments being made in Britain into plastics recycling technology to help our domestic recycling facilities cope with the variety of plastics in use. It won’t be long before more efficient recycling systems for all different types of plastic packaging are developed.
Q) Can bottle tops be recycled?
A) No. Please remove the lids and squash the bottles. The tops are made from a different type of plastic and there are no markets for them at present.
Q) Do I have to squash the bottles and why?
A) 'Un-squashed' bottles will still be collected but, as bottles are lightweight and bulky, squashing them means more can fit into your box, bin or recycling bank, more can be transported at one time, reducing emissions, and it will prevent them blowing away!
