Cycled
Plastics
Plastic Recycling
Markets and Trends
“Plastic’s 101”
Most Common Misconception:
All plastics with the same recycling symbol
are recycled together.
 Examples:

#1PET microwave dish cannot be recycled with
#1 PET soda bottle.
 #4 LDPE butter tub cannot be recycled with #4
dry cleaning bags

Plastic Grades
Blow Molding Grade:

Water and sports drink bottles
Extrusion Grade:

Plastic lumber, vacuum formed trays, clam shell packaging
Film Grade:

Trash/grocery bags, pallet stretch wrap
Injection Grade:

Milk crates, battery cases
High Melt:

Clothing, carpet
Plastic Origins
Post Industrial

Manufacturing waste create during a
process or obsolete / overstock inventory
Plastic Origins
Post Consumer
Has been utilized for its intended use.
 Can be generated by corporations

Plastic Type: #1 PET
Blow grade (sports drink bottles)
Extrusion Grade (food service trays)
Injection grade (engineered moldings)
High Melt (clothing and carpet fiber)
Plastic Type: #2 HDPE
Blow grade (milk, household detergent bottles)
Extrusion Grade (plastic lumber, drainage pipe)
Film Grade (trash/grocery bags)
Injection Grade (milk crates, shipping
containers)
High Melt (stadium cups)
Plastic Type: #3 PVC
Blow grade (household detergent bottles)
Extrusion Grade (home siding, clam shell
packaging, pipe, fence, decking)
Film Grade (medical i.v. bags)
Injection Grade (shoe soles, automotive parts)
Plastic Type: #4 LDPE
Blow grade (squeezable condiment bottles)
Extrusion Grade (plastic lumber)
Film Grade (packaging foam, dry cleaning bags,
food storage bags, garbage bags, stretch film)
Injection Grade (food container lids)
Plastic Type: #5 PP
Blow grade (medicine and food condiment
bottles)
Film Grade (shrink film, potato chip bags)
Injection Grade (packaging foam, bottle caps
and closures, auto bumpers, battery cases)
High Melt (brooms, brushes)
Plastic Type: #6 PS
Extrusion Grade (foam packaging products)
Film Grade (protective film and labels)
Injection Grade (office products, durable goods
components, cd jewel cases)
Recent Trends
Post-consumer plastics recycled has increased every
year since at least 1990.
In 2005, a record 2,102,000,000 pounds1.
1,170 million pounds of PET bottles were recycled in
2005.1
HDPE bottle recycling increased in 2005 to 922 million
pounds.1
All plastic bottles were recycled at a rate of 24 percent in
2005.1
1
American Chemistry Council, “2005 National Post-Consumer Plastic Bottle Recycling Report”. 2006
Rural Obstacles
Lack of Community Support
Limited funds allocated to recycling efforts
Limited facilities and/or capacity
Rural Solutions
Collecting / Recycling now:


Get community leaders involved
Get kids involved
Rural Solutions
Collecting / Recycling now:


Get community leaders involved
Get kids involved
Not Collecting / Recycling now:

Central Collection:


Stage collection bins / containers at local retail sites
Unsorted Curbside Collection


Public / Private partnership for remainder of the process
Regional or consolidated processing facility / CO-OP
Definition: Recycling
1.
Product manufactured with a recyclable plastic?
Definition: Recycling
Product manufactured with a recyclable plastic?
2. Collection efficiency / cost (i.e. curbside, muni drop-off, retail
collection point, etc)
1.
Definition: Recycling
Product manufactured with a recyclable plastic?
2. Collection efficiency / cost (i.e. curbside, muni drop-off, retail
collection point, etc)
3. Established resale market
1.
Definition: Recycling
Product manufactured with a recyclable plastic?
2. Collection efficiency / cost (i.e. curbside, muni drop-off, retail
collection point, etc)
3. Established resale market
4. Self sustaining program
1.
Less Energy
The recycling process must NOT be financially or
environmentally prohibitive in that:


Less DIRECT energy consumed
Less INDIRECT energy expended
Markets
Public / Private partnership
Put it out for bid:



Brokers
Intermediate Processors
Manufacturers
Markets

Brokers



Buy & Sell
Typically do not “touch” the product
Minimum of 35,000 lbs. per truckload
Markets

Intermediate Processors



Grind, Wash, Dry , Pelletize
Mixed truckloads common , lighter weight
Catered programs / Waste Audits
Markets

Manufacturers



Purchase from collectors, brokers, processors
Minimum of 35,0000 lbs. per truckload
More difficult to setup catered collection
Pricing Trends

Relationship of oil / natural gas prices to virgin resin
Pricing Trends


Relationship of oil / natural gas prices to virgin resin
Extreme Weather

Hurricanes Katrina / Rita
Pricing Trends


Relationship of oil / natural gas prices to virgin resin
Extreme Weather


Hurricanes Katrina / Rita
Seasonal / Construction
Summary





Inform your community
Get civic leaders involved
Create a “buzz”
Be creative
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle