How Can Recycling Plastic Help?
Of the typical items we recycle (paper, aluminum, glass and plastic), plastic is the most complicated. Despite that, there are many benefits to recycling plastic and doing so helps the overall environment.
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Landfill Space
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One of the most important ways that recycling plastic helps the environment is that it reduces the amount of solid waste going into landfills. Landfills are filling up and the cost of disposal continues to rise. Recycling 1 ton of plastic saves over 7 cubic yards of landfill space.
Energy Conservation
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Recycling PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic saves a lot of energy. PET is designated with the numeral "1" inside the recycling logo. Most water and drink bottles are made with PET, and recycling 1 lb. of it can save up to 12,000 BTUs of energy. Making new plastic products from recycled ones uses about two-thirds less energy.
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Greenhouse Gas Reduction
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According to Earth911, using recycled material instead of virgin raw materials when making plastic products reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
New Products
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Many new and more durable products can be made from recycled plastic. Besides using recycled materials to make new food and drink containers, recycled plastic can be used to make textiles, decking, siding and packaging.
Job Creation
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Recycling plastic can also create jobs. It's estimated that six times as many jobs can be created by recycling materials rather than sending them to a landfill.
Finding a Recycling Center
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To find out where you can recycle your plastic, click on the Earth911.com link in the Resources section. Enter "plastic" in the "What" section and your zip code in the "Where" section.
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