PLASTIC RECYCLING – WHAT, WHY AND
HOW? By
Pratima Pandey
On
World
Environment Day
2019

India generates 1,00,000 metric tonnes
of waste per day. (TOI)…
Where does it go?

Open Burning...or…
Emission of smoke,
dioxins, furans and
other chemical
gases
Settles on
crops,
livestock, air,
and water
Cancer, breathing,
nervous system
problems, etc.

Landfills…or…
Filth
Diseases
Global warming and climate change
• It’s serious…Heat and cold waves,
rising seas….More in NatGeo

Drains, rivers…Ocean!
Great Pacific Patch –
Three times size of Spain
Therefore…

-WHAT Is Recycling?
Recycling is the process of
converting waste materials
into new materials and
objects.
(Wikipedia)

WHY Recycle?

HOW RecyclingWorks?
Collection and
Processing
Manufacturing
Purchasing New
Products Made
from Recycled
Materials
(EPA)

WhatAll Can Be Recycled?
Plastics
Glass
Metal
Paper
Cardboard
Batteries
Tyre(EPA)

Why Plastic Recycling –What IfWe
DON’T?
Coca Cola produces 0.2 million
bottles every minute.(The
Guardian)
In Kerala alone, 3.3 million
plastic straws used every day
(The Hindu).
About 40% of plastics we use is
single use plastic (BBC).
Ganga ranks second in the
world in terms of plastic it
transports to ocean---0.1
million tons per year.(Nat Geo)
Thirteen million tons of plastic
flow into oceans every year
(ET)
One million seabirds die every
year affected by plastic debris.
(UNESCO)

Pause…. And
think…
Should we burn or incinerate plastic
waste …or dump it…or recycle it…

HOW Is Plastic Recycling Done?

What Can Be Made Of Recycled Plastics?
…

Commonly Used Plastics – CanThey Be
Recycled?
Water
bottles
Milk
bottles
Shampoo
bottles
Juice
bottles
Bottle
caps
Category 1;
MostlyYes
Category 2;
MostlyYes
Disclaimer: Analysis results based on internet research; may vary based on location; contents need to be rinsed before disposal of containers for recycling!
Category 2;
MostlyYes
Category 1 or
2; Mostly yes
Category 5;
Maybe

Commonly Used Plastics – CanThey Be
Recycled?
Plastic
straws
Grocery
bags
Chips
packaging
Styrofoam
cups
Online
packaging
Category 5;
Practically
difficult
Category 4 and
multilayered;
Practically
difficult
Category 4;
Practically
difficult
Category 6;
Rarely
Difficult; yet
try separating
paper from
plastic mailers
Disclaimer: Analysis results based on internet research; may vary based on location; contents need to be rinsed before disposal of containers for recycling!

Green Learnings!
Reduce - Before buying a new stuff
– ask yourself…Do I really need it?
Refuse Plastics
– When you can!
Reduce use of single-use plastic ---straws,
spoons, plates! Use steel, glass utensils instead!
Choose your plastics - Reduce
use of non-recyclables.

Green Learnings – Contd.
Once bought, reuse plastics,
whenever it is safe for health.
Rinse plastics before
giving away for recycling.
When given a choice, opt for
things made of recycled material.
Spread awareness on
plastic waste management.

Let’s make the right choices – Let’s be the
Change!

ThankYou!

Appendix 1- Can All Plastics Be
Recycled?...Not Really!
Category 1 – PET –
commonly
recycled
Category 2 – HDPE
– commonly
recycled
Category 3 – PVC –
sometimes
recycled
Category 4 – LDPE
– sometimes
recycled
Category 5 – PP –
occasionally
recycled
Category 6 – PS –
commonly
recycled but
DIFFICULT
Category 7 –
Miscellaneous –
DIFFICULT to
recycle
(SPI, 1988)
Disclaimer: Analysis results based on internet research; may vary based on location; contents need to be rinsed before disposal of containers for recycling!

Appendix 2 – Links in order of appearance
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-generates-100000-metric-tonnes-of-
waste-per-day/articleshow/57917862.cms
• https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-
waste/municipal-solid/environment/open-burning-garbage-health-risks.html
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-
effects/
• https://www.businessinsider.in/The-giant-garbage-vortex-in-the-Pacific-Ocean-is-over-
twice-the-size-of-Texas-heres-what-it-looks-like/articleshow/63435843.cms
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling
• https://www.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics
• https://www.epa.gov/recycle/how-do-i-recycle-common-recyclables

Appendix 2 (Contd.)
• https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/mar/14/coca-cola-admits-it-produces-3m-
tonnes-of-plastic-packaging-a-year
• https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/the-last-
straw/article19523610.ece
• https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43051153
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/02/india-single-use-plastic-bans-
maharashtra-tamil-nadu/
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/paper-/-wood-/-glass/-
plastic/-marbles/our-plastic-pollution-problem/articleshow/64420276.cms
• http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/ioc-oceans/focus-areas/rio-20-
ocean/blueprint-for-the-future-we-want/marine-pollution/facts-and-figures-on-marine-
pollution/