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If you own a business of any kind, you probably generate some form of waste, whether it’s boxes that contain reams of paper, discarded plastic bags, or the contents of a crowded warehouse. But where does all of this waste go? Hopefully, you have enlisted the services of a waste management company in Westville, IN, to haul all waste and recyclables away from your property. Once your business is cleared of all the junk that has crowded your business, looked unappealing, or even stunk up the place, you can conduct your business far more successfully. But what happens to all of it? Take recyclable plastics such as soda bottles, for example. Few people know what happens to these products once a recycling removal service takes them away. A recent article in The Atlantic explored the journey that plastics make from recycling hauling to a wide variety of destinations, forms, and industries around the planet. Here are the fascinating details. The Odd Nature of Plastic Plastic was first developed to be a cheap, flexible, long-lasting, and versatile alternative to materials like wood and steel. Plastic has certainly met these expectations—and in terms of its lifespan, it far exceeded them. Plastic resists composition; some scientists that it takes over 500 years to break down. This means that every plastic product your business has ever used exists somewhere, in some shape, on the planet. Where It Goes When It's Gone Once plastic recyclables are picked up, a waste management company will deliver them to a recycling facility, a large facility that processes recyclables. Though they are referred to as recycling plants, only part of the recycling process occurs in these facilities. Rather than processed and refined, the products are sorted and stray garbage is filtered out. In addition, plastics that are too dirty or damaged will be discarded. The plastics deemed appropriate for re-use will travel through a series of conveyor belts to be sorted by type, construction, and color. At this point, plastics take on a new name. Rather than trash or recyclables, intact and recyclable plastics become "post-consumer goods." They will enter a different market for sales and distribution. The Post-Consumer Market Once the plastics change hands to private companies—who stock recyclable plastics in the same way your office would stock up on paper and computers—they have a wide variety of uses and undergo various transformations. Independent recycling facilities may grind plastics into versatile flakes called rPET, an ingredient for many plastic products. Other plastics can be reused in their current shape. According to the report in The Atlantic, 70 billion pounds of post-consumer plastic is used to make carpet and clothing annually, and about 30 billion pounds become packaging and bags to be stocked in retail outlets anew. Occasionally, independent companies will reuse plastic bottles with minimal recycling. This is particularly common in China, a large purchaser of post-consumer plastic from the United States. The Price of Post-Consumer Plastics Due to the energy input required to process, recycle, and build post-consumer plastic products, it is often more expensive for companies to purchase post-consumer plastics than "virgin plastics"—fresh and unused plastic substances. However, eco-consciousness is now more widespread than ever, and companies like Walmart that are moving to use more post-consumer plastics in their stores' products are enjoying the publicity and consumer loyalty that comes with reliance on recycled goods. This, along with recycling plastics back to the post-consumer market, is increasingly beneficial for companies in all industries. Simply put, environmental consciousness is good for both business and the planet. That is the journey plastic products make from waste/recycling disposal back to consumers like you. A waste management company in Westville, IN, can help you go green by hauling your recyclables, even on a same-day basis. You can publicize your commitment to recycling for great community standing. Thanks to recycling services that keep plastics and other products out of landfills, the planet will thank you, too. Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/12/what-actually-happens-to-a-recycled-plastic-bottle/418326/
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