3 ms·
Many plastics can’t even be recycled. And the symbol on bottles for example looks like a recycling symbol but it isn’t. Only the number on the symbol indicates
by phero_cnstrcts 3y ago
Many plastics can’t even be recycled. And the symbol on bottles for example looks like a recycling symbol but it isn’t. Only the number on the symbol indicates wether a bottle can / will be recycled. And most don’t.
- nine_k 3y agoPET and polyethylene, which comprise most of the bottle material around me, can be recycled almost perfectly. Aluminum would recycle even more perfectly, but it takes a bit more energy to melt.
- orev 3y agoOnce you factor in all the energy and materials required to actually recycle those plastics (water to clean, fuel to transport, personnel to sort, etc.), the act of recycling plastic itself is a net loss. And that’s only if you can find someone to actually do it, since the resulting recycled product is usually more expensive than using virgin material. Aluminum on the other hand takes so much energy to mine that the cost and effort of recycling makes it far more desirable to use the recycled version and is well worth the effort.
- nine_k 3y agoI also suppose that removing any impurities from aluminum is somehow easier than from plastics, so you can make high-grade aluminum from metal scrap, but only lower-grade plastic from plastic scrap.