Is every plastic recyclable?

Question

I want to know if it is cheaper to recycle, or just make new plastic for people who manufacture these products

Answer 1

Yes and no. Every plastic is theoretically recylable, but they have to be done differently. So the first task is to sort out the different types.

Many places consider this more trouble than its worth, and so it's cheaper to just make new plastic than to sort out the stuff you've got.

I think some new technology has eased this a bit, but still much of it is just buried, because it's not cost effective to figure out which plastic is which.

Answer 2

No all plastic are recyclable. It needs a very, very long time(probably a hundred thousand or a million years) for plastic to decompose naturally. The burning of plastic would also release toxic gases.

Now,there is a type of biodegradable plastic which can be decomposed by a certain type of bacteria.

It is more expensive to recycle, compared to the manufacture of new plastic.

Answer 3

Depends on what plastic they are made of, they are recyclable. Don't throw them away. Recycle it along with the bottle. Be aware that volume wise the bottle has more value in recycling than the cap.

Answer 4

There are about 50 different groups of plastics, with hundreds of different varieties. All types of plastic are recyclable. To make sorting and thus recycling easier, the American Society of Plastics Industry developed a standard marking code to help consumers identify and sort the main types of plastic. These types and their most common uses are:

PET- Polyethylene terephthalate - Fizzy drink bottles and oven-ready meal trays.

HDPE-High-density polyethylene - Bottles for milk and washing-up liquids.

PVC-Polyvinyl chloride - Food trays, cling film, bottles for squash, mineral water and shampoo.

LDPE-Low density polyethylene - Carrier bags and bin liners.

PP-Polypropylene - Margarine tubs, microwaveable meal trays.

PS-Polystyrene - Yoghurt pots, foam meat or fish trays, hamburger boxes and egg cartons, vending cups, plastic cutlery, protective packaging for electronic goods and toys.

OTHER-Any other plastics that do not fall into any of the above categories. - An example is melamine, which is often used in plastic plates and cups.

Actually, recycling helps in different ways and is cheaper than manufacturing new plastic/polythene products.
1) reduction of energy consumption by two-thirds
2) production of only a third of the sulphur dioxide and half of the
nitrous oxide
3) reduction of water usage by nearly 90%
4) reduction of carbon dioxide generation by two-and-a-half times

So.....go for recycling!!! Its for the best!!! :)

Answer 5

Yes plastic recyclable. But it cause some environmental effects.

Answer 6

Most plastics are, all should be. The idea behind recycling is to help reduce the amount of non-biodegradable products going into landfill (garbage dumps and such) and getting in the sewer systems, oceans etc, harming/killing wildlife.

Answer 7

No, every plastic is not recyclable.
There are two broad catagories of polymers in accordance with their behaviour on heating:
1.Thermoplast : can be solidified & melted repeatedly upon heating without damage.These are the true plastics.(PP,HDPE,LDPE)
2.Thermoset : can be solidified once but will not melt upon heating without damage. So, thermoset plastics cant be recycled for re-use.
You must click:
http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~chem152/lab152/polymers/therms.pdf

Answer 8

i think recycle is cheaper

Answer 9

yes it is recyclable