soa e20 ‘The Cont Pee Rage ree Rate Tae Sane The plastic recycling process steps 4. Collection + distribution ‘Tho fist step in the mechanical recycling process isthe collection of post-consumer materia rom homes, businesses, and Institutions, This ean be done by ether lal government or private companies, wih the latte offen a popular opton for businesses, ‘Another option i taking plastics to communal collection points such as designated rocycing bins o facies. This may be as simple as a botle bank on a sent comer or as complex asa local waste ste wih lage areas fo various recyclable and non- Tecyelable munespal sold waste (MSW). 2, Sorting + categorizing ‘The net step inthe plastic recycling process is sorting. There are soveral diferent types of plastic (see Below), which nocd to bo soparatod from each ther by rooycers. Furor to that, pasties might be sorted by other properties such as color thickness, and use. Ths done by machines alte reeycing plant ana is ah important stop to nevease the ficiency of plants anc avoid the contamination of end products 3. Washing Washing i a crucial stop in the plastic ocycting process since Itremoves some ofthe impure thal an impede the operation, or completely run a batch trecycled plaste. The impurtes targeted n his Stop commonly include ngs such as product labels And adhesives as well as dt ard food residue, While lasts oten washed at hs stage, mporiant to Femember that tis doesn take away fom the Importance af ensuring lastics are as fee from spol and cllecton. 4. Shredding he wats onbbythoconate evacyocnedtsza ean ‘he comple Pte Rect Paces Rene Tree Sons ‘The plastic i then ed into shredders, which break it down Into much smaller pieces. These smaller pleces,unlke formed plastc products, canbe processed in he nex stages for reuse. Adconaly, the resizea plastic leces can be used for other Spplcations without further processing, suchas an adeve within aszhal! or simaly sold as a raw mato Breaking down the plastic into smaller pieces aso allows for any remaining imouriis to be found. This s esoucaly rue ‘of eontaminants such as meta, which may not have been remaved by washing bul en be easly collczed with a magnet at ‘this stage, oO oO 5. Identification and separation of plastics Hore the plastic pieces are tested for their clase and qualty. Fist, ey ao segregated bbasod on density, whichis esi by foaing the particles of plastcin a contanor of walter. This folowed by @ test for whats known as the a classieaon, which Getermines the thickness ofthe plastic paces. tis done by placing ihe shredded plastic Inte a wind tone, with thinner piocesfoaing while largrituckerpeces stay atthe bottom, 6. Extruding + compounding ‘This ial plastic reeling process step is where the particles of shredded paste are ansformed into a Usable produc or manufactures. The shredéed Plast melled and crushed togater ta form polets. is worth noting tat tis not alvays possible {o compound al ypes,cassfeation, and quales of Plast ata single plan, so aforont graces a plastic fre sometimes sen fo other racyelng felis for ths final step. he mats ombbathocenate coercion!