PLASTIC WASTE

Environmental degradation remains the most important

factor contributing to a decreasing
quality and longevities of life in Moldova. Due to
shortcoming in technological capacity for collection, reuse
and recycling, most generated waste is landfilled even
though it contains useful materials such as glass, metal,
plastic etc. These materials have a value which is wasted
when the products are dumped.
Cheap, capable of being made into any conceivable shape,
strong and durable, plastic is something of a wonder material. It
has proved so useful to humans that since the 1950s we have
produced an estimated 8.3 billion metric tonnes of the stuff.
However, the victim of this success appears to be much of life
on earth. And humans, one day, could find themselves among
them.
For some 79 per cent of the plastic produced over the last 70
years has been thrown away, either into landfill sites or into
the general environment. Just nine per cent is recycled with
the rest incinerated.
This has been described as "an uncontrolled experiment on a
global scale" by scientists.
What can we do with
plastic waste?
 We can recycle !!!

Plastic recycling refers to the process of recovering

waste or scrap plastic and reprocessing the materials
into functional and useful products.
In Moldova there are only a few solutions for collecting
plastic waste:
- waste collection points
-bins for plastic waste
-market that collects bottles for recycling: plastic up to
three liters, aluminum cans and glass bottles
in exchange for empty packaging, or discount coupons in
the market
WHAT CAN PLASTICS BE TURNED INTO?
 When they are recycled they can make new bottles and containers,
plastic lumber, picnic tables, lawn furniture, playground
equipment, recycling bins and more.

When they are recycled plastic bags and wraps can made into plastic
lumber that is used to make park benches, backyard decks and
fences – even playground equipment.

When plastic bottles are recycled they can be made into lots of
things: t-shirts, sweaters, fleece jackets, insulation for jackets
and sleeping bags, carpeting and more bottles
Plastic bottle caps can be recycled into batteries for your car, garden
rakes, storage containers, reusable shopping bags, yarn, ropes and
more bottle caps.

Innovative recycling programs can take foam packaging and turn it

into plastic products such as insulation, picture frames, building
products for your home … and more foam packaging.
Plastic waste is plaguing our seas and
killing over a million animals every
year. This has to stop, and it starts
with you!