PET Recycling
PET Plastic is one of the most used plastic packaging material in the world due to its properties. PET Plastic is cheap, durable, light so it is easy and cheap to transport.
PET can be heated and molded into a variety of shapes, it is mostly used as plastic water bottles and other beverage bottles that provide clean, safe and convenient ways of packaging drinks. Other than all the benefits mentioned above, PET Plastic is also highly recyclable.
Here is how the recycling process works.
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image source: recycle the one
Collection and Separation
Firstly, PET Bottle will be used by consumers and will be thrown away into the trash can. The trash will then be brought to a trash collection center, in there, the trash will be sorted and separated. Various materials are separated, with each material moving into their own recycling streams. Once all the waste has been removed, high-value recyclable plastics like PET are separated using automatic systems or sometimes by hand. This is because the presence of other materials would contaminate the PET recycling process, other materials could reduce its quality for reuse and reduce efficiency.
Compressing and Transport
After that, PET will be compressed into bales to make it easier and more efficient for transport. This process also reduces the emissions associated with transport. PET will then be transported to the processing center.
Crushing
In the processing center, PET will be processed into rPET (recycled PET) which will then be processed into packaging. Firstly, PET will be separated based on their colors. Then, PET will be crushed into small crushed flakes.
Washing
PET will then be washed as they may be contaminated by other materials like glue, sand, etc. After they are washed, they will be put in a high temperature decontamination area to clean them even more.
Reforming and Forming
The recycled PET will be put into a machine which will be processed into a preform packaging. These PET preforms are then heated and then formed into the desired size and shape.
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This is the end of the recycling process. This process is sustainable because the used PET Bottle can be recycled into a new PET Bottle. If the plastic from the used PET Bottle has degraded and is not of high enough quality to be made into another bottle, the plastics can be heated and stretched into fiber. The fibers can be made into recycled polyester which can used to make clothing, bags, shoes, etc.
Pelletizing
PET is then put into a machine where they are melted into spherical PET pellets for the production of new PET bottles. These pellets are the material needed to make the bottle.
