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Surprising Places Your Recycled Plastic Might End Up

Recently, the issue of plastic waste and how it can be reduced has been in particular focus in society and the media – partly thanks to Blue Planet and David Attenborough raising awareness of the issue. While there is a big move towards using fewer unnecessary, throw-away plastic items, we will all inevitably still use some plastic. The good news is that it can often be recycled – and can end up being part of all sorts of new items. Here at Willshees we collect, sort and forward your plastic waste so it can be reprocessed. Here’s where your old plastic bags and bottles could end up…

1. In your carpet

You might have some recycled plastic right underneath your feet! Making carpets out of recycled plastic bottles is on the rise – the used items are melted and then spun into hard-wearing fibres to weave into carpets for your home or office.

2. In your clothes

Lots of the clothes we wear are made from synthetic fibres, and these are often made from recycled plastic, again using yarn made from old plastic bottles. Sports clothes in particular are made from breathable synthetic materials that often come from recycled plastic. Back in 2016 Adidas launched football kits for the football clubs Real Madrid and Bayern Munich made from recycled ocean plastic waste – a great way to raise awareness!

3. In your car battery

This is definitely one you might not immediately think of. Car batteries are housed in robust plastic casing, and this can be made from recycled bottle tops. So the bottles we collect and recycle for you could one day help you get from A to B without you realising it!

4. In traffic cones

That orange plastic cone that guides us through road diversions when construction work is on (or possibly sits in a student house as a trophy of a crazy night out!) is often made from recycled plastic. Very strong and sturdy, the recycled polyvinyl chloride used can also be found in pipes, doors and windows.

5. In the park bench

Another way of processing plastic so it can be used again, in particular plastic bags and wrap, is to make it into plastic lumber. This is used in the place of wood timber or wood-plastic composite lumber. As well as in park benches, it is also used a lot in outdoor decking. The main advantage is that it is very durable and resistant to wind and weather. And even better than that – unlike wood-plastic lumber, it is 100% recyclable, so it can be used again, keeping the plastic out of the landfill in the long term!

6. In another plastic bottle

Ok, so maybe this one isn’t that surprising, but it’s an important one. A plastic bottle takes 450 years to decompose, so if we can keep recycling them, then it’s much better for the planet. Fortunately, thanks to increased awareness of the plastic issue, more and more companies are starting to make a conscious effort to use recycled plastics in the production of their new plastic bottles and packaging – which is great news for the planet!

If you would like our help with recycling your plastic, we are always happy to discuss your waste management needs. Please contact us on 01283 702340 for all plastic recycling enquiries in Burton, Swadlincote, Derby, Ashby, Coalville, Leicester and throughout the Midlands.

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