Why is plastic bottle recycling very popular in the United States

Are you curious why plastic bottles can be recycled while plastic bags cannot when all plastic products are used?

Plastic bags and bottles may seem similar, but apart from the fact that the raw materials are all plastic, their actual situation varies greatly

First, we need to know the material of the plastic bag. According to the introduction of the American Chemical Society, the material of the plastic bag is generally high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, or linear low-density polyethylene, which cannot be used to manufacture polyester fibers.

But the situation with plastic bottles is different. Its manufacturing material is generally food grade PET, which is not easily broken, has high transparency, is safe to use, and has a relatively high recycling value.

According to data released by the National Chemical Laboratory of India in 2017, the recovery rate of PET bottles in India is 90%, while the recovery rates in the United States, Japan, and Europe are 29%, 84%, and 60%, respectively. Recycling plastic bottles has become a common practice.

Currently, only a small portion of PET bottles recycled globally have been converted into plastic and unsaturated polyester products. The vast majority of the remaining is used in the textile industry, which is referred to as recycled fibers within the industry. After these PET plastic bottles are recycled,It will be sent for crushing treatment first.

Currently, plastic waste has become one of the important causes of environmental pollution. Recycling and reusing waste is a good environmentally friendly waste treatment method. Plastic waste is the only resource on Earth that is increasing and misplaced. The environment is a fundamental prerequisite for human survival and development, providing necessary resources and conditions for our survival and development.