Over the past 10 years, the number of plastic bottles being recycled has increased nearly twofold, according to the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR). That’s great news, not just for the environment, but for the economy. More and more companies are remaking plastic bottles into useful new products. As recycling technology and accessibility improves, so does the innovation of new materials made from recycled bottles. This includes high-tech polyester fabrics, recycled PET, and so much more.
According to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), producing new products from recycled PET requires two-thirds less energy than manufacturing products using new or raw materials. The process also results in less greenhouse gas emission.
So what exactly are these plastic bottles turning into? Here are a few top products created through mechanical recycling as well as advanced recycling techniques. Some of them might surprise you.
Toys
Some toy manufacturers like Green Toys use mechanical recycling to turn plastic bottles, milk jugs, and other post-consumer plastic waste into environmentally conscious toys. They shred and grind the plastic into smaller and smaller flakes. Then, they melt and bind them with natural dyes to create tea sets, toy trucks, stacking toys, and more. Other companies take toy recycling a step further. TerraCycle invites consumers to recycle old or broken plastic toys rather than throwing them away.
Building materials
From roofing tiles and framing materials to insulation and carpeting, the construction industry is turning to recycled plastic products to fill consumers’ needs for sustainable materials. Using materials made from recycled bottles and other plastic not only helps the environment, but also offers an alternative to resources like lumber, which has been in short supply recently. Green Building Solutions recently highlighted a one-year study that shows the energy savings from using recycled plastics as a building material is “enough to meet the average annual energy needs of 4.6 million US households.”
Health and Beauty Products
Your next toothbrush, razor blade, or hairbrush could be made out of recycled plastic bottles. Using a recycling takeback program, companies like Preserve are gathering post-consumer plastic bottle caps, plus dairy and dip containers through mail-in or drop-off locations. Then, through mechanical recycling techniques, they are transforming them into common household and beauty products. When you’re done with those products, you can send them back for recycling again and again.
Athletic Wear
Fibers made from recycled PET have properties that make them uniquely suited for high performance fabrics, such as athletic wear. The fiber offers stretch, moisture management, durability, and antimicrobial properties.
SAYA recycles single use, low value, high volume plastic bottles and renews them into durable performance and functional fibers. We recycle over 100,000 tons of plastic bottles per year (equivalent to 75,000,000,000 bottles) and upcycle them into performance fibers that are durable, functional, and recyclable.
To learn more, contact: change@sayarenew.com