The future of plastic recycling

As the global awareness of environmental protection continues to increase, plastic recycling and reuse has become one of the issues of widespread concern worldwide. The prospects of plastic recycling and reuse are not only reflected in environmental protection, but also involve economic and social aspects.

On the one hand, recycling and reusing plastics can reduce the impact of plastic pollution on the ecological environment. As plastic waste accumulates and grows in large quantities, the environmental problems caused by plastic waste are becoming more and more serious, such as affecting land quality, water quality, air quality, etc., which in turn poses a threat to human health and ecological security. Plastic recycling and reuse can reduce plastic pollution and effectively reduce the impact on the environment.

On the other hand, it can also bring huge benefits to the economy. Since plastic recycling can realize the reuse of resources and reduce resource consumption and waste generation, it can effectively reduce environmental costs and create economic value for enterprises.

At the same time, by recycling raw materials, plastic production costs can be reduced and further promote the company's marketing growth. At a social level, plastic recycling can also promote important career development opportunities and create jobs, driving economic development throughout the social industry chain.

Eliminating plastic pollution around the world requires joint efforts from all countries around the world. According to the requirements of the United Nations Environment Assembly, countries around the world need to reduce the demand for plastics from the demand side and enhance the recycling of plastics, strengthen recycling rates through policy means, and effectively control plastic leakage. At the same time, recycled plastics have obvious advantages in energy conservation and emission reduction. Under the background of carbon neutrality, more countries have introduced supporting policies for recycled plastics to provide a good policy environment for the recycled plastics industry.

In recent years, global plastic waste production has continued to increase, exceeding 300 million tons per year, and will reach approximately 12 billion tons in 2050.

Of the single-use plastic products produced globally, only 9% can be recycled, 12% is incinerated, and more than 70% is directly discarded in the soil, air, and oceans. The emergence of the recycled plastic industry not only solves the problem of environmental pollution, but also saves energy consumption. According to the 2021 Annual Report of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, more than 1,000 large enterprises and government organizations have signed the commitment, such as Nestlé, Pepsi-Cola, Coca-Cola, Mario, Unilever, etc. Brands that have signed the Global Commitment The use of virgin plastic by merchants and retailers has shown signs of peaking in 2021 and is expected to fall by nearly 20% by 2025.

To sum up, the future of plastic recycling is bright because it can reuse resources, reduce environmental costs, create economic value and employment opportunities, and also reduce the impact of plastic waste on the ecological environment. 

Plastic recycling involves recycling, cleaning, and sorting waste plastics, and then remaking them into plastic raw materials through physical or chemical methods, which are applied to textiles, food and beverage packaging, home building materials and other fields. It is one of the ways of sustainable development of plastics. It provides an effective way to solve environmental problems such as plastic pollution.

Plastic recycling applications

1. Make new plastic products: Recycled plastic can be reprocessed into new plastic products, such as plastic bags, plastic containers, plastic bottles, etc.

2. Manufacturing building materials: Recycled plastics can be processed into building materials, such as plastic boards, plastic floor tiles, plastic partitions, etc. for interior and exterior decoration of buildings.

3. Manufacturing textiles: Recycled plastics can be processed into fibers and then made into textiles, such as fleece blankets, sanitary napkins, clothes, etc.

4. Manufacturing automobile parts: Recycled plastics can also be used to manufacture automobile parts, such as plastic bumpers, plastic dashboards, plastic seats, etc.

5. Manufacturing electronic products: Recycled plastics can also be used to manufacture electronic products, such as plastic computer cases, plastic TV casings, plastic speakers, etc.

6. Fuel production: Recycled plastics can be used as fuel, such as burning fuel sources in power generation.