Lifestyle: 7 FAQ about plastic bottle recycling

Recycling plastic bottles is an essential gesture to apply every day. All you need to know about recycling plastic bottles. 
An estimated 299 million tons of plastic waste was produced globally in 2013, with that figure annually on the rise. Today, an average person living in North America or Western Europe consumes 100 kilograms of plastic yearly. To limit the use of natural resources when making new products, it is crucial to recycle.

1. How do I know if my water bottle is recyclable?

The fastest way to tell is by checking your plastic bottle water label. A symbol of ‘chasing arrows’ surrounded by a number defines the resin used (resin identification code – RIC).

2. Can we leave the caps on bottles?

Yes. This question was debated for several years when caps were made with different types of plastic than the bottle. However, processing equipment has improved and caps and bottles can be divided into separate streams in sorting facilities

3. Should I crush plastic bottles before recycling?

It is best to check with your local jurisdiction because while flattening bottles can save space, the sorting center might misidentify them and direct them to the wrong area

4. How are PET plastic bottles formed?
There are two basic formation methods for PET bottles, one-step and two-step. In both cases a preform is molded, inflated into a final shape, and uses heat. The one-step machine process is more popular

5. What happens after it has been recycled?
Plastic bottles are separated by their RIC. Bottles are then shredded into flakes and melted down into a pellet. The pellets are sent to companies to be made into new items such as carpet, fleece, or outdoor furniture

6. Should I rinse the bottle before recycling?
Rinsing out the bottle is not a requirement but a nicety, and in the case of plastic water bottles completely unnecessary

7. Can plastic bags be recycled with plastic containers?
It’s a common mistake, but no. Plastic bags are accepted separately

Source :

http://www.plasticsrecycling.org/faqs/caps-on-faqs
http://www.recyclenow.com/recycle/packaging-symbols-explained/
http://www.penderislandrecycling.com/#!frequently-asked-questions/cfgs
http://www.worldwatch.org/