Plastic Recycling Fact Sheet

July 2009

Plastic Recycling
Plastics are the most common rubbish item found on Clean Up Australia Day, representing over 30% of all
rubbish collected over the past 10 years7. This includes drink containers, confectionary packets and water
bottles, all of which pose a huge threat to wildlife and our environment. Recycling plastic saves energy,
valuable resources and helps to protect our environment.

The problem with plastics

Plastics are polymers, chains of Persistence in the Environment: Most Did you know?
molecules produced by smaller plastic is not biodegradable and will
molecules called monomers. There are survive in the environment for hundreds
The energy saved by
many different types of plastics of years. Rather than biodegrading, recycling one plastic drink
depending on their molecular make up plastic photodegrades, breaking down bottle will power a
8
and shape. into smaller and smaller pieces. Plastic computer for 25 minutes.
is also lightweight and moisture
resistant, meaning it can float easily in
Recycling plastic saves
air and water, and travel long distances. twice as much energy as
burning it in an
8
Landfill Space: Australians use 1.3 incinerator.
million tonnes of plastic each year. We
are great recyclers, with 46% of waste
Plastic shopping bags can
4
recycled each year , however, this be returned to your
means that over half of our waste still supermarket for recycling.
9&10
ends up in landfill causing serious
To help identify the different plastics, a problems for the environment.
Plastics Identification Code is stamped
When you put materials
on the final product to indicate what into your recycling bin,
1
type of resin it contains . The code is you shouldn’t put them in
displayed as a number inside a triangle a plastic bag. For safety
of chasing arrows. reasons, staff at recycling
centres won’t open plastic
bags, so your recycling
will end up in landfill.

Threat to Marine Life: Every year more
The rings from bottle
than 6 million tonnes of rubbish is necks and six-pack
Impact on the environment dumped into the world’s oceans. 80% of holders need to be cut
this waste is plastic, with an estimated when you dispose of them
Greenhouse Gases: Fossil fuels such
46,000 pieces of plastic per square mile to reduce harm to
as natural gas, oil and coal are used in 5
of ocean . Plastic waste including plastic animals.
production process of plastic, emitting
bags, food packaging, and abandoned
dangerous greenhouse gases and
fishing nets can be deadly to marine life.
Tie the tops of plastic
toxic chemicals. As plastic
bags up when disposing
decomposes gases are produced,
Turtles, whales, and sea birds mistake of them to prevent them
particularly methane. Methane is 20
rubbish for food or get entangled in it blowing away.
times stronger than carbon dioxide and
causing painful injuries or even death. It
represents up to 4% of emissions from
2 is estimated that marine rubbish, mostly
It takes 25 two litre plastic
landfill .
plastic, is killing more than a million bottles to make an adult
11
seabirds and 100,000 mammals every fleece jacket.
Natural Resources: Plastics are made 5
year.
from non-renewable resources that,
3
once depleted, cannot be replaced .

Clean Up Australia Ltd

ABN 93 003 884 991 PO Box R725, Royal Exchange NSW 1225 Australia
tel: 1800 CUA DAY email: cleanup@cleanup.org.au web: www.cleanup.org.au
Clean Up Australia Limited
ABN 93 003 884 991
Plastic Recycling Fact Sheet
July 2009

Avoid, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

The Solution What kind of plastic is recyclable?

The best way to limit the plastic waste Not all plastics are the same and your References:
that you create and to prevent rubbish local council may only be able to recycle
from going to landfill is to avoid, certain types through your kerbside 1) Sustainability Victoria:
reduce, reuse and recycle. recycling program. In most areas, www.sustainability.vic.gov.au
plastics labelled 1, 2, and 3 can be 2) Science Daily:
Plastics are increasingly used in our recycled, although many councils are www.sciencedaily.com
every day life, thus recycling is more now extending their recycling programs 3) Zero Waste, South Australia:
important than ever to reduce waste. to include those labelled 4 through 7. www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au/About.m
vc/RecyclingTips
Identifying the type of plastic is Check with your council for details.
essential because each type of plastic 4) Nova, Magazine of the
Australian Academy of Science.
is recycled differently. Contamination of recyclables is a www.science.org.au/nova
problem because it raises the costs for 5) UNEP, Marine Litter: A Global
collectors, recyclers and the community. Challenge (2009)
Identifying plastics:
www.unep.org/publications/search/
The Plastics Identification Code is Make sure you are aware about what pub_details_s.asp?ID=4021
stamped on all plastic products to plastics can be recycled and only put 6) Department of Environment,
identify the type of resin used. these in your recycling bins. To prepare Water, Heritage and the Arts.
www.environment.gov.au
Here are some common products you plastics for recycling, rinse
will find for each type of plastic: residue from bottles and 7) Clean Up Australia, Rubbish
Report. www.cleanup.com.au
containers, remove lids,
8) Total Environment Centre,
and squash bottles. www.tec.org.au/index.php
PET (Polyethylene
terephthalate) - soft drink What is not recyclable? 9) Coles Supermarket,
www.coles.com.au/about/environm
and fruit juice bottles ent/recycling.asp
Plastic bags, bin liners, and cling wrap
HDPE (High-density are not recyclable. These plastics can 10) Marine Parks WA,
polyethylene) - milk bottles get stuck in the sorting equipment in www.marineparks.wa.gov.au/marin
e-park-protectors/marine-litter-
or shampoo containers recycling facilities causing it to stop or facts.html
break. Often bottle tops and lids cannot
PVC (Polyvinyl chloride or 11) Recycle now,
be recycled with the bottle as they may www.recyclenow.com/why_recyclin
plasticised polyvinyl chloride)
be made of a different type of plastic. g_matters/everything_goes_to_l.ht
- cordial, juice or squeeze
ml
bottles
Polystyrene foam is generally not
LDPE (Low density recyclable. This includes the spongy
polyethylene) – garbage black foam trays that meat is often
bags and bins packaged in at supermarkets. It also
includes some takeaway containers and
PP (Polypropylene) – ice
hot drink cups.
cream containers, take-away
food containers and lunch
Other items that cannot be recycled in
boxes
the normal recycling bins from your
PS (Polystyrene) – yoghurt council are disposable nappies, and
2
containers, plastic cutlery, syringes .
foam hot drink cups
Remember, if you are unsure about
Other – all other plastics, what is recyclable check with your
1
including acrylic and nylon
local council.

Clean Up Australia Ltd

ABN 93 003 884 991 PO Box R725, Royal Exchange NSW 1225 Australia
tel: 1800 CUA DAY email: cleanup@cleanup.org.au web: www.cleanup.org.au
Clean Up Australia Limited
ABN 93 003 884 991