How can a plastic bottle can be recycled?
Answers
Most plastic bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE), both of which are degradable plastics. This means that when they are exposed to enough light, oxygen, heat or mechanical stress, they can break down into water, carbon dioxide, biomass and trace elements.
However, this process can take hundreds of years, and during that time the plastic is taking up landfill space and can be potentially harmful to wildlife, particularly if it ends up in the sea. The best solution for disposing of plastic bottles is to recycle them into new ones.
As well as reducing the amount of waste going to landfill, this also helps to conserve the non- renewable fossil fuels needed to make the bottles from scratch and reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases normally created during this process. In fact, recycling one plastic bottle can save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for three hours.