Every year, an average American produces more than 250 pounds of plastic waste. Recycling is part of the solution, but many of us are confused about what can be recycled and what can't.
Plastic film
At the store we find it covering vegetables, meats and cheeses. It's common, but it can't be recycled because it's hard to deal with at the MRF(材料回收厂). The thin and soft film gets stuck around the equipment and can bring it to a stop.
Plastic bags
Plastic bags—like those used for bread, sandwich as well as grocery bags—create similar problems for recycling machines as thin plastic film. Therefore, most of the plastic bags end up in landfills(垃圾填埋地) and oceans.
Yogurt and butter cups
These containers often mix with other kinds of materials. It's not possible to separate them. In addition, this type of packaging flattens out(变平)on the MRF's conveying belt(传送带)and can bring the equipment to a stop, too.
Beverage(饮料)bottles
These containers are firm. They don't flatten out like yogurt cups and they're made from one kind of plastic that recyclers can easily sell for making products such as carpet, clothing or even more plastic bottles.
Warning: Be aware that we cannot recycle as much as we want. For example, plastic bottles are a highly desirable product for recyclers, but just about a third finds their way into the MRFs. Therefore, it's more important for us to reduce packaging.