Disposal of Plastic Waste

Plastics are materials we can engineer to fit a variety of needs, from extreme heat resistance to practical containers for goods. Many commercial products are packaged in plastic, so proper disposal is important. If you simply throw plastic items into the garbage, they will sit in a landfill indefinitely, never reintegrating back into the earth. By recycling plastics, we can put the materials back into circulation, preserving the space we live in and also saving money on production.

Instructions

• 1

  Locate a local recycling center. See Resources for a link to locate the closest one to you. If you are unsatisfied with the local center, you can also use a nationwide service such as PlastiCycle, also listed in Resources.

• 2

  Determine what types of plastic your center can dispose of. Different types of plastics must be recycled with different methods and are categorized by a number and a symbol. Every recycling center has different capabilities, so contact your local center for specific details.

• 3

  Gather all your plastic waste in one container.

• 4

  Arrange a pickup for your recycling or drop it off at the center personally.