The document discusses why recycling plastic is important. It notes that plastic production and usage has increased significantly as plastic has replaced many traditional materials. However, most plastics are not recycled and instead end up in landfills or oceans, where they take thousands of years to decompose and harm wildlife. Recycling plastic helps reduce waste and saves energy compared to producing new plastic from raw materials.

1. WHY YOU SHOULD
RECYCLE PLASTIC
John Chetwynd

2. What is Plastic?
• A synthetic material
• Made from organic polymers
• PVC, nylon, etc.
• Molded into shape while soft
• Set into final solid form

3. What we use plastic for
• Has replaced many traditional
materials:
• wood, stone
• leather, paper
• metal, glass
• ceramics

4. Why Recycle plastic?
• So much of it around
• Incredible number of everyday
products
• Containers, trash/grocery bags etc.
• New needs arise every day
• Huge waste pile in ocean

5. Plastics in the US
•2.5M bottles used every hour
•25B Styrofoam cups every year
•Recycling saves energy
•Costs more to burn
•Only ~27% plastics recycled
today

6. Benefits of Recycling Plastic
•Trash can be recycled into:
• Clothing, fiberfill
• Toys, stuffed animals
• Office equipment
• More plastic products

7. Environmental Effects of Plastic Waste
• Kills ~1M sea creatures/year
• The Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
• Twice the size of Texas!
• Floating between San Francisco/
Hawaii
• 80% plastic - weighs ~3.5M tons

8. Vacation Spot?

9. Facts
• Shielded from sunlight in landfills
• Will not decompose quickly
•Takes thousands of years
• Recycling one ton of plastic
• Saves ~2 thousand gallons gasoline

10. Plastic Cycle of Life
https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=GLgh9h2ePYw