What happens to recycled plastic?

There are many different kinds of plastic, and recyclability varies. With plastics that are recycled, benefits include reducing pollution and conserving energy.

1. Plastic waste is gathered from homes and businesses.
2. Plastics are sorted and cleaned. Each different type of plastic is recycled separately to maintain the integrity of the material.
3. Plastics are shredded into small pieces to make them easier to process.
4. Plastic is melted down and may be formed into pellets, which will then be used to manufacture new products.

For some plastics that are difficult to recycle, new innovative chemical recycling processes can break down plastics into their chemical components and use them to create new plastics.