Rethinking the Future of Recycling Plastics in the Manufacturing Industry
Did you know that the global production of plastics has grown from 15 million metric tons in 1964 to 311 million metric tons in 2014? And that’s not all, as plastic production is projected to double to around 600 million metric tons in the next 20 years, according to an article from McKinsey & Company.
At the moment, Americans waste around 33.5 million tons of plastic, with most of our plastic waste currently being thrown into landfills, or winding up in lakes and oceans.
The percent of plastic currently being recycled is only a mere 6.5%.
Let Shini USA give you some insights about the future of recycling plastic and the steps you and your business can take to improve your industrial recycling efforts.
Advantages for Your Business
It’s no secret that there are clear advantages to recycling plastics in the industrial and manufacturing industries. It reduces the amount of waste materials that end up in landfills, as well as cuts down on oil usage and the production of harmful emissions.
Having a cleaner planet suffering from less pollution is something all companies should strive for in their plastics recycling efforts.
Furthermore, plastic recycling can also help your business save money and can create long-term investment value, certainly making it worth the effort.
Emerging Possibilities for Recycling Plastics
As technology and science continue to advance, more innovative ways to recycle plastics are being invented yearly. Here a few plastics recycling trends to look forward to in the near future, according to Tree Hugger.
- 3-D printing from recycled plastics
- Bans on plastics (food packing, plastic bottles, and plastic bags)
- Biodegradable plastics
- This idea is already somewhat currently in motion, as one brewery has switched from plastic beer can holders to biodegradable and edible six-pack rings designed to safeguard marine life.
One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure – Future Innovations
One of the main advantages of recycling is the endless possibilities of reuse that it entails.
- For example, products like blankets made from recycled plastics and a plastic sheet which acts like human skin are some fascinating innovations that have begun to be developed.
- And on an even larger scale, Wired recently wrote about how the future of our highways could soon be shaped by the use of recycled plastic bottles.
How to Take Action to Improve the Recycling of Industrial Plastics
According to the McKinsey & Company article, a report recently published by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation detailed how stakeholders can move toward a “New Plastics Economy” with these three ambitions:
- Create a sufficient plastics waste economy by boosting the economics of recycling, reuse, and controlled biodegradation for specific functions.
- Reduce the burden of plastic leakage into natural ecosystems, such as the ocean, and other associated negative effects.
- “Decouple” plastics from fossil feedstocks by researching and introducing renewable sourced feedstocks. Additionally, the reduction of cycle losses and the implementation of dematerializing can play a role as well.
As you can see, the future of plastics recycling has a lot of exciting things in store. To take full advantage of the benefits, be sure to start modernizing your operations today!
Contact Shini USA for Plastics Recycling Assistance
Our line of granulating and recycling products can help your business make an impact on the future of industrial recycling for plastics.
Contact us today and our team will be happy to assess your needs.