5 virtuous behaviours to improve plastic handling and recycling

This also means promoting virtuous behaviours for the proper recycling of plastics, striving for a better management of separate waste collection and the use of sustainable practices in daily life. Let us therefore take a look together at 5 viruous behaviours that can help improve plastic management and recycling.

Disposal of plastics: from waste to be managed to a valuable resource

The introduction of plastics has had a huge impact on human life: their invention has completely revolutionised the way we live, enabling us to improve and develop advanced and now indispensable technologies. Think, for example, of the numerous applications of plastics in medical and scientific devices, the production of films for food and product preservation, industrial packaging, and numerous uses in automotive, textile and construction industries.

It is a relatively new material that is characterised by its versatility, mouldability, lightness and strength. However, it is often considered an unsustainable and impactful material especially with regard to the disposal of plastics as waste to be managed.
In fact, it is good to dispel a false myth that plastic is the worst of evelis: there is no material whose production has no impact on the environment. Just like glass, cardboard and aluminium, their entire life cycle, involving extraction, production, transport and finally, disposal still has an impact on the environment.

With regard to the disposal of plastics (and other materials), it is therefore necessary to rethink the entire production and consumption model, reversing the direcrion from a linear and closed direction to a circular one of reuse. In other words, solutions must be adopted that allow materials to be given a new life, managing waste correctly and obtaining the raw material necessary for the development of new packaging.

To promote the correct disposal of plastics and thus the creation of a new life cycle from waste, in our own small way we must adopt behaviours for the correct recyclcing of plastics. At the same time, companies, organisartions and institutions should adopt low environmental impact production and encourage new circular production strategies.

How to reduce plastic waste: 5 behaviours to improve handling, recycling and disposal

A few simple practices can be adopted to improve the handling, collection, recycling and disposal of plastics:

1. Inform yourself and carefully follw your municipality's instructions on separate waste collection, understanding exactly which bin to put each type of waste in. This action is not taken for granted as each municipality differentiates differently.
2. Recycle plastics correctly: only packaging, i.e. items that serve to protect, contain and transport goods, should be disposed of in the separate collection of plastics. All other items, such as toys, folders, pens, bowls, cutlery, saucers, kitchen, utensils, etc. should be disposed of in the recycling bin or disposed of in another way.
3. Give preference to recyclable materials with a low environmental impact, e.g. by using packaging made from recycled raw materials or made in monolayer, so as to favour their complete recovery. Plastisac has innovated its technologies to ensure the manufacture of environmentally friendly and fully recyclable polyethylene products.
4. Avoid throwing non-recyclable materials in plastic: always check that there are  no other materials in the plastic containers, such as paper, metal or glass, which could compromise its recyclability. If the materials are mixed, the waste should be thrown in the unsorted waste bin.
5. Participate in plastic and rubbish collection initiatives organised by volunteer groups and associatins and/or always carry bags and gloves to collect rubbish found on the ground. Even if you did not leave it there, picking up waste on the street, parks and public places prevents it from being dispersed into the environment. Not only is it a good way to reduce plastic pollution, but by setting a good example, you also raise awareness among other people.

How to dispose of plastic

Once plastic has reached the end of its life cycle and has been correctly collected, it must be recycled, but how is plastic disposed of and how can new plastic be created?

In recycling plants, special machines sort the waste, dividing it according to its volume and the type of plastic it is made of - such as PET, PVC or PE. This is followed by grinding/crushing, a process in which they are further divided according to the type of product, such as bottles, packaging, bags, etc.

This is followed by washing to remove any food residues or other substances and finally by grinding: the plastic is finely chopped to obtain some kind of plastic flakes. These sorts of flakes are further divided and, through thermal stress, are turned into pellets that can be used to create new plastic. Once the plastic has been disposed of, the rusulting material can be processed again, as in the case of post-consumer recycled polyethylene.

What is Plastisac's commitment to reducing the environmental impact of packaging processes and manufacturing?

Plastisac has since 2011 adopted initiatives oriented towards environmental sustainability to reduce the impact of plastic materials during their life cycle. With a view to proper plastic disposal and to promote a circular economy model, Plastisac:

• Has entered into a partnership with a consortium for the collection and management of polyethylene goods throughout the country, in order to efficiently recover waste;
• works with customers and suppliers to develop a medium-to long-term project to produce green packaging made from a percentage of recycled plastic from polyethylene waste;
• implemented the mechanical recycling methodology in the project just described. This methodology consists of the mechanical processing of plastic objects collected as waste which then become secondary raw material for the production of new objects;

Plastisac is not only promoting proper plastic management to favour a circular production model, but has also adopted technologies and initiatives to calculate and reduce its envirnomental impact introducing the Plastisac Green plan.

If you need more information on how plastics are processed to make packaging or on the services/products Plastisac offers, you can contact us by filling out the form in the contact section!