Protecting Our Future: The Benefits of Recycling Plastics

The discovery and creation of plastic products have changed the way we live our lives every day. For plastic injection molders, it is becoming a norm to incorporate an environmentally responsible business plan to any effective long-term strategy. Not only due to the growing number of laws and regulations that businesses must comply with, but because the public expects businesses to take part in preserving the environment for their communities and future generations.

Why Plastics Get a Bad Rap

Plastics that are not properly discarded have the tendency of acquiring a bad reputation because they are not able to break down quickly and end up accumulating in landfills. Plastic parts can take anywhere from 200-400 years to decompose. That is one of the main reasons why we, Midstate Mold, and other plastic injection molding manufacturers have incorporated a successful recycling process that ensures the reuse of plastic parts.

Society has made the plastic industry the poster child for trash and pollution—which is incorrect. Consumers of plastic materials should be held responsible for how they discard their own plastic products. If they can minimize the use of throw away plastics and recycle the plastic material once they are done with it, it will help to limit plastic in landfills.

How Do Plastic Injection Molders Recycle Plastics?

Plastic injection molders do their absolute best at keeping plastics out of landfills by:

1. Melting down the extra or purged plastic back to its starting point of pellets and then reusing in the same process or other industrial processes.
2. Once melted, the pellets can then be molded into another flexible plastic part or a unit that requires a high degree of tensile strength.
3. Different than oil-based plastics discussed in this blog, many manufacturers are using another green alternative called biopolymers. To learn more about biopolymers, refer to our blog Using Biopolymer Molding Plastics.
4. Assist customers in recycling their older components. This helps with not only being environmentally responsible, but it helps to reduce the company’s material expenses. Then give those savings back to our customers.

Environmental Benefits of Recycling Plastics

In addition to persevering landfill space, recycling also prevents the amount of plastic being produced from scratch—this helps to reduce the impact a business has that uses recycled plastic parts such as ground pollution, greenhouse gasses and landfill gasses.

According to Waste Management, recycling one ton of plastic saves:

• 3 barrels (685 gallons) of oil.
• 30 cubic yards of landfill space.
• 5,774 kilowatt-hours of energy.

Establishing a Positive Reputation

In this day and age, recycling is a huge element in our society. By making use of recycled plastics in plastic injection molding, we benefit letting customers and other organizations know that the protection of the environment is a high priority to us. Our reputation is important to us and our customers.

For years, we have taken part in being environmentally conscious and responsible. Recycling plastics include the same high-quality products, cost-effectiveness, and public and environmental benefits. It is hard to understand why other manufacturers haven’t adopted the same idea and business strategy. To learn more about our recycling methods and what polymers would be best for your next plastic part, contact the experts at Midstate Mold!