CONFUSED BY
PLASTICS?
Yeah, we get it, but since the Plastic Industries Assoc. decided to use the recycle symbol and a number to designate the type of resin in the container, even when it wasn't recyclable, it's not our fault! It doesn't make sense, and that's why some plastics end up in the landfill. They just aren't recyclable.
PLASTIC RESIN CODES
What do the numbers mean?
HOW TO IDENTIFY COMMON HOUSEHOLD PLASTIC CONTAINERS
#1 PETE
Look for a dimple and the #1 in the recycling symbol on the bottom.
#2 HDPE
Look for a seam and the #2 in the recycling symbol on the bottom.
#5 PP
Look for #5 in the recycling symbol anywhere on the item.
PLASTIC STRAWS SUCK
AND SO DO ALL SINGLE-USE PLASTICS
Disposable plastic items don't biodegrade. They just break down into micro particles that contaminate our environment. Microplastics, smaller plastic particles that result from single use plastic breaking down, pollute our water sources and even our food. Only 9% of plastic waste gets recycled.
Videos you need to watch!
That will change the way you think about plastic.
"Trashed" and "Bag-it" are 2 of our favorite documentaries about the harm that plastics are doing to our planet. They are both available in our lending library in the classroom. You can also check your local library for copies or find them on a streaming platform.
The Plastic Problem - A PBS NewsHour Documentary
WATCH NOW ON YOUTUBE
Interesting Reading about Plastics
END PLASTIC POLLUTION
END PLASTICS
EARTHDAY.ORG™ is changing human attitudes about and behavior toward plastics and reducing plastic pollution. The End Plastic Pollution campaign helps people understand the impacts of plastic pollution on human and ecosystem health and how everyday actions can lessen the problem.
The campaign draws attention to the harmful effects of plastic in our environment — harming marine and human health, littering beaches and landscapes, clogging waste streams and landfills — and empowers people to make a difference.
HOW MUCH PLASTIC GETS RECYCLED?
While we might think that much of the world’s plastic waste is recycled, only 9% is. Half of the world’s plastic still goes straight to landfill. Another fifth is mismanaged – meaning it is not recycled, incinerated, or kept in sealed landfills – putting it at risk of being leaked into rivers, lakes, and the ocean.
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