| How many plastic bottles do you throw away per | | | | * No. 3 - Vinyl/Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) |
| week? Soda, soft drinks and even water now come | | | | Food wrap and water pipes are manufactured from |
| in plastic bottles. Nowadays, people tend to use more | | | | these plastics. |
| plastic bottles than glass bottles, because they are | | | | * No. 4 - Low-density Polyethylene |
| lighter and easier to use and can be thrown away | | | | Many plastic bags, shrink wrap and garment bags are |
| afterwards. | | | | made using these plastics. |
| Even though using plastics has its plus points, there are | | | | * No. 5 - Polypropene |
| major negative effects on the environment; plastics | | | | Refrigerated containers, bottle tops and chairs are |
| contribute to environmental pollution on a major scale. | | | | manufactured from these plastics. |
| This may sound hard to believe, but around 1.5 million | | | | * No. 6 - Polystyrene |
| tons of plastic is used every year in the world just to | | | | These plastics are used for meat packaging, |
| bottle water. | | | | throwaway packaging and protective packaging. |
| Let us tell you about plastics in detail. The word | | | | * No. 7 - Other usually layered or mixed plastics |
| ‘plastics' is used to describe a wide variety of | | | | There is no PET recycling machine potential for these |
| resins or polymers with different characteristics. | | | | plastics. They must be discarded. |
| Do you know what polymers are? Polymers are a | | | | Out of these types, only PET recycling machine and |
| long chain of molecules, a group of many units, taking | | | | PE can be recycled. Though PET recycling machine is |
| its name from the Greek word ‘poly' (meaning | | | | not done on a major scale in Sri Lanka, we have a |
| many) and ‘meros' (meaning parts or units). | | | | few small scale PET recycling plants here. |
| There are two types of plastics; thermoplastics and | | | | Recently, we visited one such PET bottle PET |
| thermoset plastics. Thermoplastic polymers can be | | | | recycling machine plant at Boralesgamuwa. |
| heated and formed repeatedly. The shape of this | | | | "We do not follow a complex recycling process here. |
| polymer molecule is linear (in a line) and slightly | | | | We turn these bottles into another ingredient and |
| branched. | | | | export it to China," said the owner of the recycling |
| This may give you the idea that the molecules can | | | | plant, Anura Jasenthuliyana. |
| flow under pressure when heated above their melting | | | | According to Jasenthuliyana, they get around 20-30 |
| point. | | | | tons of bottles per month through scavengers who |
| On the other hand, thermoset polymers undergo a | | | | collect these bottles from garbage dumps in the |
| chemical change when they are heated, creating a | | | | Colombo City. When the bottles reach the PET |
| three-dimensional network. After they are heated and | | | | recycling machine plant, they are sorted out. |
| formed once, these molecules cannot be reheated | | | | "We get only PET bottles, so, we don't have to worry |
| and reformed. | | | | about the type of plastic. We just sort the bottles |
| Plastic from a ‘blow-mould' (the neck of the bottle | | | | according to their colours", said Jasenthuliyana. |
| is narrower than the body) has a slightly different | | | | "The darker the bottle, the lower its selling price. When |
| structure from the plastic used in an ‘injection | | | | reusing these bottles, manufacturers can use any |
| mould' (where the opening is the widest part of the | | | | colour for the clear bottles, whereas for the shaded |
| product). Out of the two types of plastics, | | | | bottles, there's not much of an option; they can either |
| thermoplastics are easier to recycle. | | | | use the same colour or go for black," he explained. |
| Now that we have given an introduction about plastics, | | | | After the bottles are sorted out, they will be put into a |
| let's consider the PET recycling machine process; this | | | | machine and crushed to small pieces. |
| differs according to the type of plastic we use. The | | | | We are exporting these pieces to China, where they |
| next problem is, how do we identify the type? | | | | will be melted and used to make polyester fabrics", he |
| Before answering that question, if you have a plastic | | | | said. Fabric made using these bottles is strong, warm |
| bottle closeby, turn it upside down and see whether | | | | and durable. |
| there is a number placed inside a chasing arrow sign. | | | | The only problem with this fabric is that it doesn't have |
| Do you know what this number means? | | | | a glossy finish, instead it come with a matt finish. Five |
| Obviously, it's not just another useless mark on the | | | | PET recycling machine manufacturer bottles yield |
| bottle. This is known as the plastic identification or PET | | | | enough fibre for one extra large t-shirt, while 25 |
| recycling machine manufacturer code. This code | | | | two-litre bottles can produce a sweater. PET is also |
| system was created by the Society for the plastic | | | | spun like cotton candy to make fibre filling for pillows |
| industry in the 1980s. Let us tell you what each number | | | | and quilts. It can also be rolled into clear sheets or |
| means. | | | | ribbon to produce VCR and audio cassettes. Most |
| * No. 1 - Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) | | | | products which are manufactured from recycled |
| These plastics are used to produce soda and water | | | | material can't be recycled for the second time. |
| containers, some water-proof packaging and tennis | | | | "I operate this PET recycling machine plant as a social |
| balls. | | | | service, to help keep the city clean. I request the public |
| * No. 2 - High-density Polyethylene (PE) | | | | to help us in this course. What they can do is, sort out |
| These plastics are used to make milk, detergent and oil | | | | the plastics in their households and hand them over to |
| bottles, toys and plastic bags. | | | | a plastic collection centre," said Jasenthuliyana. |