As you continue to read this article, you’ll come across a list of products made from reclaimed plastic. You’ll also see the benefits and repercussions of recycling plastic waste into new products.

But before we get into such details, let’s look at what recycled plastic is.

Products Made From Recycled Plastic

With the amount of plastic in our world increasing, it’s becoming more and more essential to find ways of recycling them.

Today, many businesses and organizations are changing the game by getting waste plastics out of oceans and landfills. They turn these wastes into recycled products to have a new and purposeful life.

  • What’s a Recycle Plastic

Reclaimed plastic is a material that has been used and reused several times. It is made from plastic waste that would otherwise be thrown away or incinerated.

The procedure for reclaiming waste plastics includes collection, sorting, cleaning, shredding, and melting. These wastes can use plastic to make new products when melted or compressed into pellets.

While reclaiming plastics might seem like a game changer and the perfect solution to plastic crises, several challenges prevent recycling from solving the entire problem.

  • Types of Recycled Plastics

There are two types of recycled plastics: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1, PET or PETE, is the most commonly recycled plastic. It is found in soda bottles, water bottles, and food containers.

Type 2, called HDPE, is located in milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles, and food containers.

Creative Things Made Out Of Recycled Plastics

When it comes to recycling plastic, the options are virtually endless. Here are just a few of the items that can be made from recycled plastic:

  • Plastic Lumber

This is a replacement for traditional wood lumber. It is made from recycled milk jugs, soda bottles, and other plastics.

  • Fencing

Recycled plastic fencing is becoming more popular because it is durable and does not require painting or staining like traditional wood fences.

  • Park Benches

Benches made from recycled plastic are typical in parks and playgrounds. They are often made from milk jugs or soda bottles that have been melted down and shaped into bench slats.

  • Picnic Tables

Like park benches, picnic tables made from recycled plastic are also popular in parks and playgrounds. They are often made from the same type of recycled milk jugs and soda bottles.

  • Trash cans

Most public trash cans are now made from recycled plastic. They are typically made from HDPE (high-density polyethylene), a solid plastic type resistant to weathering.

  • Water bottles

A more significant percentage of water bottles in circulation are recycled products. It’s one of the plastic articles that you can reclaim over and over again.

Several leading manufacturing industries are committed to using polyethylene terephthalate that is 100 percent reclaimable.

  • Shoppers bags

If you’ve ever been to the shopping mall, you must have encountered some plastic and tote bags made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

Another waste material used in the production of these bags is washable paper.

  • Sustainable Activewear

This is another product that’s made with fabrics that come from post-consumer reclaimed plastic water bottles.

Some Australians Businesses use such materials to create sustainable clothes for active lifestyles. Leggings, crop tops, and tech jackets are some of their activewear.

  • Mats and Rugs

Some excellent mats and rugs are used for childcare, picnic, or camping. Such kinds of rugs and carpets are made from reclaimed polypropylene.

You can get a variety of these items in the market.

  • Natural Shoes

A lot of shoe manufacturing industries are moving away from the use of synthetic materials in their production. They use sustainable wool, recycled plastic bottles, and cardboard to make excellent shoes.

  • Backpack

Most backpacks today are made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Reprocessing industries turn old plastic water bottles into fiber and send them to manufacturing industries where they are made.

  • Furniture

Some nice-looking furniture is made from reclaimed plastic materials such as bottles, cups, etc. such kinds of furniture aren’t only stylish. Still, they are comfortable, durable, and better for the environment.

  • Writing Materials

some writing materials, such as pens and pencils, are made from post-consumer recycled plastic. These materials are proven to be friendly to the environment.

Additionally, they can be reclaimed over and over again.

There’re many more products that are made from reclaimed plastic materials. But we don’t have time to go over each of them. There’re other essential things to look into.

Perks of Recycling Plastic Waste into New Products

There’re numerous advantages of reclaiming waste plastics into new usable products.

First, recycling plastics prevents them from ending up in landfills, incineration, or causing environmental pollution. Moreover, it reduces the over-dependence on virgin raw materials in producing new plastic products.

Products made from reclaimed plastics give economic value to worthless forms of waste.

As recycling and manufacturing industries keep reclaiming these wastes, it’ll create employment opportunities for many locals across the globe.

Drawbacks of Reclaiming Plastic Waste

While several advantages accompany recycling plastics into new products, there’re also some associated drawbacks. To start with, some plastic products are made with unrecyclable plastics.

We mean plastics that are not readily biodegradable.

Secondly, recycling reclaimed plastic products is quite expensive and complicated. That’s why some manufacturing industries feed on virgin materials, negatively impacting the environment.

Additionally, you cannot reuse reclaimed plastics to make the same products. That’s because reclaimed plastics degrade gradually as they’re recycled continuously.

Most of them don’t regain their original quality after being reprocessed. So there will come a time these plastic products will be disposed of.

Finally, contamination during recycling is a massive challenge for most reprocessing plants. As recycled plastic products are mixed with other wastes, it doesn’t end well in the reprocessing machines.

Conclusion

This article has shown you some fantastic products made with recycled plastic.

From eco-friendly building materials to stylish fashion accessories, there are endless possibilities for what can be created with recycled plastic.

We encourage you to research the benefits of recycling and how it can help preserve our planet for future generations. Thank you for reading!