Recycling Plastic Bottles
A bottle is usually a cylindrical bottle with a neck label on one end that is usually capped with a cap. A bottle generally contains a sweetening or flavor ingredient like sugar, water, cream, etc., a sealing agent like a rubber seal, a ballast or similar substance for imparting shape to the bottle, and the bottle neck itself. Sometimes a bottle may contain other materials like colored glass to add visual appeal to the bottle or as a storage container. A bottle is used for a variety of purposes from drinking to preserving food.
To store or transport beverages safely, beverage bottles must be segregated according to their type and therefore the containers they are stored in. A bottle is generally a small narrow-necked glass bottle made of some impermeable substance in different shapes and sizes designed to store and transport beverages and whose opening in the neck is closed by an inner cap, an outer bottle cap, a lip, or even a metal insert called a cap lock. When opened, the liquid spills out into a container designed to retain the liquid’s shape. This container is then transported to the final location for storage.
Plastic bottles are the most common containers used to store fluids and are also available in many varieties. Most water bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), that is then coated with an anti-tarnish solution or some type of plastic film. PET bottles have been in use since the 1950s, although the anti-tarnish treatment is not always effective and can degrade over time. Water bottles that are manufactured from other materials, such as glass, metal, or plastic are often referred to as glass or plastic bottles. The term glass is sometimes used to describe any bottle that is not made from PET but is instead produced from some other material.
There are two major methods of recycling plastic bottles: through chemical processing and through heat treatment. Through chemical processing, recyclable bottles are broken down using heat in a process that encourages the separation of the plastics from the metals in the bottle, resulting in either making the bottle easier to recycle or more durable and suitable to store longer without melting or breaking. During this process, the bottle is usually exposed to extremely high temperatures which cause the plastic to break down into smaller molecules than those found in natural gas or oil. These smaller molecules are then sent on to be recycled through special machines.
The most widely accepted way of recycling a plastic bottle is through heat treatment. Heat treatment centers use chemicals, such as chlorine, bromine, and Vitamin C to break down the proteins in the plastics and encourage them to separate from the metals in the bottle. As a result, the plastics are able to be recycled again. In addition, the plastics are often heat treated in order to create a smoother surface; rpet is also used to create a longer storage life for the recycled plastic bottle.
Many large retailers and manufacturers have gone paperless. Paper is quickly replaced by electronic information systems and is a resource that can no longer be depleted. At the same time, packaging is becoming an even larger factor in the energy that is used in our world. Plastic packaging, though much heavier and far less biodegradable than paper, can take up far less space in landfills and be re-used thousands of times before they must be disposed of. Recycled plastic bottles offer these companies a way to make their products greener and more convenient for consumers while saving them money at the same time.
