The introduction of polymers will always be remembered in history on a positive note. Polymers and plastics are truly incredible. The material is used in countless commercial and domestic industries. Kitchen utensils, toys, household appliances, fittings and fixtures, gadgets, furniture, and numerous items are made from plastic.
However, one of the major drawbacks of plastic is that it’s not bio-degradable. Objects made of plastic are either binned or dumped in the sea. Now that poses an alarming situation. Facts reveal that as much as 1 million sea creatures die every year only because of the massive amount of plastic that is dumped in the seas and oceans all over the world.
This is the reason why the need of recycling industry is rising. The industry is meant to recycle used materials in order to protect the environment against pollution and health hazards. Materials that are not recycled do not only create a mess but spread epidemics as well.
The statistics reveal that Americans, on an average, use and bin around 25 trillion coffee cups per annum. These cups are made of plastic that doesn’t degrade over time. In addition, the recycling industry in the United States reveals that the recycling process of plastic consumes only one-third of the energy of what is consumed in burning it.
Thus, by recycling 25 trillion coffee cups rather than burning these away, national energy resources are conserved in large quantity every year. There are around 1,800 recycling businesses operating throughout the United States and deal particularly with recycling disposable plastics used by consumers, such as water bottles, coffee/tea cups, candy jars, wrappers, etc.
The industry plays a vital role in conserving the environment while also generating thousands of employment opportunities. The recycled plastic is then used in several industries, thus allowing manufacturers to cut down on material costs too. For instance, polyester carpets in the US are mostly manufactured from recycled plastic rather than the first-hand material.
In addition to floor carpets, clothing accessories, lumber, automobile bumpers, and flower pots are also manufactured using recycled plastic. It is also used as an insulation material for jackets used in skiing or for sleeping bags used while hiking and camping.
In short, this single industry contributes to numerous other industries and helps them grow. Therefore, the recycling industry is expected to grow even more in the years to come.
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