Band 6+: Life Cycle of Glass and Plastic, with Recycling The diagram below gives information about the recycling of glass and plastic containers. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagram shows how the glass and plastic containers are recycled.

To start with, the newly produced glass and plastic utilities are used and then collected within three to eight weeks. After this, the collected products are separated and transported to the corresponding recycling centre. At this point, the glass containers are sorted by color, after which they proceed to get crushed, washed and melted. After all the mentioned procedures, the melted glass is ready to be reshaped and sent to use. It is also important to mention that the melting and reshaping procedures must be done by separate machines.

To continue, the separated plastic cases go through simillar steps. Compared to the glass ones, however, plastic containers are sorted by thickness and quality. Next, the sorted utilities are bounded, shredded and washed. Like the glass, plastic also needs to be melted and reshaped. However, this two processes are completed in the same machine. Finnaly, the new plastic products can be transported to regular use.

To sum up, glass and plastic containers pass through many complex phases while getting recycled. While some differences are present, the two processes have simillar flows.