The diagram illustrates the various stages involved in the process of recycling plastic bottles.
Overall, the process is a 9 stage linear operation, commencing with the collection of plastic waste and culminating in the final with the production of new plastic products.
Initially, used plastic items are placed in recycling bins by consumers. After that, the waste is collected by trucks and transported to a recycling centre. At the recycling facility, the plastic is sorted into recyclable and non-recyclable materials. Once the recyclable plastic has been selected, it is compressed into large blocks.
Next, these blocks are crushed into smaller pieces. Following this, the crushed plastic is washed thoroughly to remove dirt and other impurities. After being cleaned, it is processed into plastic pellets using a special machine.
Subsequently, the pellets are heated to produce raw plastic material. Finally, this material is used to manufacture a range of new products, such as plastic bottles, food containers, shopping bags, T-shirts and pencils. As a result, these products can be recycled again, allowing the process to continue.
