The diagram illustrates the life cycle of glass and plastic containers, focusing on the process of recycling and the steps required before they are transformed into new products.
Overall, both materials follow a cyclical process, beginning with collection and ending with the creation of new products. However, the recycling methods differ, particularly in the middle stages, as glass and plastic require different types of sorting and processing.
In the case of glass, after being collected and transported to the recycling centre, items are sorted by colour. They are then washed before being melted and reshaped into new products. Interestingly, the same machine is capable of carrying out both melting and reshaping.
Plastic, on the other hand, is sorted according to thickness and quality. Once separated, it undergoes crushing and washing. The material is then shredded into smaller pieces before being bundled. These bundles are subsequently reshaped using different machines, depending on the product type, and finally converted into new items.
In summary, while both glass and plastic recycling share the same starting and ending points, plastic involves more stages such as crushing, shredding, and bundling, whereas glass recycling is relatively simpler.