The diagram illustrates the process by which plastic bottles are recycled, from disposal by consumers to the production of new products.
Overall, the recycling procedure consists of nine main stages, beginning with the collection of used plastic bottles and ending with the manufacture of various reusable items. During the process, plastic waste is stored, treated, and converted into raw material.
In the first stage, consumers place used plastic bottles into recycling bins. These bins are collected by trucks and transported to a recycling center. Afterwards, the bottles are stored manually, where recycling plastic is separated from unsuitable waste. The selected bottles are compressed into large blocks to make them easier to handle and transport.
Next, the compressed plastic blocks go through the process of crushing and are converted into small pieces, which are thoroughly washed to remove unwanted particles. The clean small pieces are then processed by a machine to produce plastic pellets. In the following stage, these pellets are heated and melted to form raw material, which is shaped into solid units. Finally, the recycled raw material is used to manufacture a range of end products including new bottles, clothing, shopping bags, and stationery items such as pencils.