WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

“BEAT PLASTIC POLLUTION” by Encouraging Plastic Recycling

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally occurring contaminants. Pollution has widespread consequences on human and environmental health.

On the other hand, recycling is any reprocessing of waste material in a production process that diverts it from the waste stream, except reuse as fuel or it is a raw material sent to and processed in a waste recycling plant or materials-recovery facility so it can be used in the production of new materials and products.

How to recycle plastics.

1. Empty and rinse bottles. Left over foods or liquids can contaminate other recyclables and if bottles contain liquid they may not be recycled as deemed too heavy by the automated sorting process. Liquid can also damage the machinery.
2. Leave on labels – these will be removed in the process.
3. Squash bottles to save space.
4. Replace lids and tops. If they stay on the container, they will get recycled.
5. If the lid is already attached, leave attached as this will ensure the lid is recycled along with the bottle.

Basic strategies and examples of recycle plastic bottles into usable objects.

Create a hanging snack holder

It’s actually an ‘anything’ holder but at Toast, we like snacks so an eco-friendly snack holder it is! You also don’t have to make just one, you can make as many as you need.

First, get your plastic bottles (large preferably) and use a marker to draw a big  “O” shape at the shoulder of the bottles.

Then use a knife or box cutter to cut open the shape.

Hook the bottles firmly to a vertical structure with nails or just place them on a table.

Pour your snacks in (or paper clips, it totally depends on you), and it’s ready to dispense

Make a holder for your utensils

One great thing about plastic bottles is that they are very resilient and that means they make great containers and holders. Whether you want to hang it or stand it, here’s a way for you to make a utensil holder.

The Steps

• Get the plastic bottles you want to recycle into utensil holders
• Cut them in half crosswise
• Then paint and decorate the halves with paint or glitter, don’t hold back
• Stick the sides of the painted bottle halves together with a strong glue
• Voila! You can now organize your cutlery however you want

A phone charging caddy

Have you ever needed to charge your phone while you were out but your cord was too short? Or you just don’t like putting your phone on the floor? This DIY project is for you and the best part? It’s so easy!

The Steps

• First choose your bottle, because it will be holding a cellphone it’s better to choose a bottle that is flatter rather than round e.g., a shampoo bottle
• Measure your device against the bottle so you can see if it will fit the device or not when you cut it
• After this, decide how high you want the front of the holder to be. 
• Then make a line with a pen across the front at that point.  Then turn the bottle around and continue the line to the back but curve the back upwards.
• Cut the shape out of the bottle.
• You can go ahead to decorate your bottle with paint, or you can even glue some fabric on to make it look cute
• Once dry, your upcycled phone caddy is ready to use!

Make a super easy food container

You want to know how to use plastic bottles to store your dry foods? Read on! You don’t need many materials for this project just your bottles, a cutting tool, and stickers or labels to decorate with

The Steps.

• Get your plastic bottles and cut them in two, a longer one to the base of the container and a shorter one to serve as the cover.
• Fit them over each other and now you can use them to store rice, spaghetti, beans you name it!
• Don’t forget to label each container or decorate them with stickers like below if you like that.

Importance of plastic recycling

• Conserving natural resources
• Protecting ecosystems and wildlife
• Reducing demand for raw materials
• Saving energy
• Cutting climate-changing carbon emissions
• Cheaper than waste collection and disposal
• Tackles youth unemployment.

6 benefits of plastic recycling you should be aware of:

1. It keeps ecosystems less polluted

Oil is burnt during the production of plastic and this leads to the generation of a large quantity of greenhouse gases. Recycling plastic is a good alternative that helps reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Recycling of plastic also reduces the possibility of water/soil contamination through plastic waste.

2. It reduces the pressure on waste disposal systems

A country like India generates more than 30 lakh tons of plastic waste every year. Through recycling, we can ensure that plastic waste doesn’t end up in landfills. This required careful planning through a network of on-field/digital recyclers. It will take time to set up a robust and dependable recycling process but it is an effort worth investing in.

3. Optimizes the Quality of Work

Due to advances in robot programming tools, many robots used in production lines can track human hand motions and then mimic them at higher speeds. The precision, low error-rate, and speed cannot be replicated by humans, which is why the quality of work tends to outshine any alternative.

4. It helps give a new meaning to plastic waste

Plastic waste is more valuable than we can ever imagine. In the near future, we might have a proper system in place to reward people or businesses that give up plastic for recycling purposes. This helps users derive value from their plastic waste.

5. It strengthens the economy

Plastic recycling isn’t an easy job and requires expertise to ensure efficient diversion of plastic waste. With many recyclers setting up business across the globe, there is a lot of jobs opening up in the sector. And this has provided indirect opportunities to strengthen economies.

6. It offers a lot of innovation

Recycled plastic is used by manufacturers to create desirable and functional products, from clothing and drinkware to vehicle accessories. Many artists have converted recycled plastic into mesmerizing art projects. The creativity that can be used around recycled plastic is endless and definitely worth a look!