Laserfiche WebLink
Recycling plastics: advantages, challenges, limitations <br />by Arlene Mitchell <br />I <br />n 1967, early in the movie <br />The Gradu- <br />Plastics are attractive to manufacturers and <br />we watched as a bewildered Ben- <br />ate, <br />users because they are so versatile. They <br />can be any size, shape, color, weight, den- <br />of career advice: . The advice was <br />plastics <br />Election day is Tuesday, November <br />plastic. Today the average American uses <br />6. In addition to national and state <br />about 10 times as much, more than 300 <br />in the right additives. But here is where it <br />elections, Arden Hills has two City <br />pounds each year. The boom in plastics <br />Council seats on the ballot. <br />has also created problems: the major- <br />any given piece of plastic can be recycled. <br />ity of plastics are made from the worlds <br />Generally, recycling plastic involves sort- <br />Learn more about polling places, <br />ing, grinding, washing, and then melting it <br />hours, and the candidates in our lo- <br />products are designed to be used once and <br />down. Each additive changes the melting <br />cal election on page 4 of this Arden <br />point and characteristic of the plastic. <br />Hills Notes. <br />effectively recycled. This includes cups, <br />Most of the chemical additives have not <br />plates, eating utensils, food containers, <br />diapers, medical devices, shopping bags, <br />about the additives that were used. Histori- <br />the environment is not well understood. <br />ironically, trash bags. <br />cally, there has been little oversight of the <br />accuracy of the resin codes. Being able to <br />garbage incinerators. <br />In the same decades the baby boom gen- <br />eration has seen a rebirth in the recycling <br />movement. Today we have curbside recy- <br />The recycling chasing arrowsŽ symbol <br />cling, as well as the common placement <br />is commonly believed to mean that the <br />actually encompasses a broad range of <br />plastic can be recycled. That is not true <br />businesses, entertainment venues, and even <br />resins, products, and additives, which <br />(although it has sometimes been mis- <br />must be handled in different ways to <br />effectively and safely recycle them. <br />of those plastics. Right? <br />indicates which type of resin the product <br />Continued on page 2 <br />was made from. However, it says nothing <br />Thanks for making Celebrating Arden Hills on September 15 a grea <br />