Plastic recycling is the process of converting plastic waste into new products. This not only conserves resources but also reduces the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfill sites and the environment. Plastic recycling involves several key steps, including collection, sorting, cleaning and processing. The end result of the recycling process is the production of new plastic products, such as bottles, containers, and packaging materials.

There are several benefits to plastic recycling. For one, it conserves resources, as recycled plastic uses less energy and raw materials than the production of new virgin plastic. This results in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts associated with plastic production. Plastic recycling also creates jobs and supports the local economy, as recycling facilities employ people to sort, clean, and process the collected plastic.

Mixed plastic loads refer to the collection of different types of plastic waste in a single recycling stream. This type of plastic waste is often difficult to recycle, as it requires advanced sorting and processing techniques to separate the different types of plastic. However, the process of mixed plastic recycling is critical to reducing plastic waste and conserving resources.

Mixed plastic loads are commonly collected from curb-side recycling programmes, where residents place their recyclable materials in a single container for collection. The collected plastic is then transported to a materials recovery facility (MRF), where it undergoes a series of processes to separate and sort the different types of plastic.

The first step in mixed plastic recycling is to sort the plastic by type and colour. This is typically done through a combination of manual labour and automated systems, such as air classification, gravity separation, and optical sorting. The sorted plastic is then further processed to remove any contaminants, such as paper, food and dirt, before being pelletised into small granules.