Recycling Plastic Affects Many Aspects Of The US

Recycling plastic affects many aspects of the United States of America. Plastic has disastrous effects upon the environment which is why recycling is becoming more widespread. Although there are drawbacks of recycling plastic, the process has several positive effects as well. It should be continued not only for its beneficial effects towards the environment but towards the economy as well. Not only that, continuing recycling plastic will have positive effects towards the future.

Recycling plastic is a four step process consisting of sorting, washing, shredding, and pelletizing. The first stage, sorting isolates each plastic type alone according to "How Plastic Recycling Equipment Work" by ThomasNet.com. The New York Public Library identified

Although recycling plastic requires energy, it needs a lower amount of energy compared to producing virgin plastic. According to the Stanford University Recycling Center and SFGate, “...recycling 1 ton of plastic saves the equivalent of 5,774 kilowatt-hours of electric energy…” (Brennan, Demand Media). This shows that recycling plastic helps maintain and conserve our energy supply since recycling requires less energy than creating plastic. This also applies to the conservation of fossil fuels such as gas, coal, water, etc., which constitutes virgin plastic. Moreover, recycling decreases the need for plastic production as a result of serving as an alternative of virgin plastic for businesses to use. According to the Stanford University recycling center and SFGate, which helps and researches the environment,“1 ton of recycled plastic saves 16.3 barrels of oil.” (Brennan, Demand Media) Thus, recycling plastic aids in preserving fossil fuels. Consequently, not utilizing fossil fuels lessens the number of greenhouse gas emissions and lowers air pollution. According to the Stanford Alumni, known for their continuous researches, “…recycling could save between 30 and 170 million tons of carbon each year...approximate equivalent of removing between six and 30 million vehicles…”(Staley, 2005). Hence, reducing the amount of plastic waste results in a healthier atmosphere since there are less greenhouse emissions. According to Conserve Energy Future, which writes about environmental issues throughout the world, “Recycling helps…reduce air pollution and water pollution...by reducing the need for “conventional” waste disposal...” (No Author Given, 1). Therefore, since recycling decreases plastic waste, it doesn't end up in the oceans. This reduces water pollution. In addition, landfills contribute to the destruction of the