It is likely that unless the item has been incinerated, almost 50% of all plastic packaging items ever made are still in their integral state. Most of them buried in landfill or polluting our land and seas. Of the 600,000 Million plastic bags expected to be supplied to the world market this year less than 2% are in anyway degradable. Most plastics can be recycled, but must be separated into their different polymer types. The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) introduced its plastic recycling code system in 1988 at the urging of recyclers. The symbols in the codes PDF document belong to that resin identification coding system.

There are difficulties and significant costs in the sorting, collecting, cleaning and reprocessing, of plastics. Currently it is only economically viable to recycle PETE, HDPE and PVC. Thermoplastics can be re-melted, but thermosetting plastics can only be crushed and used as insulation.

As more and more plastic recycling facilities are being opened, and with the plastic codes identifying the relevant waste stream recycling offers much to ensuring a sustainable plastic supply into the future.

Fit for Use.
It is now essential that we begin to evaluate the life cycle analysis of each and every plastic packaging solution and look at more appropriate solutions for those items which require short term protection. Typically a standard plastic bag made from oil derived Hydro Carbons will last up to one thousand years. The bulk of our storage and protection requirements are less than one year and for many foodstuffs and consumable items less than one month.