| GRN Recycle Talk FAQ Answer |
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 98 09:37 WET From: FRIEDMAN.FRED@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV (Fred Friedman) Subject: Re: #1, 2 plastics (Susan Ball)
Dec. 10, 1998
Dear Susan Ball,
Why are there no recyclers of Plastics #3-7, you ask?
Well, there are fewer, but not none, depending upon where you live. The answer to the disproportion is one of markets and economics. Much more 'stuff' is made from PET and HDPE than from LDPE or PS or PVC, and so supply, demand of recycled nature will follow. None of these items can be sold for very much money, often for none at all, so sellers often must depend upon volume of available supply to try to generate the squeezable profits. Also, since much of the stuff is exported for recycling and Asian and Latin American industry is tooled to handle #1 and 2 and could not possibly shift, #1 and 2 is recycled.
Why use different plastics for the same end uses?
Same reason.
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