A new plastics sorting facility inaugurated in Sweden on Wednesday is being billed as the largest of its kind, and one designed to double the amount of plastic packaging materials being recycled in the Nordic country.
Thanks to cutting-edge technology, the Site Zero plant in the central city of Motala can sort up to 200,000 tons of plastic packaging a year, according to Sweden Plastic Recycling, a non-profit company co-owned by Swedish plastics, food and trade industry groups.
This is fascinating:
A unique feature of Site Zero is that it can separate up to 12 different types of plastic.
12 different types! I'm guessing a significant portion of the American population doesn't realize there are that many, myself included. I thought there were 7:
And this is SOOOOOO impressive:
An old plant at the same location could only sort 5 types of plastic, which meant that only 47% of the material was sent on for recycling and the rest was incinerated. The new plant will be able to send up to 95% of the packaging for recycling.
95%!! INCREDIBLE!!
Full story:
Here in the USA, we are so backwards when it comes to recycling. Many municipalities don't even offer it. And in those that do, families do not participate. Heck, in our neighborhood of 30 houses, I'd estimate less than 40% regularly sit out their recycle bin.
I've seen just how much plastic waste is generated by our household. Between milk jugs and 2-liter soda bottles, we produce a lot! It's difficult for me to think that some families don't bother, as I cannot imagine ours going to a landfill to sit and decompose for 2,000 years.
Are you doing your part -- not just with plastic but also with cardboard and metal? If not, how about stepping-up your efforts in 2024?
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt