The provided diagram illustrates the nine-step process involved in recycling plastic bottles. Overall, the process begins with the collection of used plastic bottles from consumers and culminates in the creation of new products from the regenerated plastic, thereby forming a circular economy. Initially, used plastic bottles are placed into a recycling bin by individuals. Subsequently, a specialised recycling truck collects these containers, transporting them to a dedicated recycling centre. Here, the bottles undergo a sorting stage, where they are separated from other waste materials on a conveyor belt. Following this, the sorted plastic bottles are compressed into large, compact blocks, a crucial step for efficient storage and transport. These compressed blocks are then moved to the next phase, which involves crushing them into smaller, more manageable pieces. The crushed plastic is thoroughly washed before being fed into a machine that produces plastic pellets. In the penultimate stage, these pellets are heated, transforming them into a malleable raw material, which is typically stored in large bales. Finally, this regenerated raw material is utilised to manufacture a variety of new items, such as new plastic bottles, clothing (e.g., a T-shirt), shopping bags, and even pencils, thus completing the recycling loop.
Key Vocabulary