You may know that some car parts, kitchen tools, furniture, and other products are now made with recycled plastics. But did you know that new recycling technologies allow used plastics to be turned into soft, versatile fabric for clothing? So today’s plastic water and soft drink bottles can become tomorrow’s little black dress! Here’s how…
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I cannot imagine life without modern plastics. And that’s not just because I’m Professor Plastic. I wake up in the morning, turn off the alarm clock, use my toothbrush and hair brush, start the coffee maker, stretch out on my yoga mat—all of these are made with plastics. Then there are the plastics in my…
Read More…Quick quiz: How many types of plastics there are? No idea? Me neither … I have no exact number. It’s sort of like asking how many types of bread there are. Plastics aren’t simply one material made the same way every time. Although plastics can be broken down into broad types or categories, there actually…
Read More…It’s difficult to imagine modern life without plastics. Take a moment … Our cars (seat cushions, air bags, bumpers, dashboards …) Our fashion (nylon, spandex, polyester, faux fur …) Our homes (carpeting, foam insulation, vinyl siding, composite decking …) Our appliances (televisions, coffee makers, alarm clocks, electric toothbrushes …) Our sports (football pads, bicycle helmets,…
Read More…The term “bioplastics” seems to cause almost as much confusion as the term “biodegradable”. What exactly does the “bio” in bioplastics refer to? Bio … bio … hmmm. The history of plastics? No. Biotechnology? No. It actually has more to do with that oft-dreaded high school class, biology. You know: having to do with life,…
Read More…To many people, the term “biodegradable plastics” sounds like a contradiction in terms, sort of like a square circle. As usual, reality is a bit more complicated. First, let’s define biodegradable. From a scientific standpoint, the term most commonly refers to materials that can be broken down by microorganisms into organic matter, largely composed of…
Read More…You see it all the time –- the chasing arrow with the number in the middle –- but what does it mean? That little symbol on a plastic product identifies the type of plastic (resin) used to make that item. So how does this relate to recycling? Well, recyclers sometimes use this information to sort…
Read More…When you watch television, use a computer, ride in a bus, train, or plane, you are using plastics. When you go to the doctor’s office or hospital or shop at the grocery store, you again are relying on plastics. So where do plastics come from … and what are they? Plastics are derived from materials…
Read More…Hi, my name is Professor Plastic. Have you ever wondered: what exactly are plastics? Curious about where plastics come from? How they’re made? How they can be recycled? Well, that’s what I’m here for! I will try to answer all of your questions about plastics — their history, properties, popular products, environmental attributes, whatever. I’ll…
Read More…What happens to household garbage that is not recycled? More than half of household garbage in the U.S. is buried in landfills. However, some communities convert much of their garbage into energy that then is supplied to the electricity grid, powering homes and businesses. These communities have embraced energy recovery as a way to save…
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