Find out what happens to your recycling
What happens to your recycling
You’re working hard recycling all those items but what happens to them once we’ve picked them up? Well, they all go to EnviroSort at Norton, near Worcester, which is operated by Severn Waste Services. Here, your recyclable material is sorted, baled and sent to UK based companies who process them further or reprocess them to make a new product.
If you wish to find out more about the process please visit the Severn Waste website.
Food and drink cans
Cans which have been sorted by machinery at EnviroSort are sent to several different companies within the UK. Recycled steel is used in anything from new cars to bridges and of course new drinks cans. Aluminium cans, as well as being reprocessed into new cans, could also end up in cars and aeroplanes amongst other things.
Mixed glass bottles and jars
Glass is broken up into something called cullet. It is used to produce new glass bottles and aggregates for road construction.
Plastic bottles and containers
The sorted plastics, sorted by machinery at EnviroSort, are baled and sent to companies in the UK.
Following three separate stages, the plastics are turned into pellets or flakes ready to be used again in the manufacture of new plastic products. Recycled plastic is used in numerous products from garden furniture to pipes and even clothing.
Paper
Paper, cardboard and cartons, are sorted at EnviroSort, they are sent to companies that source paper, cardboard and cartons to supply the paper mills. Recycled paper has many uses such as newspapers, books and boxes for board games.
All this from your recycling. Thank you for making a difference
Why can’t we recycle black plastic?
Black plastic is often used by companies because it allows colours or imperfections to be masked. Unfortunately, that then means it becomes invisible to sorting machinery widely used in the UK to sort plastics, including here in Worcestershire. Plastics are sorted by a machine called an optical sorter. This system uses lights and sensors housed above the conveyor belt to constantly monitor the flow of plastics passing underneath. The sensor compares the light reflected off the plastic item to data it holds to identify the type of plastic, before ejecting it off the belt with compressed air. Black plastic absorbs the light instead of reflecting it back, so the object isn’t recognised. Try to avoid buying products containing black plastic if you can.