The Plastic Recycling Chain:
A Team Effort

We all want to recycle more plastic.

Rather than using fossil resources to make new plastic, recycling used plastic:

  • conserves natural resources,
  • saves energy,
  • reduces greenhouse gas emissions,
  • contributes to the economy and
  • creates jobs.

And it helps keep plastic waste out of the environment.

Recycling is a key component of creating a circular economy for plastic, in which used plastic is reused instead of discarded.

A Team Effort

But how does plastic recycling actually work?

Plastic recycling is not that complicated, but it does take a team effort to succeed.


To recycle plastic, an interwoven chain of players must work in concert. The plastic recycling chain can be viewed as a virtuous circle, in which each player enables the next.

In reality, there is no start or finish to the plastic recycling chain… just as there is no start or finish to a circle.

But, if one player in the chain stops playing, the chain breaks. The virtuous circle is broken.

NOTE: Some companies play more than one role in the plastic recycling chain. For example, some Plastic Makers also are Re-Processors, and some Collectors also are Sorters.

It’s a circle/chain that never begins and never ends. As long as all players do their part.

As you can see, all these players need to work together to enable each other. And they all need to significantly ramp up their game! Every one of these players can do more to help create a more circular economy for plastic. 

It’s a team effort! 

Info on how Plastic Makers are doing more to help create a circular economy for plastic here. 

Info on how to strengthen the plastic recycling chain here. 

Question: Which player is the actual “recycler” in the Plastic Recycling Chain? 

Answer: All players are recyclers because recycling is a chain of actions.
(Although some people say that re-processors are the actual recyclers.)  

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