Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recovery

Reduce: this entails the deliberate lowering of the number of plastics an individual uses in their day to day life. Reuse: this involves putting to use plastics that have already been used. This can mean putting them to better use than just throwing them away. Recycle: The basic phases in recycling are the collection of waste materials, their processing or manufacture into new products, and the purchase of those products, which may then themselves be recycled. Recycling can help reduce the quantities of solid waste deposited in landfills, which have become increasingly expensive. Recovery: this entails the insistence on not using plastic but rather finding and using existing alternatives.

Manufacturing products from recycled materials consume less energy and produce less pollution than producing the same items from virgin materials. Reducing our use of virgin materials conserves natural resources like trees, water and minerals.