Introduction

Plastics are a common part in our lives.  The many different types of plastics have varying degrees of recyclability.  Knowing how to recognize those plastics that are recyclable aids to the recycling process.   The simple word "plastic" actually is a collective reference to a wide range of materials made from petroleum, natural gas and coal.  Get ready to go on a virtual field trip to discover the plastic recycling process.

You need to research the importance of plastics in our society, research the plastic coding system and the plastic recycling process.  Your final assignment is to choose one type of plastic and to route the process of the creation of that piece of plastic, how it will be used, what happens to the plastic when it goes to be recycled and what that plastic will become once it is recycled.  Then report out your findings in a presentation product which could be a poster, power point, video, pamphlet or other teacher approved assignments.

• Recognize the place of plastic in our society.
• Research and be able to recognize the plastic code system.
• Perform an activity to demonstrate the process of recycling plastics.
• Route the life of a plastic container and present findings in a final product.

Use the following web sites to collect your research.

General information on plastic sites:
http://www.plasticsresource.com/
http://www.ecorecycle.vic.gov.au/aboutus/infosheet_plastic.asp
http://envirosystemsinc.com/plastic.html
http://www.plasticbag.com/
http://www.recycledfibers.com/plastic_recycling.html
http://www.edf.org/pubs/brochures/RecyclingWorld/
http://www.astc.org/exhibitions/rotten/rthome.htm
http://www.plastics.org.nz/environment/index.htm
http://ameriplas.org/benefits/about_plastics/history.html
http://www.handsonplastics.com/intro_to_plastics/students.html
http://www.plasticsresource.com/disposal/life_cycle_feature/index.html
http://www.plasticsresource.com/resource_conservation/usingless/index.html

Plastic recycling sites:
http://www.handsonplastics.com/activities/hdpe_slideshow/hdpe_recycling_lesson.html
http://www.plasticsresource.com/recycling/mechanical_recycling_tour/mech_index.html
http://crystal.biol.csufresno.edu:8080/projects97/92.html
http://www.recyclemetal.com/plastic.htm
http://www.tri-rinse.com/plas_rec.htm
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/reduce.htm#recycle
http://www.visy.com.au/

Plastic coding system sites:
http://www.solidwaste.org/reccodes.htm
http://www.gsri.com/cryptic.html
http://ameriplas.org/benefits/about_plastics/resin_codes/resin.html

Plastic product sites:
http://www.betterworld.com/BWZ/9602/learn.htm
http://www.aloha-recycling.com/index.html
http://sourcebook.plasticsresource.com/
http://www.plasticsresource.com/disposal/life_cycle_feature/index.html

Plastic tour sites:
http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/
http://www.virtualrecycling.com/contents.htm
http://www.handsonplastics.com/activities/hdpe_slideshow/hdpe_recycling_lesson.html
http://www.plasticsresource.com/disposal/life_cycle_feature/index.html
http://www.plasticsresource.com/resource_conservation/residence/index.html

Use the following steps to complete the plastic by number assignments:

1.  Complete the Plastics By Numbers worksheet.  Use the web sites on the worksheet or above in the resource section.

2.  Answer the following questions on your own paper about plastics using the web sites above in the resource section.

Which types of plastics are most easily recycled?
Which of the four types of recycling processes for plastic is most often used?  How might this be good or bad?
List the pro's and con's for recycling plastic.
Name several products made from recycled plastics?

4.  Create a final product representing the life cycle of a plastic product.  Your final product may be a poster, power point presentation, video, classroom presentation, pamphlet or other teacher approved products.  Be as creative as you want.  Include written and visual descriptions of the entire life cycle.  You must include the beginning, middle, end of a plastic container life cycle with descriptions and illustrations.  Also include what that plastic item will become once it is recycled.

5.  Turn in your plastic by numbers worksheet, paper with four questions/answers completed, and final product to the teacher.

Students work will be evaluated on the work they completed on the plastic by numbers worksheet and answering the four questions about plastics in rubric # 1.  Students will also be evaluated on their final products representing the life cycle of a plastic product in
rubric # 2.

Go to rubric # 1

Go to rubric # 2

Illinois State Standards:
Science - 13B3f, 13B3e, 13B3d
Language Arts - 5A3a, 5A3b, 5C3c

Plastics are used to make products ranging from food packaging to toys to automobile parts.  Recycling is becoming a more common way of dealing with plastics.  Factors in the recycling process can vary with different types of plastic, so it is desirable to separate plastics by type.  To overcome this identification problem, the plastic containers use the plastic code system.  The identifying plastic code is a universal recycling symbol with a number in the center and letters underneath.  Plastic recycling involves breaking the material down into small pieces, and then melting it and molding it into a new product.

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