Innovative uses of recycled plastics are multiplying. In the not-too-distant future, the plastic water bottle you recycle one day may show up in your next car. One of Hyundai’s latest concept cars is a crossover coup vehicle called the QarmaQ. A key feature in the QarmaQ is its innovative use of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles to create a large portion of the vehicle’s skin. According to GE, the use of plastics, instead of more traditional metal and glass, reduces the weight of the vehicle by 130 pounds. That weight loss translates to 20 gallons in annual fuel savings.

Car seat upholstery also can be made from recycled plastic. And a lot more of the plastics used in today’s cars are being recovered and recycled at the end of the vehicle’s useful life.

Less obvious uses of recycled plastics include the materials that make our homes comfortable and attractive. Mohawk, a leading U.S. carpet manufacturer, recycles nearly three billion plastic bottles each year. Plastic bottles are sorted, ground into fine chips, and then cleaned. These chips are then melted and extruded into fiber and spun into carpet yarn.

If recycled plastic is not on your floor, it may be in your back yard. Composite lumber made from recycled plastic and sawdust is extremely durable and requires very little maintenance. For these reasons and its design capabilities, composite lumber is often a favorite for building decks and fences.

For example, Trex® decking, railing and fencing has all the natural beauty of wood, but doesn’t rot or splinter the way wood can. Trex® composite lumber helps keep about 300,000 tons of plastic and wood scrap out of landfills every year – that results in approximately 600,000,000 pounds annually. And no trees have to be cut to make this innovative decking material. Trex® wood is reclaimed from woodworking operations, used pallets and sawdust to the tune of 300 million pounds a year.

More surprising still, you may be wearing recycled plastic. From high fashion runways to bargain basement stores, “Plastic is the new Black”. Warm fleece jackets, trendy shoes and everyday t-shirts are now being made from fibers spun from recycled plastics. H&M is featuring recycled plastics as part of its line of environmentally friendly fashions. Sears is offering men’s suits made from recycled plastic bottles and faux fur, sequins and sky-high heels made possible by plastics are gracing the runways at fashion events from Los Angeles to New York. (To see more cutting-edge concepts plastics fashions, be sure to check out entries to the Plastics Make it PossibleSM and Gen Art design contest.

Remember that it’s easy to be part recycling movement on America Recycles Day (November 15) and year round. For tips on how to recycle more of the plastics you use, see Plastics Make it Possible’s How to Guide for Recycling Plastics.

“It’s encouraging to see that more and more Americans are making an effort to recycle at home, but there is still a huge opportunity to educate and motivate the remaining third who don’t,” said Steve Russell, vice president, Plastics Division of the American Chemistry Council. “Many plastics can be easily recycled in most communities and given a second life as carpet, clothing, furniture, backyard decks, new bottles and bags, and other products we use every day. By making it a practice to recycle, people can help make a difference on America Recycles Day and every day of the year.”

So just where do the plastic bottles you throw in the recycling bin and the plastic bags you take back to the grocery store end up? Though recycled plastics might be out-of-mind as soon as they are placed in a recycling bin, they are far from out-of-sight. Most people use “second life” plastics in their homes or cars everyday – and many of us may even be wearing them! According to the survey, eighty-two percent of Americans know that recycled plastic water bottles can be used to make a variety of items such as lumber for homes and decks, car bumpers, life jackets, sails for boats, rope and even fashionable t-shirts.

To encourage consumers to recycle more, Plastics Make it PossibleSM provides the following tips for reusing and recycling everyday plastics.

1. Find out which plastics are accepted for recycling in your community and where they can be taken. Though recycling options vary, most community curbside programs collect plastic bottles and many grocery and retail chains now offer bins to collect used plastic bags and wraps for recycling. An increasing number of communities are also collecting rigid containers like yogurt and butter tubs.

2. Know what to recycle with your bottles. A “bottle” is any container with a neck or opening that’s smaller than its base and includes milk jugs; beverage containers; bottles

from salad dressing, oil and other condiments; food jars for items like peanut butter and mayonnaise; and bottles from shampoo, toiletries, laundry detergent and household cleaners.

3. Know what to recycle with your bags at grocery stores. When you recycle your bags, include all plastic bags from grocery, retail and dry cleaning stores, plastic bags that cover newspapers, and product wraps from paper towels, napkins, bathroom tissue and diapers.

4. Clean and empty. Before tossing them in the recycle bin, make sure bottles are appropriately rinsed and that caps are removed.

5. Bring bottles back to the bin. When bottles are emptied away from home, store them in a backpack or briefcase, or simply leave them in the car until arriving home to place in a recycle bin.

6. Store bags in a bag. Storing plastic bags and wraps in a plastic bag offers neat, convenient storage. Simply knot the handles when you’re ready to drop them off at your local grocer or retailer.

7. Reuse those bags! From trash can liners to pet pick-up, plastic bags can be used dozens of ways.

8. Pitch in beyond the kitchen. While many recyclable bottles and bags come from the kitchen, don’t forget to check the bathrooms and laundry room for shampoo and detergent bottles and reuse your plastic bags as trash can liners throughout the house.

9. When in doubt, leave it out. Be careful not to contaminate your recyclables with garbage or items that aren’t recycled in your area.

10. Bridge the second generation gap. It’s important to remember that recycled plastics go on to become second generation products like carpet, fleece jackets and new bottles and bags.

The survey was conducted by Synovate in November 2009 to a nationally representative sample of 984 Americans adults aged 18+. ACC is a sponsor of America Recycles Day through Keep America Beautiful.

1. Find out which plastics are accepted for recycling in your area and where they can be taken. Though recycling varies throughout the country, most community programs collect plastic bottles, and many grocery and retail chains offer bins for recycling used plastic bags.

Bottles: Today, more than 80 percent of U.S. households have access to a recycling program, and the vast majority of them collect plastic bottles. For recycling purposes, a bottle is any container with a neck or an opening that’s smaller than its base. Include the following wherever plastic bottles are recycled:

• Milk jugs

• Beverage bottles (e.g., water, soft drinks, juice and beer)

• Bottles from shampoo, toiletries, laundry detergent and other household cleaners

• Salad dressing, cooking oil and condiment bottles

• Food jars, such as peanut butter and mayonnaise

Bags: Many grocery and retail stores now offer plastic bag drop-off programs that allow consumers to return their used bags and product wraps to be recycled at collection areas located at the front entrance or near the store checkout. All clean bags labeled #2 (HDPE) or #4 (LLDPE) are recyclable, including:

• Grocery bags

• Retail bags (remove hard plastic or string handles)

• Plastic newspaper bags

• Dry cleaning bags (remove paper and hangers)

• Bread bags (with crumbs shaken out)

• You can also include plastic wraps from products such as paper towels, bathroom paper, napkins and diapers wherever plastic bags are collected for recycling

Visit www.plasticbagrecycling.org for a list of stores that offer plastic bag recycling in your state.

2. Clean and empty. Before tossing bottles in the recycle bin, make sure they are rinsed and that caps

are removed. Unless your community specifically asks for them, bottle caps should be placed in the garbage, not the recycle bin. Similarly, bags should be clean and empty. Do not include plastic food wrap, bags that have food residue, or material that has been painted or glued (other than the inks on

the bag).

3. Bring them back to the bin. Many bottles and bags are used away from home so it’s important to bring them back to the recycle bin. Here’s how: when you’re out and about, store them in a backpack or briefcase, or simply leave them in the car until they arrive home or at the grocery store. And don’t forget to put the cap back on the bottles to prevent any residue from leaking out until you can properly recycle the bottle.

4. Store bags in a bag. Storing plastic bags and product wraps in a plastic bag offers neat, convenient storage. Simply knot the handles when you’re ready to drop them off at your local grocer or retailer.

5. Pitch in beyond the kitchen. While many recyclable bottles come from the kitchen, don’t forget to check the bathrooms and laundry room for shampoo and detergent bottles.

6. Reuse those bags! There are many helpful ways to reuse plastic bags, such as:

• Wet umbrella cover – keep other items in your bag dry when your umbrella is wet

• Suitcase savers – wrap shoes before packing them with clean clothes

• Hand protectors – place them over your hands to handle messes indoors and out

• Kitchen clean-up – place them under the cutting board for quick scrap removal

• Trash can liners – use them in bathrooms and other household waste baskets

• Doggie duty – bring them on dog walks to collect and dispose of pet waste

7. When in doubt, leave it out. In addition to bottles, a growing number of communities are collecting and recycling plastic containers, such as yogurt cups, tubs, trays and lids. But keep in mind that mixing the wrong types of materials (even other plastics) can lower the quality of the recycled material. So unless your community specifically asks for plastics other than bottles, please put only bottles into the recycling bin. Keep these items out of the recycle bin unless your community specifically accepts them:

• No plastic bags or wraps (take them to your grocery store, if accepted)

• No automotive, pesticide or solvent bottles

• No lids or spray pumps

• No toys

• No trays, tubs or containers (unless your community asks for them; more and more communities are recycling these types of containers in addition to bottles, so it’s worth checking.)

8. Bridge the second generation gap. It’s important to remember that recycled plastics go on to become second generation products. Bottles are used to make hundreds of everyday items, ranging from fleece jackets and carpeting to detergent bottles and lumber for outdoor decking. Plastic bags can also be made into many products, including new bags, durable backyard decks, fencing, railing, park benches, picnic tables, and shopping carts.

For more information about plastic bottle recycling, please visit www.plasticsresource.com.

For more information about plastic bag recycling, please visit www.plasticbagrecycling.org.

Recycling Fashion Tip Sheet

Don’t be fooled by a convincing faux finish – the “wood” on and in your walls, doors, window frames, decorative molding and outdoor decking and fencing might all be made with plastics-wood composites. Here’s why that’s a very good thing…

More and more architects, designers, builders and property owners are replacing 100 percent wooden building materials with a composite material made from recycled plastic and wood wastes. An important benefit of plastic is its ability to synergistically combine with other materials like wood, metal and glass. The advantages of using plastic-wood composites go far beyond finding a creative way to recycle.

For example, plastic-wood composites are lightweight, easy to install, durable, easy to maintain, resistant to weather damage and corrosion, easy to customize and incredibly strong.

Typical wood-plastic composites are made of wood from recovered sawdust, pulp fibers, peanut hulls, bamboo, or straw, as well as from a variety of recycled plastic resins, which bond and reinforce fibers. Commonly used resins include polyester, polyethylene, vinyl ester, modified acrylic, epoxy, phenolic and polyurethane.

Looking for motivation to recycle?  Remember that today’s plastic bottles, bags and product wraps could be tomorrow’s durable deck.  Plastic bottles typically go curbside.  Plastic bags and wraps can be brought back to many grocery stores that collect these materials for recycling.

View ACC’s tips on recycling bottles and bags

View a list of plastic bags and wraps that can be recycled

View a list of bottles that can be recycled