Many discarded plastic bottles end up being turned into useful items like warm clothing or seat cushions. According to Solid Waste Services by the City of Raleigh, recycling bottles such as those for water or soda helps give these containers a new purpose.
Raleigh's Sonoco Materials Recovery Facility collects and sorts plastic bottles into bales, which are then sold to a company called Unifi. At Unifi's Bottle Processing Center, the bottles are cleaned, chopped into PET flakes, and sent to the REPREVE Recycling Facility in Yadkinville. There, they are melted into synthetic fibers that are used in everyday products like clothing and car interiors.
To improve your recycling habits, follow these simple tips: squeeze the air out of bottles before putting the caps back on, and always keep the caps attached since they can't be recycled on their own. Also, avoid using plastic bags, as they can jam the recycling machines, according to the City of Raleigh's guide.
For those curious about the inner workings of the recycling process and find themselves wondering how PET becomes part of their daily attire or part of their vehicles, a digital tour of the Sonoco Recycling Facility might be just the eye-opener needed so take a look on Raleigh's official website; you can witness the metamorphosis of plastic bottles from bin to textile in living color.
