Remove large contaminants (wood, metal, paper).
Efficiency starts with accurate identification. Not all plastics are created equal. High value. Water bottles, food jars. HDPE (2): Highly recyclable. Milk jugs, shampoo bottles. PVC (3): Hard to recycle. Pipes, vinyl flooring. LDPE (4): Thin films. Grocery bags, bubble wrap. PP (5): Heat resistant. Yogurt cups, car parts. PS (6): Low value. Styrofoam, plastic cutlery. Other (7): Complex blends. Multilayer packaging. ⚙️ Optimized Sorting Methods To maximize efficiency, use a multi-stage sorting approach: Remove large contaminants (wood, metal, paper)
Chips bags (plastic + foil) are difficult to sort mechanically. High value
Fewer fossil fuels extracted for production. Milk jugs, shampoo bottles
Recycling uses up to 80% less energy than virgin plastic.
Uses air streams to separate light films from heavy rigid plastics.
Vibrating screens that separate flat items from 3D objects.