Recycling 160 plastics remanufacture

Wisconsin has a law that requires that all plastic containers consist of at least 10% recycled or remanufactured material. Food, beverages, and drugs are exempt if FDA has not approved the use of the specific recycled or remanufactured content in that plastic container. An exemption for cosmetics containers was added by amendment. Because use of post-industrial material is counted towards the 10%, it appears that the law has not had any significant effect on packaging decisions. 

California, Oregon, and Wisconsin have laws that require recycled content in some plastic containers. The Wisconsin law requires at least 10% recycled or remanufactured content in plastic containers except those for food, beverages, drugs, and cosmetics. There has evidently been little enforcement of this law, and it has had little effect. 

The law requires that plastic containers of 8 ounces or more to contain 10 percent recycled or remanufactured material by weight. The allowance for remanufactured material means that plant scrap may be used. 

About 70% of materials that are routinely disposed of in landfills could be recycled instead. More than 30% of bulk municipal garbage collections consist of paper that could be remanufactured into other paper products. Other materials like plastic, metal, and glass can also be reused in manufacturing, which can greatly reduce the amount of waste materials disposed in landfills, as well as preserving sources of nonrenewable raw materials. 

The ultimate fate of the plastic wrap and plastic containers is also part of the polyethylene life cycle. If used containers are recycled and refilled, this is a beneficial part of the life cycle. If either the containers or the wrap could be collected and remanufactured into new containers or wrap, this would also be part of the life cycle. If the containers, for exanple, could be converted back into ethylene as part of a recycling program, this would also be part of the life cycle. If the polyethylene, in whatever form, ends up in a landfill, where it does not degrade, this is the ultimate part of the life cycle. 

Wisconsin, Oregon, and Cahfomia have laws related to recyclability and recycled content of rigid plastic containers. In Wisconsin, plastic containers, except those for food, beverages, drugs and cosmetics, are required to contain 10 percent recycled content. The exemptions do not apply if the U.S. FDA has approved the use of recycled content. However, the law allows remanufactured material (regrind, etc.) to be counted as recycled, and it has had little effect. 

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