The Benefits of Recycling Plastics One good reason to recycle plastic is that there is just so much of it. Plastics are used to manufacture an incredible number of products we use every day, such as beverage and food containers, trash bags and grocery bags, cups and utensils, childrens toys and diapers, and bottles for everything from mouthwash and shampoo to glass cleaner and dishwashing liquid. And thats not even counting all the plastic that goes into furniture, appliances, computers, and automobiles. The Need Is Growing As the use of plastics has increased over the years, they have become a larger part of our nations municipal solid waste (MSW)- growing from less than 1 percent in 1960 to more than 13 percent in 2013, according to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency. As an example of how and why plastic waste is increasing, the International Bottled Water Association reports that the U.S. consumed 9.67 billion gallons of bottled water in 2012, compared to 9.1 billion gallons the year before.
