Plastic recycling involves collecting, sorting, cleaning, and processing used plastic materials into reusable products. The primary goal is to reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste, conserve resources, and promote a circular economy. By recycling plastics like PET (bottles), HDPE (containers), and PP (packaging), we can cut down on the demand for virgin plastics, thus lowering fossil fuel consumption.

However, plastic recycling faces significant challenges, including the diverse types of plastics, contamination from food waste, and the complexity of multi-layered packaging. These issues make the process costly and less efficient, often resulting in downcycling, where recycled plastic is used for lower-quality products. Despite growing awareness and regulatory efforts, a large percentage of plastic waste still ends up in landfills or polluting the environment. Enhanced recycling infrastructure, better waste management, and sustainable product design are crucial to overcoming these barriers and making plastic recycling more effective.