Sweden’s new high-tech recycling plant can sort more plastic than anywhere else in the world: 1,000 packages per second, adding up to 200,000 metric tons annually. EcoWatch
The plant currently processes four types of plastic but will be able to process 12 types which will cover all households in Sweden. This new facility is also a major upgrade from the previous recycling plant that was in the same location.
- The older plastics recycling facility could recycle about 47% of plastic, whereas the new facility can recycle about 95%.
- The new facility aims to achieve zero emissions.
And, while plastic recycling isn’t perfect—some processes use chemicals which can be harmful to the environment—it’s still a far better alternative to using virgin plastic.
- Recycling plastic waste significantly reduces carbon emissions by 42% compared to conventional plastic production. ScienceDirect
This news comes at just the right time, as the EU recently agreed to stop exporting plastic waste for processing by countries that don’t comply with environmental and worker’s rights standards.