How Recycled Plastic Becomes a Bottle
Old plastic can be turned into something useful again. This page shows how tiny recycled pieces are heated, stretched, and shaped into a new bottle.
Talk about it
- Why do you think factories use heat to shape plastic?
- What might happen if a bottle did not cool down before being used?
- Name one way you can help a plastic bottle get recycled properly.
Quick Quiz
1. What does this bottle-making process start with?
Answer: Tiny recycled plastic pellets or beads.
2. What helps the soft plastic puff out into a bottle shape?
Answer: Air blowing into it.
3. Why does the bottle need to cool down?
Answer: So it becomes firm and strong.