How do different types of plastic get sorted for recycling?

Question

I throw all of my plastic recyclables into one container. How do they get sorted to be recycled? Will the quality of the plastic diminish if different types of plastic accidentally get mixed together?

Answer 1

lids should be remove

hard plastic put seperate

Answer 2

We sort plastics into three groups at the recycle place. The clear ones are the most valuable but all plastics can be ground up and with fillers pressed into board like wood.

Answer 3

Having worked in a recycling plant, I can tell you something. The PET or polyester drink bottles are bailed and shipped to the plant. all other plastics must be sorted pretty much by hand. It was done in a large building with people and conveyors. Sometimes it is mixed with metal which has to be removed. Then it goes through a shredder and is blown through pipes that has magnets to catch some of the metals.

It is perfectly dried then goes into a s***w extruder, heated forces through dies. Some for fiber some for plastic pellets which are sent to off for molding. Ir the fiber is chopped up into  staple for rugs and other products. Colored plastics would probably be died black in the extrusion process also other things are added, depending on what the product is being used for, such as fiber glass flame retardants,or white clay Etc.