Introduction

Have you ever wondered what actually happens to the plastic waste you send off for recycling? Most of us toss our bottles, containers, and industrial scrap into bins with good intentions , but what happens next is a mystery. Does it really get turned into something new? Or does it end up in a landfill anyway?

AP&J Recycling, have spent over four decades answering those very questions. Recycling isn’t just throwing things into a bin and hoping for the best; it’s a carefully planned process that gives plastic a second (and sometimes third) life. Every step, from grinding to shredding, sorting, and reprocessing, is important for turning trash into useful materials.

In this post, we’ll explain in simple terms what happens to plastic after it leaves your facility, breaking it down into steps so you can see how your company’s recycling efforts make a real difference.

Step 1: Collecting and Sorting, The Starting Line

To recycle plastic, it has to be collected and sorted the right way first. This first step sets the tone for the rest of the process.

We work directly with manufacturers, warehouses, and industrial facilities to get post-industrial plastics, which are the clean, consistent scraps that are made during the manufacturing process. This is not the same as waste that comes from homes and other places after people have used it. Industrial plastics are usually higher quality and easier to reprocess.

Once materials reach our facility, they’re sorted by type and grade , HDPE, PP, PET, and other common polymers. Why? This is because mixing different types of plastic can make the recycled product less useful. Like when you bake, if you mix up your ingredients, the end result won’t be right.

Sorting could include:

• Look for contaminants (labels, metal, dirt) with your eyes.

• Density separation (using floating or sinking plastics to find out what kind of resin they are).

• Sorting by machine or by sight (using sensors to find out what kind of plastic it is).

At this point, we make sure that every piece of plastic that goes into our grinders is clean, consistent, and ready for the next step.

Step 2: Shredding, Taking It Apart to Put It Back Together

Shredding is the next step after sorting. Industrial shredders are strong machines with spinning blades that break down plastic into smaller, even pieces known as chips or flakes.

We use shredders at AP&J that can handle everything from big containers and purgings to scrap from big production runs. Things should be smaller, but they should also be simpler to use and manipulate in the future.

The significance of shredding

• Smaller chunks provide more surface area. It melts and cools more uniformly when you do it.

• Shredded materials make it easier to get rid of dirt and other unclean materials.

• It prepares polymers for grinding: Shredded materials are simple to add to pelletizers and grinders.

When the plastic is broken up, it seems to be colorful confetti rather than garbage. The following stage, which is to mill the pellets once more, starts here.

Step 3: Grinding and Reprocessing: Making New Raw Materials from Trash

When you grind plastic, you change its shape. Our industrial grinders break the shredded pieces into smaller, more even grains. Then, manufacturers can melt these ground-up plastics and re-pelletize them to make clean, reusable plastic pellets that they can use to make new things.

Think of it as a recycling loop:

Old plastic is cut up, ground up, melted down, and then made into new things.

The things that make up each pellet didn’t go to a landfill; they were sent back into the process of making things. This is good for the environment because it uses fewer resources, energy, and carbon.

We also offer toll processing services at AP&J. That means businesses can send us their scrap, and we’ll turn it into clean, usable material that they can use again in their own production lines. Recycling is what closes the loop in your own supply chain.

Step 4: Checking for Quality and Getting Rid of Any Contamination

Recycling isn’t just about making something new out of trash; it’s also about making sure that the new thing meets quality standards. Recycled plastics aren’t all the same, and they need to be the same if they’re going to be used again to make things.

That’s why AP&J Recycling checks the quality of every batch of processed plastic very carefully. Our team looks for:

• Correct density and melt flow.

• No contamination (metal, paper, or mixed resins).

• Color and particle uniformity.

We recycle plastic because if we find contamination, it should work just as well as new resin.

We help manufacturers reuse recycled materials without losing performance or quality by keeping a close eye on quality.

Step 5: Cleaning Up Trash to Make the World and the Machines Better

Recycling machines is only one part of a larger plan. Recycling one pound of plastic helps the environment and keeps trash out of landfills.

AP&J Recycling focuses on keeping recyclable and reusable materials out of landfills by processing them in a responsible way. We help businesses show their customers and communities that they care about the environment, meet their goals for being more eco-friendly, and save money on trash collection.

We don’t just shred and grind plastic; we also help businesses go green, one load at a time.

Step 6: Safely Breaking the Item So You Can Throw It Away

Some kinds of plastic can only be used once. You need to get rid of old products, prototypes, or bad batches in a safe way.
AP&J Recycling can break things and plastic, which makes them impossible to sell. This step protects the brand, stops fake goods from being sold, and makes sure that everyone follows safety rules.

We still want to get rid of trash without hurting the environment or your business. You might have to crush it, break it up, or throw it away to get rid of it.

In the End

What happens to the trash you throw away when you get home?

It doesn’t just go away; it changes as it moves. At AP&J Recycling, every step, from picking up and sorting to shredding, grinding, and reprocessing, turns trash into useful raw materials.

Recycling is more than just a way to do things; it’s a promise. A promise to use resources wisely, protect the environment, and give plastic a useful second life.

AP&J Recycling can help your business recycle more and make less of an impact on landfills. We can work together to make sustainability a part of your daily life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What kinds of plastic can AP&J Recycling recycle?
We deal with a lot of post-industrial plastics, like HDPE, PP, PET, and other common resins that are used to make things and package them.

Q2: What is the difference between grinding and shredding?
Shredding breaks plastic into bigger pieces, while grinding breaks those pieces down into smaller pieces that can be melted and re-pelletized.

Q3: What does “landfill diversion” mean?
To keep recyclable or reusable materials from going to landfills, landfill diversion means processing them through recycling, re-use, or controlled destruction.

Q4: Can companies recycle directly through AP&J?
Yes, we work with businesses and industries to collect, transport, and process their recyclable plastics and other materials.

Q5: Why should manufacturers pick AP&J Recycling?
AP&J Recycling has been in business for more than 41 years, can handle all kinds of processing, and is dedicated to finding solutions that are good for the environment. You can count on them to be honest and get the job done.