Bottles, cans and paper, oh my! Are you doing a lesson on recycling for Earth Day which is April 22? Scholastic News editor Blair Rainsford went behind-the-scenes at the Sims Recycling Facility in New York City to learn about what happens after we throw our bottles, cans and pieces of paper into the recycling bin.
Blair followed the path of a plastic bottle as it moves through the recycling center, starting with drop off at the tipping floor, navigating the sorting room and filtering through various machines, conveyer belts, a shredder and a giant spinning magnet as glass, metal, paper and plastic are seperated. Inspectors also help pull out anything that may have slipped through during the process that is not supposed to be there and Blair reveals some of the strangest things they have found!
To learn more about what happens to recyclables after the recycling trucks drive away, check out Blair’s article in Scholastic News and view the full video below!
Scholastic
