Digging through a high-tech recycling center

[Mr Handlebars]

Recycled plastic is already used in many different products, such as carpet and clothing, as shown here. Recycled plastic is melted into pellets, seen in the small plastic bags in the middle, which are the feedstock for new products. Recycling saves energy and reduces the need to extract virgin materials.

[Mr Handlebars]

The single stream recycling center in Charlestown treats hundreds of tons of refuse every day. It uses a compactor to create large bales which are sold to mills as feedstock for new products. Some of the trash they handle can't be recycled--that's also baled up, and sent to a landfill.