RECYCLING+PLASTICS

> How many times each day do you use something made out of plastic? From a toothbrush to a soda pop bottle, from a grocery bag to a garden hose, plastics are part of our daily lives. You probably know that plastics are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource. When plastics are thrown away, they become part of the solid wastes that end up in sanitary landfills. Today, many solid wastes, including glass, paper, and aluminum, are being recycled rather than thrown away. Some communities are choosing to recycle plastics as well. However, recycling plastics is a bit more complicated than recycling glass, paper, or aluminum. > There are many different types of plastics, and each type requires different handling in the recycling process. The next time you pick up a milk jug or 2-liter plastic soft drink bottle, look at the bottom. Do you see a triangle made out of three arrows? This symbol means that the plastic can be recycled. Inside the triangle you will see a number or perhaps an acronym made up of several capital letters. The numbers and acronyms are part of a coding system that identifies what type of plastic the item is made out of, and how it should be handled in the recycling process. What exactly is a plastic? What are the different kinds of plastics? What is each type of plastic used for? How can each type of plastic be recycled? These are some of the questions you will be able to answer when you have completed this WebQuest on recycling plastics. > [|Top] > Your job in this WebQuest is to learn about the different types of plastics and how they can be recycled. You will explore the history of plastics and find out what properties make a material a plastic. You will identify the seven different classes of plastics, and discover what each class is normally used for. You will also learn what kinds of items can be made from recycled plastics. Finally, you will fill out a table that lists all of the information you have learned about recycling plastics. > [|Top] > Look at the Web sites given here to find the information that will enable you to complete the table on recycling plastics. >> Visit this site by the American Plastics Council to learn about the history of plastics and polymers and about the chemistry of the polymers that make up plastics. This is an excellent site to begin your exploration of plastics. >> Visit this site to read about how changes in the chemistry of plastics could make recycling a much easier process. >> Visit this site for a brief discussion of the difficulties inherent in recycling plastics. Scroll down to see a chart of the plastic container code system and a description of each type of plastic that can be recycled. >> Go to this site by Ecology Action to read about the code numbers used on the bottoms of plastic containers that identify how each container should be handled in the recycling process. >> Go to this New York State Department of Environmental Conservation site to see another list of the codes used to identify types of plastic for recycling. The site also describes two methods by which plastic containers are made – blow-molding and injection molding. >> At this Colorado School of Mines site you can read a brief discussion of how plastics are made, and about the chemistry of plastics. You can also read about the benefits of using plastic packaging here. > [|Top] > 1 class period for research and filling in the table > [|Top] > Now that you have completed your Internet research on recycling plastics, prepare a table that lists all seven types of plastics. In the left column, write in the code for each of the seven plastics. At the top of the rows, write in the material that each code stands for and the abbreviation used for that type of plastic, then the items the plastic is normally used to make. In the last row, write in what the plastic can be recycled to make. The table is started for you below. You will receive extra points for listing more than one item under how normally used and can be recycled as, up to a total of six items under each heading. > **//Table 1. Recycling Plastics//** > || 2 || 2 Polyethylene teraphthalate,PET, PETE || soft drink bottles || soft drink bottles, paint brushes, > carpeting, egg cartons || > || 2 || High density polyethylene > HDPE ||  ||   || > || 3 ||  ||   ||   || > || 4 ||   ||   ||   || > || 5 ||   ||   ||   || Complete the table by adding the appropriate information for all seven types of plastic. > [|Top] > In the process of completing this WebQuest, you’ve become informed about what plastics are, what types of plastics exist, and how each of these can be recycled. You have learned a little about the history of plastics, and about the chemistry behind the plastics that you use every day. Finally, you have completed a table that lists each type of plastic, what each is normally used for, and what items each type of plastic can be recycled into. How does recycling plastics compare to recycling of materials such as glass, paper, and aluminum? > [|Top] > In this WebQuest, students do some Internet research on plastics and the recycling of plastics. Students learn about the history of plastics and about the chemistry of plastics. They find out about the different classes of plastics and what each class can be used for. They also find out what kinds of items each type of plastic can be recycled into. Finally, students prepare a table that gives the coding system for recycling plastics as well as the material and abbreviation used for each type of plastic. They complete the table with information they gathered from the web sites given. > [|Top] > Students will complete a table about the recycling of plastics. They will have to find this information by exploring many of the web sites listed on the student pages. Each web site has some of the information they will need to complete the table. Students should be able to sift through all of the information available to identify pertinent details for their tables. From their Internet research, students should be able to list more than one item in each of the categories in the table. > **Objectives** >> >> > [|Top] > 1 class period for research and filling in the table > [|Top] > As students work through the list of web sites, you may help them to focus on what they need to know to fill in the table. Several of the web sites have links to other web sites with relevant information. If time allows, you may want to allow students to explore this subject further. The chemistry of plastics may be a good subject for an independent study project; however, polymer chemistry is complicated and should be explored by higher level chemistry students only. Any level of student may be interested in learning more about the history of plastics, especially as it is filled with accidental discoveries and mistakes that led to plastics such as Teflon and Silly Putty. > [|Top] > Evaluation of student work will depend upon the extent of the material listed in their tables. Students should have no trouble listing the seven types of plastics and their acronyms. However, they should list at least one item under the heading how normally used, and at least one item under can be recycled as. Students who provide a more comprehensive list under any heading may have points added to their total score as long as all other criteria have been met. You may use the table below to score student work. > **//Table 1. Recycling Plastics//** > || 2 || 2 Polyethylene teraphthalate,PET, PETE || soft drink bottles || soft drink bottles, paint brushes, > carpeting, egg cartons || > || 2 || High density polyethylene > HDPE || milk and water jugs || toys, milk and water > jugs, traffic cones, > detergent bottles, trash cans || > || 3 || Vinyl/Polyvinyl chloride, > V/PVC || cooking oil bottles, > shampoo bottles, > clear food packaging || floor mats, pipes, hose || > || 4 || Low density polyethylene, > LDPE || container lids, bread and > grocery bags || trash can liners, grocery bags || > || 5 || Polypropylene, PP || ketchup bottles, margarine tubs, medicine bottles || paint buckets, ice scrapers, mower wheels, auto battery || Once students have completed the table, you may wish to use the rubric below for scoring. > **//Scoring Table 1. Recycling Plastics//** > Points** || **Self- > Assessment** || **Teacher > Assessment** || > || Material listed for each code number || 7 ||  ||   || > || Abbreviations listed for 6 code > numbers || 6 ||  ||   || > || At least one item listed for each > code under how normally used || 6 ||  ||   || > || At least one item listed for each > code under can be recycled as || 6 ||  ||   || > || Add 1 point for each extra item listed > under how normally used up to 5 || 30 ||  ||   || > || Add 1 point for each extra item listed > under can be recycled as up to 5 || 30 ||  ||   || > || **Total Possible Points** || **85** ||  ||   || > [|Top] > Students should be able to fill in the table. They should be able to support their answers with information gathered in their Internet research. Finally, students should be able to compare the status of plastics recycling with the recycling of glass, paper, and aluminum.
 * An Internet WebQuest**
 * RECYCLING PLASTICS**
 * Introduction**
 * Task**
 * Resources**
 * **[|Hands On Plastics: Background Information for Students.]**
 * **[|Recycling Plastics – Is the Chemistry Right?]**
 * **[|Cleaning Up the Waste Stream – Recycling Plastics.]**
 * [|**Recycling Plastics.**]
 * **[|Recycling Plastics is as easy as …1, 2, 3 (4, 5, 6, 7)!]**
 * [|**Recycling Plastics.**]
 * Time**
 * Process**
 * Code || Material & Abbreviation || How Normally Used || Can Be Recycled As ||
 * Conclusion**
 * WebQuest Teacher Page**
 * An Internet WebQuest**
 * RECYCLING PLASTICS**
 * Introduction**
 * Task**
 * **Research** the history and chemistry of plastics.
 * **Identify** the seven types of plastics by code number, material name, and abbreviation.
 * **List** the items that are made from each type of plastic, as well as the items that can be made by recycling each type of plastic.
 * Time**
 * Process**
 * Evaluation**
 * **Code** || **Material & Abbreviation** || **How Normally Used** || **Can Be Recycled As** ||
 * **Table Presentation Rubric** || **Possible
 * Conclusion**