How plastic bottles are recycled

The diagram illustrates the cyclical process of recycling plastic bottles, beginning with disposal and ending with the production of new plastic items.

Overall, the recycling of plastic bottles is a continuous cycle involving eight main stages, starting from collection and sorting, through cleaning and processing, and culminating in the creation of new products that re-enter the cycle after use.

The process commences when used bottles are placed in designated recycling bins and collected by trucks, which transport them to a recycling facility. At the plant, the bottles are sorted, and those suitable for reuse are compressed into large blocks. These blocks are subsequently fed into a crushing machine, where they are broken down into small fragments. The fragments then undergo a thorough washing process to ensure they are clean and free from impurities.

Next, the cleaned pieces are placed into a machine that converts them into pellets. These pellets are heated and melted to form raw plastic material. In the final stage, this material is molded into a wide variety of new products such as bottles, pens, and reusable shopping bags. Once these items are used, they can be recycled again, thereby continuing the cycle.

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Vocabulary for Process Diagrams (Recycling / Manufacturing)

🔹 Sequence Connectors

• First, initially, to begin with
• Subsequently, afterwards, next
• Following this, in the next stage, thereafter
• Finally, ultimately

🔹 Process Verbs

• Are discarded / collected / transported / delivered
• Are sorted / selected / separated
• Are compressed / crushed / broken down
• Are cleaned / rinsed / purified
• Are heated / melted / transformed / converted into
• Are molded / manufactured / produced

🔹 Cohesive Phrases

• “The process begins with…”
• “This is followed by…”
• “After being ___, the material is then ___”
• “In the final stage…”
• “The cycle then repeats…”