As we are all aware, waste plastics are creating a major environmental concern.  Nearly all plastic is made from fossil fuels, starting it's journey mainly as crude oil, natural gas and even coal.  Through a carbon-intense production process, the plastics are then made into a variety of products, many of which have a very short expected lifespan before being disposed of.  As we also know, plastics take a very long time to degrade (anywhere from 20 to 500 years depending on the type) often breaking down in a way that leaves microplastics entering the food chain.

To achieve a truly sustainable circular economy we need to find a way to move away from this model, by using less plastic and finding new and innovative ways to keep these plastics in circulation, reducing the need for raw material inputs as well as reducing plastic pollution in our natural environment.

One really good example of a company that is keeping plastics in circulation is Reworked.  The main focus of their business is to find new and interesting ways to repurpose materials that otherwise would end up in the waste pile and in the process, bringing new products to the marketplace.

As a company that specialises in the harder to handle materials, such as 'non-recyclable' plastics, they have transformed everything from cosmetics packaging, food trays, household items and PPE into new products such as high-impact boarding that can then be manufactured into a variety of items including chairs, tables, waste bins and even garden planters!

They are able to take items collected from waterways, rivers & seas that are often partially degraded and considered unviable for recycling, bring them back into the production cycle and prevent unnecessary waste entering the environment.

If you would like to find out more, please visit the reworked website.