Task 2a : Recycling

After watching all the videos about recycling, I find that sorting is the main problem in recycling. As it said in the last video " Recycling Plastic", 'Properly separate is hard for recycling'. The recycling process starts from sorting different  types of materials, and the further recycling procedures are classified according to different material properties. Some material like Paper, Tinplate are easier than others like plastic and glass to separate, because they are more easily to be recognized  by consumers. When consumers throw them, they know which rubbish bin to throw them in. However, as for plastic, the material family is too big and it is difficult for consumer to know what kind of plastic it is. As a result, they just throw them into one rubbish bin and leave the sorting job to machines. In my opinion, why not label the plastic and teach consumers to sort the plastic? It saves not only time but energy to sort the materials. In the 'Recycling Plastic' video, plastic wastes are sorted by films, bottles, extended polystyrene and mix plastic at  the first step. This can be easily achieved by consumers when they put them into rubbish bins. The videos reminds me of a way that cosmetics retailers encourage consumers to return back the package of cosmetics, which may directly go back to manufacturers and recycle. I think this way is applicable to diary like milk boxes, water bottles or other food packaging. Consumers can return them back to supermarkets or retailers, and the packaging can go directly to next run of production after some disinfection process.

Regarding to design, I think designer should look into the aspect of minimizing materials use and design products considering the disassembly process. Minimizing materials is certainly good for the energy saving in recycling process and sustainability  of the earth. Design that good for disassembly is helpful for consumers to separate the parts and also sort the materials, which shortens the recycling process. Consumers are not patient to pay hours and hours on disassembling the products that they are going to throw away, so minimizing small parts and label the materials will benefit the recycling. Design for sorting could be another main aspect of design.