This chart shows the mass of plastic in the USA that goes to landfill, incineration and recycling. Unfortunately there exists only a small market for recycled plastic products. Recycled plastic gets used for low-grade plastic items such as plumbing pipes, outdoor furniture and garbage bins. All of the plastic bottles you will purchase that store food and personal care products are made from virgin petroleum and despite their 'recyclability', little of them will ever turn into a new product. The message from this chart is 'don't buy plastic in the first place'.
