5.1.6
Polymers: The Six R's
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The Six R's
The six R’s (reduce, refuse, reuse, repair, recycle, and rethink) help to consider plastic's effectiveness as an environmentally friendly material.

Reduce
- We should consider reducing the amount of plastic we use in products.
- We could make products with less plastic.
- We could make products with alternative materials.

Reuse
- Reusing polymers is essential to maintain the environment.
- Reusing polymers also gives products a new lease of life.
- Single-use plastic is discarded in landfills.
- Landfills are burned and destroyed.
- We could have a system where single-use plastic is not sold.
- Consumers could be encouraged to purchase products that last longer.

Refuse
- Refusing can make a statement that we need to stop manufacturing polymer-based products.
- For example, single-use plastic products such as pop bottles and vapes.

Recycle
- Thermoforming polymers can be recycled.
- We need to place plastic items in the correct bins.
- Companies make their new products from recycled plastic rather than new plastic.
- For example, packaging companies often use recycled plastic.
1Core Technical Principles
1.1New & Emerging Technologies
1.2Energy Generation & Storage
1.3Developments in New Materials
1.4Systems Approach to Designing
1.5Mechanical Devices
1.6Materials Categories
2Paper & Board: Specialist Technical Principles
2.1Selection of Materials
2.2Paper & Board: Forces & Stresses
2.3Paper & Board: Ecological & Social Footprint
2.4Paper & Board: Sources & Origins
2.5Paper & Board: Using Materials
2.6Paper & Board: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes
2.7Paper & Board: Scales of Production
2.8Paper & Board: Specialist Techniques & Processes
2.9Paper & Board: Surface Treatments & Finishes
3Timber: Specialist Technical Principles
3.1Timber: Selection of Materials
3.2Timber: Forces & Stresses
3.3Timber: Ecological & Social Footprint
3.4Timber: Sources & Origins
3.5Timber: Using Materials
3.6Timber: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes
3.7Timber: Scales of Production
3.8Timber: Specialist Techniques & Processes
3.9Timber: Surface Treatments & Finishes
4Metal: Specialist Technical Principles
4.1Metals: Selection of Materials
4.2Metals: Forces & Stresses
4.3Metals: Ecological & Social Footprint
4.4Metals: Sources & Origins
4.5Metals: Alloy-Based Materials
4.6Metals: Using Materials
4.7Metals: Scales of Production
4.8Metals: Specialist Techniques & Processes
4.9Metals: Quality Control
4.10Metals: Surface Treatments & Finishes
5Polymers: Specialist Technical Principles
5.1Polymers
5.2Polymer Categories
5.3Polymer Forms
5.4Polymer Production, Techniques & Quality Control
6Textiles: Specialist Technical Principles
6.1Textile Materials
6.2Selection of Materials
6.3Forces & Stresses
7Designing & Making Principles
7.1Investigation & Data
7.2Environmental, Social & Economic Challenges
7.3The Work of Others
7.4Design Strategies
7.5Communication of Design Ideas
7.6Prototype Development
7.7Selection of Materials
7.8Tolerances
7.9Material Management
7.10Specialist Equipment
7.11Specialist Techniques & Processes
Jump to other topics
1Core Technical Principles
1.1New & Emerging Technologies
1.2Energy Generation & Storage
1.3Developments in New Materials
1.4Systems Approach to Designing
1.5Mechanical Devices
1.6Materials Categories
2Paper & Board: Specialist Technical Principles
2.1Selection of Materials
2.2Paper & Board: Forces & Stresses
2.3Paper & Board: Ecological & Social Footprint
2.4Paper & Board: Sources & Origins
2.5Paper & Board: Using Materials
2.6Paper & Board: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes
2.7Paper & Board: Scales of Production
2.8Paper & Board: Specialist Techniques & Processes
2.9Paper & Board: Surface Treatments & Finishes
3Timber: Specialist Technical Principles
3.1Timber: Selection of Materials
3.2Timber: Forces & Stresses
3.3Timber: Ecological & Social Footprint
3.4Timber: Sources & Origins
3.5Timber: Using Materials
3.6Timber: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes
3.7Timber: Scales of Production
3.8Timber: Specialist Techniques & Processes
3.9Timber: Surface Treatments & Finishes
4Metal: Specialist Technical Principles
4.1Metals: Selection of Materials
4.2Metals: Forces & Stresses
4.3Metals: Ecological & Social Footprint
4.4Metals: Sources & Origins
4.5Metals: Alloy-Based Materials
4.6Metals: Using Materials
4.7Metals: Scales of Production
4.8Metals: Specialist Techniques & Processes
4.9Metals: Quality Control
4.10Metals: Surface Treatments & Finishes
5Polymers: Specialist Technical Principles
5.1Polymers
5.2Polymer Categories
5.3Polymer Forms
5.4Polymer Production, Techniques & Quality Control
6Textiles: Specialist Technical Principles
6.1Textile Materials
6.2Selection of Materials
6.3Forces & Stresses
7Designing & Making Principles
7.1Investigation & Data
7.2Environmental, Social & Economic Challenges
7.3The Work of Others
7.4Design Strategies
7.5Communication of Design Ideas
7.6Prototype Development
7.7Selection of Materials
7.8Tolerances
7.9Material Management
7.10Specialist Equipment
7.11Specialist Techniques & Processes
Practice questions on Polymers: The Six R's
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- 1What are the six Rs?Fill in the list
- 2Which of the following can be recycled?Multiple choice
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