NAME: ___________________________________________ DATE: _____________________ CLASS: _________

The Life of a Plastic Bottle

Instructions
In this activity, you will learn about the life cycle of a plastic water bottle, which includes
various stages of production: extraction, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal.
For each stage, watch the linked video and, in the spaces that follow, describe in the spaces
that follow the materials that are used, potential waste products, and negative health and
environmental impacts. Then hold onto the worksheet, because you may find what you learn
to be helpful in later modules when you are designing a solution to a waste issue.

Video: Life of a Plastic Bottle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erGnf7ws20E

In the sections below, identify the waste products and impacts associated with each stage. To
rewatch relevant portions of the video as you fill out the worksheet, refer to the listed video
time markers.

Stage 1: Extraction [Video time markers: 0:00–0:26]

1. What materials are used during the extraction stage of production?

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NAME: ___________________________________________ DATE: _____________________ CLASS: _________

The Life of a Plastic Bottle, continued

2. What waste products are created during the extraction stage?

3. What are potential negative health and environmental impacts related to the extraction
stage?

Stage 2: Production [Video time markers: 0:27–1:10]

4. What materials are used during the production stage?

5. What waste products are created during the production stage?

6. What are potential negative health and environmental impacts related to the production
stage?

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NAME: ___________________________________________ DATE: _____________________ CLASS: _________

The Life of a Plastic Bottle, continued

Stage 3: Distribution [No video time markers. Imagine the trucks delivering plastic beverage
bottles to warehouses and stores across the United States.]

7. What materials are used during the distribution stage?

8. What waste products are created during the distribution stage?

9. What are potential negative health and environmental impacts related to the distribution
stage?

Stage 4: Consumption [No video time markers. Imagine drinking a cool, fresh bottle of water.]
10. What materials are used during the consumption stage?

11. What waste products are created during the consumption stage?

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NAME: ___________________________________________ DATE: _____________________ CLASS: _________

The Life of a Plastic Bottle, continued

12. What are potential negative health and environmental impacts related to the
consumption stage?

Stage 5: Disposal and Collection [Video time markers: 1:11–1:26]

13. What materials are used during the disposal and collection stage?

14. What waste products are created during the disposal and collection stage? (Does the
answer relate to choices people have and whether recycling bins and trash cans are
accessible?)

15. What are potential negative health and environmental impacts related to the disposal and
collection stage?

Although the system was designed for disposal of items, certain items can be recycled, which
creates two additional stages of the process: sorting recyclables and reprocessing recycled
materials.

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NAME: ___________________________________________ DATE: _____________________ CLASS: _________

The Life of a Plastic Bottle, continued

Stage 6: Sorting Recyclables [Video time markers: 1:27–1:56]

16. What materials are used during the sorting recyclables stage?

17. What waste products are created during the sorting recyclables stage?

18. What are potential negative health and environmental impacts related to the sorting
recyclables stage?

Stage 7: Reprocessing Recycled Materials [Video time markers: 1:57–2:30]

19. What materials are used during the reprocessing stage?

20. What waste products are created during the reprocessing stage?

21. What are potential negative health and environmental impacts related to the reprocessing
stage?

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