The wide use of plastics in many manufacturing industries is a result of the flexibility of design they offer engineers. But increasing quantities of plastics are being discarded as plastic parts reach end-of-life and are taken out of use. So, economic, social, and legislative pressures to recycle plastics have also increased. This introduction to plastics recycling will discuss the economic, political, and environmental considerations that go into why and how plastics are recycled. The processes used and difficulties encountered by plastics-recycling industries will also be explored.