Recycling plastic water bottles helps to conserve space that can be used for other waste. According to Earth911, 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space is saved for every ton of plastic that is recycled. Recycling can also help reduce the number of plastic water bottles that end up as litter in roadways and water sources. When you recycle plastic water bottles, you can lower the amount of waste that contributes to landfills. In fact, nearly 7.4 cubic yards of space in landfill space is reduced for every ton of plastic that's recycled. Also, recycling your plastic bottles can prevent them ending up in the ocean and roadways as well.