Energy recovery process

Figure 8-1. Energy recovery process taking advantage of excess hydrogen production.

The selective treatments of flame-retardant plastics are fulfilled when the WEEE plastics are treated (recovered, recycled, thermally disposed) together with other wastes, as is the case with energy recovery processes that are currently practiced in Europe.78 79 In this scenario, the joint recovery of plastics containing brominated flame-retardants with other materials complies with the purpose of the WEEE Directive without the removal requirement of Annex II. Recent technical studies and legal reviews demonstrate that WEEE plastics containing brominated flame-retardants are compatible with the EU WEEE Directive without separation and removal prior to the waste treatment. This has been confirmed by the 2006 EU Member States guidance on the separation requirements of the WEEE Directive.80... 

A study by the Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe (APME) assessed the environmental impacts of mechanical and feedstock recycling and energy recovery of waste plastics. It was compared in terms of consumption of resomces and environmental emission pollution potential. The criteria of consumption of energetically exploitable resources and contribution to the greenhouse effect lead to the following order of preference for feedstock recycling and energy recovery processes ... 

Figure 22.2.12. Flow diagram of energy recovery process.

Secondary or mechanical recycling processes differ from tertiary or feedstock recycling and quaternary or energy recovery processes principally in the potential to retain some of the energy used from plastics production, and in general terms provide for financially advantageous options. 

The recycling of polymers has become a necessary part of the development of a sustainable society. The recycling of low price bulk polymers, the group to which the polyolefins belong, is seen by many as a waste of time and resources when they can be easily channelled into the energy recovery process [3]. 

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