Oxodegradable Additives for Plastics

Oxo-additives can cause the plastic to fragment into smaller pieces over a period of time depending on temperature and humidity in the disposal environment. Oxodegradable additives did not cause polyethylene 

Sustainable plastics are those plastics made with lower energy, lower carbon footprint, lower waste, and lower pollution than conventional plastics. Plastics that are made from plants or biobased sources and from recycled plastics can be made with lower energy, lower carbon footprint, lower waste, and lower pollution than conventional plastics. Biobased polyethylene, propylene, and PET can be made from sugarcane or other agricultural materials. Biobased plastics can be made with nearly identical mechanical properties as conventional petroleum-based plastics and can be manufactured on identical plastics processing equipment. 

The recycling process has two major steps. The first step is with the MRE that collects the recycled materials and separates them into bales of plastic products by resin type. The second step is with the recycling company who converts the bales of plastic products into plastic pellets. 

Through LCA results, recycled plastics require less energy and less greenhouse gases than virgin plastics. Recycled plastics, though, require more water and produce more solid waste than virgin plastics. 

Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers and the American Chemistry Council (2011) 2012 National Postconsumer Recycling Reports, http //www. moorerecycling.com/Publications (last accessed June 2014). 

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