Waste packaging

As for enviromnental aspects, in the last years many LCAs have been performed that aimed to compare the different recycling and treatment routes for plastics packaging waste. They often include cost calculations for the whole waste management chain. Examples include ... 

The 1999 Heyde and Kremer Erauenhofer LCA on plastics packaging waste (a.6)... 

For treatment of plastics packaging waste, many technologies are available. They basically can be divided into the following classes ... 

A study of the eeo-efficiency of the recovery of packaging waste was eommissioned by APME and undertaken by the Duteh seientifie research institute, the TNO. This article provides information on this study, under sections entitled model for the study, waste scenarios, environmental and economic impact, eeo-efficiency of waste management, and finally, main conclusions. 

The eurrent and future levels of plastic packaging recycling is discussed with reference to the imminent updating of the 1994 Paekaging and Packaging Waste Directive. Data are ineluded relating to current recovery levels by eountry for western Europe, for mechanical and... 

PALLET PLANT MAY OFFER MARKET FOR PLASTIC PACKAGING WASTE... 

ENERGY RECOVERY OF PACKAGING WASTE FACES LEGAL OBSTACLE... 

Confusion as to what constitutes municipal waste is presenting an obstacle to the use of packaging waste as a fuel in cement kilns. Whilst cement kilns can bum hazardous waste, they cannot bum a wide range of non-hazardous materials, it is reported. The case of Castle Cement is described which planned to bum a range of non-hazardous commercial and industrial wastes. Some waste-fired combustion processes, however, such as UK Waste s Fibre Fuel operation have been granted derogations where fuel is manufactured by advanced mechanical processes, which includes the production of fuel pellets. This latter process would be pointless for the cement industry since their fuels have to be pulverised. The problems are further discussed with reference to current European legislation. 

This article reviews packaging legislation in the USA, and includes details of the laws in several states. It also briefly outlines various packaging waste policies in other parts of the world. 

BASF has delayed a decision on whether to press ahead with a DM300 million investment in a plastics feedstock recycling unit at Ludwigshafen. The decision to go ahead depends on the winning of a contract from DKR, a new recycling company for plastics packaging waste. The article supplies full details. 

Energy recovery from packaging waste is discussed, with particular reference to the co-combustion of mixed plastics with other conventional fuels such as wood, coal and peat. Experimental work is described in which a project was established to evaluate the possibility of energy recovery from a circulating fluidised bed boiler using packaging from different sources as fuel. The role of sulphur in the formation of PCDD/F in the combustion process was also studied. 

With reference to the latest UK government s attempts to tackle the problem of the disposal and/or recycling of packaging waste, comments are reported from Cameron McLatchie, chief executive of British Polythene Industries. He calls for a landfill levy and increased use of incineration with energy recovery. According to recent studies, the capacity for mechanical recycling is presently insufficient. Statistics relating to waste production are included and the case for incineration in the UK is propounded. 

Make the packaging part of the product so that there is no packaging waste. 

Contaminants in recycled plastic packaging waste (HDPE, PP) were identified by MAE followed by GC-MS analysis [290]. Fragrance and flavour constituents from first usage were detected. Recycled material also contained aliphatic hydrocarbons, branched alkanes and alkenes, which are also found in virgin resins at similar concentration levels. Moreover, aromatic hydrocarbons, probably derived from additives, were found. Postconsumer PET was also analysed by Soxhlet extraction and GC-MS most of the extracted compounds (30) were thermally degraded products of additives and polymers, whereas only a few derived from the original contents... 

F.E. Mark, Metals in Source Separated Plastics Packaging Waste, APME, Bmssels (1996). 

The EU Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste sets a recovery target for used packaging of 25% by 2001 and 50-65% by 2005. It is likely that recycling of postconsumer plastics will require substantial polymer/additive analyses. 

Since local ordinances may vary widely from one locale to another, one should always check with appropriate authorities. Also, professional disposal services differ in their requirements for segregating and packaging waste. 

A review is presented of the findings of a study of PVC as a packaging material undertaken by a committee of experts set up by the Spanish Ministry of the Environment. It was concluded that PVC does not pose a threat to health or the environment, that it complies with requirements for specific packaging applications, and that PVC packaging waste can be easily recycled and safely incinerated. SPAIN,MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT... 

Packaging waste is normally recovered from one of two sources. The first is the waste which is not used by the converter (i.e. the maker of the package) and the second is from the packages which are discarded at the point of sale. The former is relatively free of contaminates whereas the latter may contain adhesives, plastics, staples and other contraries . Many countries, including the UK, have developed very efficient collection and recovery systems for packaging material from wholesale and retail outlets. For example in 1991, the Japanese were recovering almost 70% of corrugated containers from this source. 

PET is an ideal material for recycling. It can be reprocessed multiple times and the source material is available in large quantities, mostly as a mono-material . The main focus today is on PET bottles which are collected in dedicated collection systems [108] or separated from other waste streams. Around the world, countries are planning to or have already adopted legislation to reduce packaging waste by the following approaches ... 

The main methods for the recycling of polymer-based packaging wastes are ... 

The situation varies significantly according to the country. Table 2.20 shows the contrasting approaches to the problem of packaging waste in Europe with ... 

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