Plastic packages, recycling

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... 

Arena U, Mastellone M, Perugini F (2003) Life cycle assessment of a plastic packaging recycling system. Int J Life Cycle Assess 8(2) 92-98... 

Marks Spencer Project Qoses the Plastics Packaging Recycling Loop, WRAP, June 6, 2005, http //www. wrap.org.uk/waste minimisation/retailer initiative innovation fund/news events/ news/marks spencer.html. 

In Australia, the annual plastics consumption has increased from 1336386 in 1997 to 1521394 toimes in 2003, whereas the total recycling rate of plastics has increased from 7.0% to 12.4% [7]. It is notewortly that plastics packaging recycling in 2003 was 134905 tonnes, which is 20.5% of packaging consumption during a year. 

Table 10.2 Difference in EU legislation/instruments for plastic packaging recycling in 1996 [3] ...

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is one of the most extensively recycled polymeric materials. In 1995, 3.5 x 104 tons of PET were recycled in Europe.1 The main reason for the widespread recycling of PET is its extensive use in plastic packaging applications, especially in the beverage industry as plastic bottles. The consistency in terms of volume and availability of postconsumer bottles from sorting facilities and its high material scrap value create an excellent economic environment for PET recycling. 

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 ... 

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. 

Key findings are reported from a study by David Brown of Warwick Research Institute into the environmental aspects of plastics packaging used for snack foods. The four options of reduction, re-use, recycling and recovery are discussed. The original research examines OPP as the most commonly used plastic for snack food packaging. BODY SHOP... 

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... 

Morrow, D.R. Recycling of Plastic Packaging Materials, Food Technology/, 89 (December 1989). 

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