Postconsumer plastic

Davos, 22nd-26th March 1993, paper 14/2. 8(13) ADVANCES IN PRODUCING INDUSTRIAL GASES ORIGINATING EROM POSTCONSUMER PLASTIC WASTE Lackner V Michaeli W Institut fuer Kunststoffverarbeitung (Maack Business Services)... 

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. 

Similarly, Dow has entered into a joint venture agreement with Dom-tar of Canada to operate what the companies hope will be by 1990 a self-sustaining PET and HDPE recycling business. The North American company is expected to take postconsumer plastics and, using a proprietary Dow process, convert them into resins for use in Domtar s manufacturing or to be sold by Dow. 

Table 9-1. Major constraints on the recycling of postconsumer plastics. Successful recycling requires Recycling is not suitable for ...

US,ASSOCIATION OF POSTCONSUMER PLASTIC RECYCLERS US,VINYL INSTITUTE P R ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRIES OXYCHEM BAYSHORE VINYL USA... 

Recycling of postconsumer plastics involves the process of collection, cleaning, separation, and then processing them into various products. These different steps will be elaborated in the following sections. 

We have considered the common non-solvent-based methods of separating postconsumer plastics. However, except for depolymerization, only selective dissolution is capable of purifying bonded, blended, and fill plastics effectively. Dissolution of the polymer releases the impurities which are then removed by filtration, adsorption, or flotation/sedimentation. This yields polymers of high purity for reuse in original applications. The major drawback of a solvent system is Ae increased expense due to the complexity of equipment and higher energy requirements. 

Moore Recycling Associates, 2011 National Postconsumer Plastic Bag Film Recycling Report, Feb. (2013), http //plastics.americanchemistry.com/Education-Resources/Publications/2011-National-Postconsumer-Recycled-Plastic-Bag-and-Film-Report.pdf, accessed 12/29/14... 

Compared to virgin material, the mechanical properties are worse, mainly due to polymer contamination. Furthermore, the fluctuations in properties of post-industrial and postconsumer waste are similar. In general, the fluctuations within waste materials are high compared to virgin plastics, with post-industrial plastic waste having smaller fluctuations than postconsumer plastic waste. 

Even the present author (E.C.) has been pleased to contribute actively to the dissemination of the fundamental concepts relevant to the design and development of polymeric materials and relevant plastic items characterized by eco-compatibility and biodegradability under compelling suggestions on the correct management of postconsumer plastic commodities at the end of their service life. 

In fact, depending upon the type and content of pro-oxidant/pro-degradant additives present in the doped plastic items and upon the environmental conditions recordable in the compartment where the postconsumer plastic items are either intentionally or accidentally abandoned, one can foresee what would be the reasonable time frame necessary for a safe, useful biodegradation, thus mitigating the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment. 

The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR), a U.S. trade association representing plastics recycling companies, also publishes a list of design guidelines for plastic bottles. Specific sets of guidelines are presented for PET, natural HDPE, pigmented HDPE, PP, and PVC bottles [22]. Guidelines include ... 

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