Recovery of Plastics

The recovery of plastic materials from industrial processing is both environmentally necessary and economically feasible. Developing practical methods to enable the utilisation of plastics waste after processing is necessary for two reasons the diverse applications of recycled products for a number of consumer and industrial applications, and to ensure the waste generated is recycled or has an alternative use. 

The development of the plastic industry has generated a large quantity of solid waste, especially non-degradable waste. Plastics waste from industrial activities contains additives hence, the practice of segregating plastics waste reduces potential environmental, health and safety impacts, and ensures recycling facilities are cost-effective. The essential step involves cleaning and recycling. 

In many countries, the treatment infrastructure is inadequate. The main practices for plastics waste are currently  

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J. Brandrup, M. Bittner, G. Menges, and W. Michaeli, eds., Recycling and Recovery of Plastics, Hanser, Munich, 1996. 

Wogrooly E (1996) In Brandrup J (ed) Recycling and recovery of plastics. Hanser, New York... 

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... 

The Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) is dedicated to the responsible use and recovery of plastics resources. 

J. B. M. Brandrup and G. Menges Recycling and Recovery of Plastics. Mnnich Hansen, 1996. 

J. H. Brophy and S. Hardmann In Recycling and recovery of plastics. Brandrup. Frankfurt, Hanser Publishers, Munich 422-433, 1996. 

W. Kaminsky and H. Sinn, Pyrolytic techniques, In Recycling and Recovery of Plastics, J. Brandrup et al. (eds), Hanser Publishers, New York, pp. 435-444, 1996. W. Kaminsky, B. Schiesselmann and C. M. Simon, Thermal degradation of mixed plastic waste to aromatics and gas, Polymer Degradation and Stability, 53, 189-197 (1996). 

Monomer Recovery of Plastic Waste in a Fluidized Bed Process... 

H. Alter, The recovery of plastics from waste with reference to froth flotation. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 43(2) (2005). 

Table 1.3 Recovery of plastics waste by sector in Western Europe for 1996 (based on reference 2)...

The creep and recovery of plastics can be simulated by an appropriate combination of elementary mechanical models for ideal elastic and ideal viscous deformations. Although there are no discrete molecular structures which behave like individual elements of the models, they nevertheless aid in understanding the response of plastic materials. 

National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) Facilitates the economical recovery of plastic containers, with an emphasis on PET, including U.S. recycling industry statistics and member company profiles, http //www.napcor.com National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) International (corrosion) http //www. nace.org... 

As a partial solution to the global issue of plastic waste, in recent years much interest has been devoted to the formulation of environmentally degradable plastic materials. In particular the use of natural polymers presents several advantages such as biodegradability, utilizing of renewable resources, recyclability. At the same time water sensitivity and degradability of natural polymers limit their possible applications. Consequently bioplastics cannot replace synthetic plastics in every application but they can result appropriate in specific products especially for those applications in which recovery of plastics is not economically feasible, viable and... 

Figure 21.4. Extraction and recovery of plasticizers from solid propellants and mimitions. [Adapted from Melvin W S, US Patent 4,909,868.]...

Figure 21.5. Process of recovery of plasticizer from PVC full-scale installation. 1 reactor, 2 burner, 3 hot-gas line, 4 feed line, 5 discharge line, 6 discharge line, 7 condenser, 8 condenser outlet line, 9 condensate pump, 10 line, 11 line, 12 heat exchanger, 13 line, 14 offgas line, 15 branch line, 16 branch line, 17 circulating-gas line, 18 circulating-gas compressor, 19 branch line. [Adapted from Lyding Q Pille M, von Plessen H, Semel J, US Patent 5,464,876.]...

Treatment and recovery of plastics mixtures is more difficult. For example, about 3%-5% of household rubbish consists of plastics mixtures. Such mixtures can indeed be cleaned, reduced, and directly processed but the end products obtained in this way, however, have very poor mechanical properties because of the incompatibilities of polymers contained in the mixture. The subsequent sorting of plastic mixtures by hand is expensive and not reliable. Even the separate collection of old plastics is uneconomic, and indeed, even with unpaid volunteers. On the other hand, utilization of the thermal content of plastics as an energy source during rubbish combustion is economic, since the amount of oil required for complete combustion is reduced. 

This standard establishes the different options for the recovery of plastics waste arising from pre-consumer and post-consumer sources. It also establishes the quality requirements that should be considered in all steps of the recovery process, and provides general recommendations for inclusion in material standards, test standards and product specifications. Consequently, the process stages, requirements, recommendations and terminology presented in the standard are intended to be of general applicability. 

Help promote technology transfer so that the recovery of plastic materials keeps pace with new packaging designs and... 

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