The future for degradable plastics

In addition to gasification, other oxidative treatments of plastic and rubber wastes, excluding total combustion, are described in this chapter. These methods, although relatively unknown, may be of great interest in the future for the chemical degradation of polymeric wastes. 

An important aspect in a future catalytic process for degradation of plastic waste is the amount of catalyst used in such a process. In a batch system, which is the most broadly used so far to test the performance of various catalytic systems, the amount of catalyst is characterized by the polymer-to catalyst mass ratio. Results from initial experiments... 

The Conservation of Plastics provides important information on the definition of plastics, their history, technology, properties, identification, degradation, conservation and future preservation. Most importantly, it describes the state of the art of one of the newest fields in cultural heritage — plastics conservation. The information in this book is placed in context, and is illustrated with many examples that those involved in decision-making processes for conserving plastics objects will find helpful. This book will be present on every conservation table, in aU museums, training schools and universities, where it will be used on a daily basis. The beneficiaries will be the objects themselves plastics for everyday use, designer objects, furniture, toys and, most of all, modern and contemporary art. 

Despite their undesirable durability after disposal, plastics are hard to replace because of their low cost and versatility. Plasticwares are inexpensive mainly because they can be mass-produced from historically inexpensive raw materials. The thermoplastics have allowed the use of machines and procedures to mass-produce a very wide range of consumer products. It is thus obvious that if a low-cost, environmentally degradable thermoplastic is available, the new material will allow the continued production of inexpensive but nonpolluting plasticwares for the future generations. This need is the driving force for active research on PHAs. 

---