Plastics Waste Management

Introducing Plastics

The Potential Of Recycled Plastics - A Second Life

Plastics recycling takes place on a significant scale in the UK and there is consider able research conducted to discover the most efficient ways to recycle. Raw materials have a high value and are a precious resource, so to conserve both money and the environment the industry makes every effort to recover as much as possible.

Exact figures are hard to obtain but a survey conducted in 1981 showed that less than 1% of plastics processed is thrown away at the manufacturing stage. Further downstream many products that have completed a full service life are fed back into the system to embark upon a second life-cycle. The following are just some examples:

• Polyethylene film - It is estimated that around 50,000 tonnes of polyethylene film, about 10% of total UK production, are recovered every year to provide useful and service able goods such as certain types of builders' sheeting and black refuse bags, the majority of which are made from recycled material.
• Polypropylene - At least 25,000 tonnes of polypropylene are recycled annually, equivalent to about 7% of total UK production. More than 70% of this material has had a full service life with major sources being bottle crates and car battery boxes. The recycled material is used in high quality applications such as injection mouldings and extruded drainage pipes.
• Polystyrene - Recycling of polystyrene clothes hangers collected from department stores is an excellent example of a successful commercial venture , as is a similar system based on the recovery of used cassette cases taken from photographic laboratories. Typical applications include injection moulded products, including recycled versions of the original article or quite different products such as flower pots.

Recycling plastics which have been through the domestic waste stream will prove more difficult and the economics are known to be less favourable. A hopeful indication for the future, however, is the successful recycling of mixed plastics which have been obtained from distributive trade wastes. Products currently fabricated from such materials include livestock penning and industrial flooring. Another possible route for domestic waste is the development of collection schemes which in involve the consumer. Whatever the point of separation the issue is whether the recycling of domestic waste can be made economically viable.

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A Source Of Energy

Material recovery is by no means the only way to recycle plastics. Another option is to recover their thermal content, providing an alternative source of energy. An average typical value for polymers found commonly in house hold waste is 38 mega joules per kilogram (MJ/kg), which compares favourably to the equivalent value of 31 MJ/kg for coal. This represents a valuable resource raising the overall calorific value of domestic waste which can then be recovered through controlled combustion and re-used in the form of heat and steam to power electricity generators. Successful ventures in this field include plants, such as a major incinerator in Edmonton, North London, which produces steam to power an electricity turbine. The electricity is then sold to the Eastern Electricity Board. Waste containing plastics can also be reprocessed to yield fuel pellets, which have the added advantage of being storeable.

It is sometimes claimed that incineration of municipal waste poses an environmental problem in the shape of atmospheric pollutants. Although the potential is there, modem incineration techniques ensure that actual emission levels are kept with-in internationally accepted safety limits. In fact, several countries, such as Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands, have recently affirmed their confidence in incineration by announcing plans to expand existing capacity.

Reclamation

The majority of municipal waste is still used as land fill, due to the very high cost of facilities for the sorting, separation and recycling of waste. As plastics are stable, both physically and chemically they in turn provide stability to the tips. This provides a safe and solid foundation upon which to build; thereby releasing land for development.

Composition Of UK Household Waste By Percentage Weight

Conserving The Environment

The plastics industry is concerned that it should take appropriate care of resources and the environment. The advantages of plastics over other raw materials are apparent from the beginning of their life-cycle. Research shows that it often takes less energy to make products in plastics, and although most plastics depend on oil, coal or gas they are responsible for only a small fraction of the national consumption of these fuels. In addition, as plastics are lighter and easier to store and transport, energy savings are made. As well as developments in the recycling of plastics, there have been interesting advances in the production of degradable plastics for products which need only a limited life.

The Future

Plastics recycling is in the growth phase as the whole industry is still relatively young. A further development in recycling, which is being researched, is the recovery of the individual chemical components of plastics for re-use as chemicals, or for the manufacture of new plastics. The British Plastics Federation is committed to encouraging industry to exploit the potential of plastics for recycling. It recognises that many of the measures that could be taken to increase recycling ventures are inhibited by both cost and practicalities. The BPF therefore sponsors research and seminars on recycling issues, to ensure innovation and development within the plastics industry.

Envirowise is a Government programme that offers free, independent and practical advice to UK businesses to reduce wasted resource, at source, and increase profits.

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