Plastics Recycling

Plastics Recycling All plastics can be recycled however the extent to which they are recycled depends upon both economic and logistic factors. As a valuable and finite resource, the optimum use for most plastic after its first use, is to be recycled, preferably into a product that can be recycled again.

The UK uses over 5 million tonnes of plastic each year of which an estimated 19% is currently being recovered or recycled. This figure is expected to increase significantly to over 25% of the all plastics consumed in the UK by 2010.

Benefits of recycling plastics;

Less used plastic going to landfill
Less oil used for plastic production
Less energy consumed

The vast majority, currently around one third, of post-use plastics recovered from UK waste streams are those used in plastics packaging applications. As a result of major advances in improving the collection, recycling and recovery of plastics packaging dramatic increases continue to be made in recycling rates which, in 2005, translated to 21.8% of plastics packaging placed on the market being recycled.

Key application areas in which plastics are used

DID YOU KNOW.....?

684,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions were saved by recycling the UK’s plastics in 2006, the equivalent of taking more than 216,000 cars off the road
A 100% recycled bin-liner uses only 1/3 of the energy to produce, from cradle to grave, of a bag of equivalent properties made from virgin materials and has a carbon footprint which is 35% lower. ('Environmental Facts', British Polythene Industries PLC)

Identifying plastics: Marking Systems for Plastic Products

There is no mandatory need to mark plastics however, as an aid to recycling, the BPF recommends that larger parts and packaging should be marked with an appropriate identification code. To identify plastics packaging materials, the BPF recommends the use of a coding system devised by the American Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI). In brief;

	PET	polyethylene terephthalate
	HDPE	high-density polyethylene
	PVC	polyvinyl chloride
	LDPE	low density polyethylene
	PP	polypropylene
	PS	polystyrene
	Other	other types of plastics

Moulded plastics items should be marked in accordance with ISO 11469 where practicable.

For more information on the correct symbols to use for the main polymer types, click here

Recycling of Manufacturing Scrap

In all of the processes used to convert plastic raw materials into end products there is an inevitable arising of some scrap material. This results from the start-up and shutdown periods of the processing machinery, from out of specification products and from quality control samples. Material of this type is termed, Industrial Scrap. Almost all moulding companies recycle their own plastics waste, or scrap, in house. The specialist plastics recycling industry also recycle material of this type, mostly skeletal waste from thermoforming and off-specification mouldings. Some 250,000 -300,000 tonnes of plastics are dealt with in this way annually.

Where the origin of the material is industrial scrap, the recovered end-product is generally referred to as 'reprocessed' to distinguish it from 'recycled' material which is derived from genuine post-use products.

Post-use plastics recycling

Plastics products which have undergone a full service life and have then been reclaimed for further use are termed, post-use material, and can arise from industrial, commercial and domestic sources. Recent years have seen a growth in post-consumer plastics recycling.

Most of the plastics recycled are from the commercial and industrial sectors, with bottles being recovered from domestic sources. This pattern is because the main requirements for effective recycling of post-use plastics are:

resource efficient reclamation of the post-use products
facilities to sort and compact the reclaimed products
end use applications for the recycled plastics materials and these conditions are more easily met from commercial post-use waste.

In addition, heavily contaminated plastic waste requires special washing and drying facilities.

Feedstock Recycling

Feedstock recycling can be a very complicated process, which is sometimes confused with chemical recycling. The difference between chemical and feedstock recycling process lies in the use of the end product. In a feedstock recycling process the chemical structure of the waste material is altered in such a way, that the resulting chemicals can be used for purposes other than producing the original material. There are various commercially available feedstock recycling processes including:

Texaco gasification process
BASF conversion process
Veba Combi cracking process
BSL incineration process
Akzo Nobel steam gasification process
Linde gasification process
NKT pyrolysis process
SVZ pressurised fixed bed gasification

These processes typically generate feedstocks include synthesis gas, containing mainly Carbon monoxide and Hydrogen. Various by-products are also produced, such as chlorides are generally sold on for other processes and slag can be used in applications such as building. Energy released during these processes is generally re-used by the process or recovered.

Chemical Recycling

In a chemical recycling process the chemical structure of the waste material is altered, but only in such a way that the resulting chemicals can still be used to produce the original material again. Such chemical recycling processes include monomer recovery and there are currently a few commercial techniques available which accomplish this. Probably the best example is the recycling of nylon carpet.

Mechanical Recycling

At present the recycling of waste plastics is dominated by mechanical processes. There are a number of reasons for this, include the simplicity of the mechanical processes (when compared with feedstock or chemical recycling processes), the relatively low level of capital investment required to set-up a mechanical recycling process and the absence of any hazardous chemicals in the process.

The mechanical recycling process begins with the sorting of the plastics waste. Most of the sorting of plastics waste for mechanical recycling, in the UK, is done by trained staff, who sort the plastics according to polymer type and/or colour. However, new technology is slowly being introduced that allows plastics waste to be automatically sorted. Such technology utilises various techniques, including X-ray, fluorescence, infrared and near infrared spectroscopy, electrostatics and flotation. Once the plastic waste has been sorted it is either melted down directly and moulded into a new shape (melt-processed), or melted down after being shredded into flakes and than processed into granules called regranulate.

One of the most important waste streams currently being treated using mechanical recycling is packaging waste.

Current examples of plastics recycling schemes in the UK

RECOVINYL

One industry led scheme to improve a particular waste sector is Recovinyl. Recovinyl provides financial incentives to support the collection of PVC waste from sectors not covered by the WEEE or ELV Directive.

This European scheme, backed by the British Plastics Federation, aims to ensure a steady supply of post-consumer PVC waste for recycling helping to deliver the Europe-wide Vinyl 2010 commitment to recycle 40,000 tonnes of post-consumer PVC by 2010. The UK recycled 42,162 tonnes of uPVC in 2007 and is well on the way to achieving over 50,000 tonnes for 2008. Currently the UK has the highest recycling rates for used PVC construction products in Europe.

DID YOU KNOW.....?

Manufacturing a new building product from recycled uPVC saves 94% of carbon dioxide emissions compared to production using virgin PVC polymer (Source: Axion Recycling)

EPS RECYCLING;

Traditionally EPS has been thought of as extremely difficult to recycle due to its lightweight and high volume. The UK EPS industry, however, has worked for many years to actively encourage the recycling of used packaging material and many companies are successfully collecting and recycling their EPS. In 2006 29.3% of EPS produced in the UK was recycled or recovered.

Once collected, EPS is recycled in a number of different ways. Firstly it can go back into new EPS foam and it is already widely used by the construction industry where recycled packaging is added to insulation board. In these cases, it is shredded and added back as a 'filler'. Recycled material is also commonly returned to the packaging industry for new package mouldings. It is also widely used in the form of "loosefill" packaging and the largest manufacturer of loosefill has used 100% recycled material for almost ten years.

Once the air content is removed, EPS is no different from crystal polystyrene (GPPS) and it can be used in a range of non-foam applications. Recycled EPS is widely used in coat hangers, videocassettes and plant pots.

One of the most novel uses for recycled EPS is as a wood substitute that can be used in a vast range of areas. Recycled polystyrene can be converted into a product that looks and acts like wood and can be sawn, nailed or screwed, just like wood. It can be used for simple products such as park benches and fence posts and is already found in garden furniture and marine walkways. The product costs less than hardwood and really has a value when used to replace hardwoods such as mahogany and teak where it can save the impact on the rainforests

The recycling of contaminated EPS such as fish boxes has proved complicated for the industry. However, recent developments in the UK have led to a successful recycling route for this material and many fish processors are now having their material collected and recycled.

Legislation, Standards and Related Publications

Waste Framework Directive: This Directive provides the overarching legislative framework for the collection, transport, recovery and disposal of waste, and includes a common definition of waste and recycling.
Waste Strategy for England 2007
Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE and RoHS Directives)
End-of-Life Vehicles
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations
The Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 103 enables plastics waste to be classified according to its polymer type, its original use and any contaminants. Plastics recycling companies will be able to set purchasing specifications based on this PAS and collectors, sorters and traders of plastics waste will be able to maximise the value of their material by understanding the precise needs of the recycling industry. PAS 103 was sponsored by DTI, Biffaward, WRAP, EMR and Fujitsu Services
Recycled Plastic in Food Contact Applications

European Commission Regulation No (EC) 282/2008 on recycled materials and articles intended to come into contact with foods and amending Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006 entered into force on 24th April 2008 and is directly applicable throughout the EU. The new regulation sets out the requirements for recycled plastics to be used in food contact materials and establishes an authorisation procedure of recycling processes used in the manufacture of recycled plastics for food contact use. It establishes requirements as regards the materials that can be recycled and the efficiency of recycling process to reduce contamination. The regulation aims to create a more efficient and practical system for regulating the use of recycled plastics in food packaging.

Any company wishing to use recycled plastics in food contact applications will need to gain approval from the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), which will base its safety assessment on factors such as the quality of the recycled raw material, the efficiency of the decontamination process and the plastic's intended use. Once EFSA has evaluated a particular case, its verdict will be forwarded to the EC. If the EC authorises the case, it will then be added to the register of approved recycling processes.

Guidelines for applicants for the safety evaluation of recycled plastics to be used in contact with food have been published by EFSA, CLICK HERE for further information.

Bio-based and Degradable plastics

Biodegradability is another area of growing importance in waste-managment terms. Biodegradable plastics are commercially available but the question of their role is, however, debatable. Some see their use as an answer to the litter problem – but litter is not caused by the plastic article itself, it is caused by people. The idea that their use will solve the problem of persistence in landfill goes against the preferred approach for the reuse, recovery and recycling of plastic waste as a more sustainable environmental solution. There may however be niche markets, such as the packaging of organically grown fruits and vegetables, where the use of biodegradable plastics may be preferred. Over recent years the levels of composting have increased dramatically and it is now seen as an important link with the waste-management chain.

For more information on bio-based and degradable plastics, click here.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Finding a Recycler

There are now over 100 plastics recyclers in the UK. To find out more information on those companies who are involved in the recycling of plastics, please search the BPF Industry Directory.

Polymer Reprocessors in BPF Membership:

Express Recycling and Plastics

H J Enthoven & Sons

Luxus

Simba International

Alternatively please visit the BPF Recycling Council page for more details on its activities and member companies

Useful Contacts

	EuPR (Association of European Plastics Recyclers) Avenue de Cortenbergh 66 - P.O. Box 4 B-1000 Brussels Belgium http://www.plasticsrecyclers.eu/
	Plastics Europe (Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe) Avenue E van Nieuwenhuyse 4, Box 3 B-1160 Brussels Belgium Telephone: +32 (2) 675 32 97 http://www.plasticseurope.org
	WRAP (Waste Resource Action Programme) The Old Academy 21 Horse Fair Banbury OX16 0AH http://www.wrap.org.uk
	RECOUP 1 Metro Centre Welbeck Way Woodston Peterborough PE2 7UH http://www.recoup.org

Member Control Panel

Plastics Recycling

DID YOU KNOW.....?

Identifying plastics: Marking Systems for Plastic Products

Recycling of Manufacturing Scrap

Post-use plastics recycling

Feedstock Recycling

Chemical Recycling

Mechanical Recycling

Current examples of plastics recycling schemes in the UK

DID YOU KNOW.....?

Legislation, Standards and Related Publications

Bio-based and Degradable plastics

FURTHER INFORMATION

Finding a Recycler

Useful Contacts

EuPR (Association of European Plastics Recyclers)

Plastics Europe (Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe)

WRAP (Waste Resource Action Programme)

RECOUP