Sofia Martinez
Plastic is a broad term for a wide range of materials with different properties and uses. While almost all plastic can be recycled in principle, in practice, this is often undermined by economic, environmental, and technical barriers. For instance, the process of separating plastics can be costly, and the oil used to make plastic is inexpensive. As a result, recycling plastic waste is often not economically justifiable. Additionally, the resin properties of plastic degrade with each turnover, making it weaker. This means that recycled plastic is not as strong as new plastic. However, recycling plastic is critical to improving the environment and waste management solutions, and some types of plastic, such as PET, are easier to recycle than others.
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What You'll Learn
The economic viability of recycling plastic
Plastic waste is a critical global issue, with environmental, economic, and technical barriers to recycling. The economic viability of recycling plastic is a complex topic, with many factors influencing its feasibility.
Firstly, the type of plastic is significant. Some plastics, like PET, are widely recycled, while others, like polypropylene, are difficult and costly to recycle. The resin code of plastics indicates recyclability, with lower numbers generally being easier to recycle. However, the process of separating and sorting plastics by type can be expensive, and some products with multiple plastic types are challenging to recycle.
Secondly, the source of plastic waste impacts its economic viability for recycling. Imported plastic waste, which is often more uniform, requires a higher recycling rate of at least 63% to break even financially, compared to domestic waste. This is because importers pay for plastic waste, and failing to recycle it results in financial losses. In contrast, domestic waste often comes from diverse sources, creating challenging-to-recycle mixtures, especially in regions with inadequate waste separation.
Thirdly, consumer choices and entrenched manufacturing systems play a role. Plastic's low cost, durability, lightweight nature, and ability to meet consumer demands more cost-effectively than other materials have fueled its growth. However, this has outpaced our ability to manage waste volumes, despite the potential for economically viable reuse methods.
Lastly, recycling technologies and applications can impact economic viability. For example, using recycled plastic waste as aggregates in concrete has environmental benefits, but commercial production is limited due to reduced concrete strength and economic feasibility concerns.
In conclusion, while recycling plastic can be economically viable in certain scenarios, it is not a straightforward solution. The economic viability of recycling plastic depends on a range of factors, including the type of plastic, source of waste, consumer and manufacturing trends, and recycling technologies and applications. Addressing the global plastic waste crisis requires a comprehensive approach that considers the entire plastics value chain.
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The environmental impact of plastic recycling
Plastic waste is a major environmental concern, with the vast majority of plastics being disposed of in non-environmentally friendly ways. This has resulted in polluted oceans, overfilled landfills, and ecological damage. As such, plastic recycling is critical to improving the environment and waste management.
Recycling plastic helps keep it out of our streets, parks, and oceans. It also changes the way we view plastic – less as rubbish and more as something useful. This shift in perspective means we're less likely to litter, which benefits wildlife and the environment. Recycling also helps increase the availability of recycled plastic, meaning more businesses can incorporate it into their products, thereby reducing their environmental footprint and empowering consumers to make more sustainable choices.
However, it's important to note that not all plastic is widely recyclable. For example, burning plastics releases harmful gases, and some plastics are incredibly difficult to recycle, such as crisp packets, salad bags, and plastic wrap. In addition, some plastics are never recycled, such as plastics number 6 and 7. The process of recycling can also be costly and energy-intensive, and in some cases, the recycled product may end up being unsuitable for certain uses, such as recycled polypropylene (PP) often being black or grey and not ideal for packaging.
Furthermore, there is evidence that the recycling process itself can be toxic. A Greenpeace report found that only a tiny proportion (9%) of plastics are ever recycled, and those that are end up with higher concentrations of toxic chemicals, increasing their potential harm to humans, animals, and the environment. The report highlights the presence of toxic chemicals such as flame retardants, benzene, and other carcinogens in recycled plastics.
While recycling plastic can help mitigate environmental impacts, it requires careful assessment. Studies have shown that using renewable energy sources like solar photovoltaic electricity can help preserve fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions associated with the recycling process.
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The mechanical process of recycling plastic
After sorting, the plastics are washed to remove any dust, dirt, food residue, drink residue, or labels, ensuring they are clean for the next stage. Next, the plastics are shredded into smaller pieces, which are then melted down. This melting process does not significantly alter the chemical structure of the plastic, allowing for the creation of secondary raw materials or products.
The molten plastic is then extruded, converting the plastic into homogeneous pellets. These pellets are now ready to be used in the manufacture of new products. This mechanical recycling process can be applied to all types of thermoplastics with little to no impact on quality. It is important to note that some plastics are harder to recycle than others due to factors such as multiple types of plastic being used in a single item, making separation challenging and costly.
Additionally, certain plastics, such as polypropylene, are difficult and expensive to recycle, and the recycled product often ends up being black or grey, making it unsuitable for certain applications like packaging. Despite these challenges, mechanical recycling plays a crucial role in improving the environment and waste management solutions, especially with the increasing development of recycling methods and environmental legislation.
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The chemical process of recycling plastic
Plastic recycling is critical to improving the environment and bettering waste management solutions. However, only a fraction of the plastic produced actually gets recycled. Before being recycled, plastics are sorted according to their resin type, either manually or using mechanized automated processes, or even by color. Following sorting, there are two main ways to recycle plastic: mechanical recycling and chemical recycling.
Mechanical recycling involves washing, grinding, and melting plastic waste into secondary raw materials or products without significantly altering the material's chemical structure. On the other hand, chemical recycling breaks down plastic waste into its constituent molecular parts, converting polymeric waste into chemical building blocks, including monomers, which can be reused as raw materials in chemical processes. This process changes the structure of the polymeric waste, directly affecting the chemistry of its polymers.
Chemical recycling includes processes such as gasification, pyrolysis, and depolymerization. Gasification involves heating waste materials to very high temperatures (1000-1500 °C) in low-oxygen environments, breaking down molecules into their simplest components. The resulting syngas, a mix of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, can be used to produce chemicals for plastic production, fuel, and fertilizer. Pyrolysis, or thermal cracking, involves heating plastic waste to temperatures over 400 °C under low-oxygen conditions, breaking down long polymer chains into basic hydrocarbon products like gas, wax, diesel, and naphtha. These products can be fed into petrochemical plants to create new plastics or used directly as fuel.
Depolymerization, another chemical recycling process, uses chemistry, solvents, and heat to turn polymers back into smaller molecules (monomers), which can be fed back into the plastic production process as secondary raw materials. Dissolution, a form of chemical recycling, removes additives from polymers by immersing them in solvents, returning the plastic to the polymer stage for reformulation into new recycled plastics.
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The future of plastic recycling
Plastic recycling is critical to improving the environment and bettering waste management solutions. The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) is a key player in the industry, advocating for a sustainable and effective recycling system. While recycling works, it could be working better. The APR has identified four key trends that will shape the future of plastic recycling.
Firstly, increasing the supply of plastic packaging available for processing is crucial. APR members have the capacity to significantly increase their recycling rates for PET, HDPE, and PP if they can secure more supply. This challenge is compounded by the continued high production of inexpensive virgin plastic, which often undermines the market for recycled materials. Addressing this issue requires creating mandatory domestic recycled content minimums and long-term contracts for recycled content supply.
Secondly, strengthening the market demand for recycled content in product lines is essential. Some countries plan to impose hefty fees on plastic products that rely on non-recycled material, providing a financial incentive for companies to use recycled plastics. American companies have committed to buying three times more recycled PET by 2025, but challenges remain, such as brand companies cancelling contracts for recycled material in favor of less expensive virgin resin.
Thirdly, improving the collection of plastics for recycling is vital. Policymakers are seeking solutions to reduce plastic pollution, and the APR is actively engaging with governments to champion the benefits of scaling up plastic recycling. This includes providing technical support for policy development and implementation and advocating for policies that promote the design of recyclable plastic packaging.
Lastly, the future of plastic recycling relies on collaboration and innovation. The APR works with reclaimers, the companies that recycle plastics daily, and represents over 300 member companies across the entire recycling industry. Through collaboration, the APR aims to overcome technical challenges, such as developing more eco-friendly disposal methods and improving the recyclability of plastics.
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Frequently asked questions
The most widely recycled plastic globally is PET, which is used for soda bottles, water bottles, and other types of food packaging. PET is also the most commonly recycled plastic in India, Europe, and South Korea, with rates higher than 50%. Other easily recyclable plastics include HDPE milk jugs, which are labelled as number 2 in the recycling triangle.
There are several reasons why not all plastics are recycled. Firstly, the recycling process can be difficult and expensive, especially when items include multiple types of plastic and different layers that are hard to separate. Additionally, the demand for recycled PET is not being met by existing recovery processes. Furthermore, some plastics are not widely accepted at recycling centres, such as plastics numbered 3 through 7 in the recycling triangle, which are considered the least recyclable.
To improve plastic recycling, we need to reduce the production of new plastics and prioritize reusing or recycling existing plastics. This can be achieved through circularity, which involves imitating the natural world where there is no waste, and everything has a use. Additionally, new technologies are being developed to convert hard-to-recycle plastics into new plastic products, but these technologies need to be scaled up to a commercial level.
