Alexei Volkov
Plastic waste is a pressing environmental concern, with plastic pollution causing damage to oceans and ecosystems. While recycling plastic is critical to waste management, the process is complex and often challenging. This is due to the variety of plastic types, the presence of additives, and the high cost of sorting and processing. Even with diligent sorting, recycled plastic is typically of lower quality than primary plastic, and the market for it is limited. Furthermore, the recycling process may not always be environmentally friendly, as burning plastics releases harmful gases. This raises the question: is unwashed plastic recyclable, and what are the implications for the environment?
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What You'll Learn
Plastic recycling methods: mechanical and chemical
Plastic recycling is critical to improving the environment and bettering waste management solutions. The two main ways to recycle plastic are mechanical recycling and chemical recycling.
Mechanical Recycling
Mechanical recycling is the traditional method of recycling plastic. It involves physical processes such as sorting, grinding, washing, separating, drying, granulating, and re-extruding plastic waste to recover plastics that can be substituted for virgin, or new, plastics. However, mechanical recycling is expensive, labor-intensive, and generally results in lower-quality plastics than virgin plastics. It is also hampered by contamination and a high variety of plastic waste streams. The recycled plastic produced through mechanical recycling is often turned into less valuable products.
Chemical Recycling
Chemical recycling is an advanced recycling technology that uses heat, chemical reactions, or both, to recycle used plastic into virgin-equivalent plastic, fuel, or other chemicals. It breaks down plastic waste into monomers to form new polymers to be reused. Chemical recycling can process plastic waste—both fossil and non-fossil derived—that is difficult to recycle into high-quality, high-value recycled plastics. It is more tolerant of contamination and yields polymers that are identical to the originals, eliminating downcycling.
Examples of Chemical Recycling Processes
- Depolymerization: This process breaks down polyester and polystyrene into their raw materials for conversion back into new polymers.
- Pyrolysis: This process turns mixed plastic waste into naphtha, which can be cracked into petrochemicals and plastics. Pyrolysis is best suited to handle a mixture of polyethylene and polypropylene.
- Hydrothermal Treatment (HTT): This process uses high temperatures and pressures of water to convert plastic waste into oil or chemicals.
Benefits of Plastic Recycling
Recycling plastic can conserve limited natural resources and energy. As plastic is made from oil, recycling plastic conserves oil by reducing the need to produce plastic from raw materials. Additionally, recycling plastic reduces landfill waste and pollution, as plastic can take between 500 to 1000 years to biodegrade.
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Plastic resin codes: types 1-7
Plastic resin codes, also known as Resin Identification Codes (RICs), are a set of symbols that appear on plastic products to identify the type of plastic resin used to make them. The numbers attributed to plastics range from 1 to 7, with 7 representing 'other' plastics. The lower the resin code, the more likely the plastic is to be easily recyclable. Here is a breakdown of the different types of plastic resin codes:
Type 1: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE)
This type of plastic is the most widely recycled plastic globally and is often used for clear plastic bottles, beverage bottles, cups, and other packaging. It has a gloss finish and good chemical resistance. PET can be recycled into polyester fabric and filling for fleeces, carpets, and cushion fillings. It can also be reused as rPET plastic, going through the lifecycle again to become rPET plastic bottles.
Type 2: High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
HDPE is another form of widely recycled plastic that is accepted at most recycling centres worldwide. It has a matte finish and is compatible with most acid and alkaline solutions. It is often found in milk bottles, plastic bottle caps, shampoo bottles, cleaning product bottles, tubs, and jerry cans. HDPE can also be downcycled into plastic lumber, tables, roadside curbs, benches, and other durable plastic products.
Type 3: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
PVC is not typically recyclable in normal local authority collections. It is usually found in cling film, hoses, and plastic pipes, as well as siding and flooring.
Type 4: Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
LDPE is the type of plastic used to make plastic bags provided by grocery stores and other retailers. Technically, LDPE can be recycled, but it is not always recycled due to the risk of tangling in recycling machinery. Additionally, LDPE is a very cheap and low-quality plastic, making its recycling financially unviable.
Type 5: Polypropylene (PP)
Polypropylene is used in auto parts, industrial fibres, and food containers. It is recyclable and is usually now recycled.
Type 6: Polystyrene (PS)
Polystyrene is a brittle plastic with two varieties: a harder type used in plastic forks and yogurt pots, and a softer type used in foamy takeaway packaging, Styrofoam, and some types of insulation. Polystyrene is not typically recyclable in normal local authority collections and is generally not recycled.
Type 7: Other Plastics
Plastics with the resin code 7, representing 'other' plastics, are not typically recyclable in normal collections. This category includes materials like plastic clamshell containers used for packaging food, retail products, groceries, and takeout items.
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Plastic waste management: landfill and incineration
Plastic waste management is a critical issue, with plastic pollution causing significant harm to the environment. The majority of plastic waste is either recycled, sent to landfills, or incinerated. Improving waste management strategies is essential to tackling plastic pollution, even if plastic production is reduced.
Landfill
Landfills are a popular method for managing waste, especially in the United States, where three-quarters of plastics end up in landfills. They are affordable and versatile, accommodating various waste types, including hazardous materials, without requiring extensive sorting or processing. Additionally, modern landfills can capture gases produced by decomposing waste and convert them into electricity or heat. However, landfills contribute to polluted oceans, overextended landfills, and ecological damage.
Incineration
Incineration is another widely used method for waste management, particularly in Europe. While incineration can be a source of energy, it is not suitable for all plastics. Burning plastics releases harmful gases, which can cause environmental pollution.
Recycling
Recycling plastic is crucial for improving the environment and waste management. It helps conserve natural resources and energy, as recycled plastic reduces the need for raw materials derived from oil. However, not all plastics are widely recyclable, and some, like plastic bags, can cause issues in the recycling process. Mechanical recycling involves washing, grinding, and melting plastic, while chemical recycling breaks down plastic into monomers to form new polymers. Despite the benefits of recycling, it can be costly to build and operate recycling facilities, and small quantities of plastic may not be economical to recycle.
In conclusion, while landfill and incineration are commonly used waste management methods, recycling plastic is essential to reducing environmental harm. A comprehensive waste management strategy should aim to minimize waste generation, maximize recycling and composting, and only use landfill and incineration when necessary.
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Plastic recycling rates: global comparison
Plastic waste is a key concern for environmentalists, governments, and organisations, as the vast majority of plastics are disposed of in non-environmentally friendly ways, resulting in polluted oceans, over-extended landfills, and ecological damage. While recycling any material is beneficial to the environment, recycling plastic has specific benefits. Plastic can take hundreds of years to biodegrade, meaning it takes up landfill space and pollutes the environment for longer. Recycling plastic can also conserve limited natural resources and energy.
However, recycling plastic is challenging. Unlike glass and metal, plastic cannot be repeatedly recycled without quickly degrading in quality. Many types of plastics are labelled as recyclable when they are not. In many cases, plastic recycling is more costly and energy-intensive than creating plastic from raw materials, contributing to low recycling rates.
The latest global statistics tell us that, in 2011, approximately 7.5 million tons of PET (a type of plastic commonly found in plastic bottles) were collected worldwide. India, Europe, and South Korea all have recycling rates higher than 50%, while the US and China are yet to scale up their numbers. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the plastic recycling rate in the United States was 8.7% in 2018, dropping to around 5% in 2021. The UK recycles just 17% of its annual plastic waste. However, it is important to note that recycling rates are measured differently across the world, making it difficult to compare global recycling levels.
Some of the most commonly recycled plastics include PET, HDPE, and LDPE. PET is the most widely recycled plastic in the world and is often recycled into fashion items like polar fleece clothes, backpacks, and carpets. HDPE is one of the easiest plastic polymers to recycle and is accepted at most recycling centres worldwide. LDPE, on the other hand, is rarely recycled due to its flimsy makeup, despite being technically recyclable.
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Plastic recycling issues: cost and demand
Plastic recycling is critical to improving the environment and bettering waste management solutions. Recycling plastic can conserve limited natural resources and energy. However, there are several issues with recycling plastic, including cost and demand.
Firstly, recycling facilities cost millions of dollars to build and operate and can only be profitable when a huge amount of plastic is treated daily. Small quantities of plastics can make recycling uneconomical due to low efficiencies and high costs. The cost of recycling compared to alternative forms of acceptable disposal is a key economic driver influencing the viability of recycling. For example, in some cases, incineration could become cheaper than mechanical recycling methods. Additionally, the price of recycled polymers compared to virgin polymers affects the viability of recycling. The lack of information about the availability, quality, and suitability of recycled plastics for specific applications can also act as a disincentive to use recycled materials.
Secondly, demand is a significant issue in plastic recycling. According to a Greenpeace report, most plastic ends up in landfills, and the problem is getting worse. Plastic production is increasing, but an even smaller percentage of it is being recycled. This is partly due to the expense of collecting and sorting plastic for recycling. There are thousands of different types of plastic, and they cannot be melted down together, which further complicates the process.
Furthermore, some types of plastic are not widely recyclable, such as plastic bags, which tend to tangle in recycling machinery, and bioplastics, which are non-recyclable. Mechanical recycling, where plastic is washed, ground, and melted, is the most common method, but it is not suitable for all plastics. Chemical recycling, which breaks down plastic into monomers to form new polymers, is more costly and less energetically favourable.
Despite these challenges, recycling plastic is crucial, and efforts are being made to improve the process. Some large private companies have pledged to reduce single-use plastics and increase the use of biodegradable or recycled plastic materials. Governments and organizations have implemented policies and initiatives to promote recycling and reduce plastic waste, such as the European Union's strategy to achieve 55% recycling of plastic packaging waste by 2030.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, unwashed plastic can be recycled, but it is not always recommended. Before being recycled, plastics are sorted according to their resin type, either manually or using mechanized automated processes, or even by color. The general rule of thumb is, the lower the resin code, the more likely the plastic type is to be easily recyclable.
The numbers attributed to plastics are the plastic resin codes, which quickly show which type of plastic a product is. The numbers range from 1 to 7, with 7 being 'other'.
Bioplastics, composite plastic, plastic-coated wrapping paper, and polycarbonate are some examples of non-recyclable plastics.
Plastic bags, straws, coffee cups, and clamshells are some examples of plastics that are hard to recycle.
Recycling plastic can help reduce landfill waste and conserve limited natural resources and energy.
