Plastic
It was only in the 1950s that plastics began to come into wide use, yet within ten years, production was rising at an unparalleled rate. World consumption is now comparable with that of all non-ferrous metals.
Plastics recycling has developed steadily and is carried out on a considerable scale in many countries. There are still technical, economic and structural problems to be overcome, but the potential is vast.
Although various types of plastics may look the same, they are in fact quite distinct groups of materials of different molecular construction. So practical recycling depends critically on the ability to separate them from each other. This can be achieved most efficiently in factories where recyclable material generated in the production process is easy to segregate.
Post-use plastics present problems of identification, separation and also contamination. But where sufficient volumes of readily classifiable materials are available - pallet wrapping or sacks used by industry and agriculture, for example - recycling is successfully achieved. The more expensive secondary plastics, such as those arising from computers, photo-copiers and a wide range of similar electronic equipment, are normally in considerable demand. Spectrometry is among the techniques used to ensure precise identification of those materials which, after processing, are often employed in the manufacture of new electrical and electronic equipment.
Recycling changes the mechanical properties of plastics to some extent, thus for that reason alone it may not be possible to recycle large quantities of a particular type straight back into the same production process. In some sectors, prejudice against secondary materials remains a significant obstacle to wider plastics recycling, but environmental and other pressures are gradually changing attitudes.
Recovery of plastics packaging presents the greatest challenge, not least in achieving economic collection of sufficient segregated material to make recycling viable. The PET bottle, being used in increasing quantities in many countries for marketing drinks, is an excellent example of a highly-recyclable form of packaging. Polyethylene terephthalate - to give PET its full name - is a sophisticated material of great strength which is used very efficiently as a beverage container. The scope for recycling PET is enormous - provided the mass collection of used bottles can be developed at an acceptable cost.
The cost of collecting small quantities of material from a multitude of sources is a major obstacle to dynamic progress in recycling many polymers. In some countries, public policy is placing a responsibility for recovery on manufacturers and distributors of packaging and other products. This "producer responsibility" is likely to lead to increased plastics recycling because some elements of traditional commercial costs will be covered - initially by the manufacturer and distributor, but ultimately by the consumer in slightly higher product prices.
Recycling of mixed plastics presents a fundamental problem of polymer incompatibility. However, the introduction of so-called "compatibilisers" which create what amount to stable polymer bridges between plastics of different molecular structure, may facilitate use of mixtures. Compatibilisers already make it possible to produce a type of plastics alloy from secondary material.
Processes continue to be developed to recover the plasticisers used in making plastics, and to use these materials as feedstock in producing quite different substances. Soiled, unrecyclable plastics have positive worth in their calorific value, and can therefore be used as a fuel.
There are seven different grades of plastic. included. You can determine the grade of plastic that you have by looking near the bottom of the container. Within the formed triangle, you will find a number. This number corresponds to the grade of plastic. See the section that follows below.
Not all of the examples below are included
| PET Polyethylene Terephthalate |
Plastic Bottles - Designer Water, Soda |
| HDPE High Density Polyethylene |
Colored Plastic Bottles - Laundry Soap, Motor Oil Clear Plastic Bottles - Milk Jugs, Water Jugs |
| PVC Poly Vinyl Chloride |
Bottles - Dish Soap, Glass Cleaner |
| LDPE Low Density Polyethylene |
Bottles - Squeeze Juice Bottles, Squeezeable Mustard |
| PP Polypropylene |
Bottles - Pancake Syrup, Yogurt Containers |
| PS Polystyrene |
Cups, Egg Cartons |
| OTHER Mixed Resins or Multiple Layers of more than one resin type |
Other Plastic Bottles - Some Pet Food and Juice, Syrup Bottles |
Different grades must be segregated before bringing them to REMAT MH. A REMAT MH representative will be happy to assist in grade and value determination.
