The use of plastic materials has seen a massive increase in recent years, and generation of plastic wastes has grown proportionately. Recycling of these wastes to reduce landfill disposal is problematic due to the wide variation in properties and chemical composition among the different types of plastics. Feedstock recycling is one of the alternatives available for consideration, and Feedstock Recycling of Plastic Wastes looks at the conversion of plastic wastes into valuable chemicals useful as fuels or raw materials. Looking at both scientific and technical aspects of the recycling developments, this book describes the alternatives available. Areas include chemical depolymerization, thermal processes, oxidation and hydrogenation. Besides conventional treatments, new technological approaches for the degradation of plastics, such as conversion under supercritical conditions and coprocessing with coal are discussed. This book is essential reading for those involved in plastic recycling, whether from an academic or industrial perspective. Consultants and government agencies will also find it immensely useful.

Pyrolysis is a recycling technique converting plastic waste into fuels, monomers, or other valuable materials by thermal and catalytic cracking processes. It allows the treatment of mixed, unwashed plastic wastes. For many years research has been carried out on thermally converting waste plastics into useful hydrocarbons liquids such as crude oil and diesel fuel. Recently the technology has matured to the point where commercial plants are now available. Pyrolysis recycling of mixed waste plastics into generator and transportation fuels is seen as the answer for recovering value from unwashed, mixed plastics and achieving their desired diversion from landfill. This book provides an overview of the science and technology of pyrolysis of waste plastics. It describes the types of plastics that are suitable for pyrolysis recycling, the mechanism of pyrolytic degradation of various plastics, characterization of the pyrolysis products and details of commercially mature pyrolysis technologies. This book also covers co-pyrolysis technology, including: waste plastic/waste oil, waste plastics/coal, and waste plastics/rubber.

This report examines the issue of converting plastics waste into energy and/or useful chemicals. Much plastic material is discarded as waste, such as packaging and end-of-life vehicle components. This report introduces the different waste management options. It discusses the methods available for treating mixed plastics waste and PVC-rich plastics waste. The emphasis in this report is on technologies which are already being used or assessed for use on a commercial scale. Comparisons are made between the different types of recycling currently available in terms of life cycle assessment and environmental impact. Feedstock recycling is discussed extensively in this review. This report is accompanied by around 400 abstracts from papers in the Rapra Polymer Library database.

Plastic Waste and Recycling: Environmental Impact, Societal Issues, Prevention, and Solutions begins with an introduction to the different types of plastic materials, their uses, and the concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle before examining plastic types, chemistry and degradation patterns that are organized by non-degradable plastic, degradable and biodegradable plastics, biopolymers and bioplastics. Other sections cover current challenges relating to plastic waste, explain the sources of waste and their routes into the environment, and provide systematic coverage of plastic waste treatment methods, including mechanical processing, monomerization, blast furnace feedstocks, gasification, thermal recycling, and conversion to fuel. This is an essential guide for anyone involved in plastic waste or recycling, including researchers and advanced students across plastics engineering, polymer science, polymer chemistry, environmental science, and sustainable materials. Presents actionable solutions for reducing plastic waste, with a focus on the concepts of collection, re-use, recycling and replacement Considers major societal and environmental issues, providing the reader with a broader understanding and supporting effective implementation Includes detailed case studies from across the globe, offering unique insights into different solutions and approaches

This book provides a systematic and comprehensive account of the recent developments in the recycling of plastic waste material. It presents state-of-the-art procedures for recycling of plastics from different sources and various characterization methods adopted in analyzing their properties. In addition, it looks into properties, processing, and applications of recycled plastic products as one of the drivers for sustainable recycling plastics especially in developing countries. This book proves a useful reference source for both engineers and researchers working in composite materials science as well as the students attending materials science, physics, chemistry, and engineering courses.