1 / 16

Impacts of Compostable Plastics on Composting and Recycling

Impacts of Compostable Plastics on Composting and Recycling. David Cornell Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR). APR Who we are. APR is the trade association of 90+% of the capacity in the plastic bottle recycling industry.

alvaro
Télécharger la présentation

Impacts of Compostable Plastics on Composting and Recycling

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Impacts of Compostable Plastics on Composting and Recycling David Cornell Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR)

  2. APRWho we are • APR is the trade association of 90+% of the capacity in the plastic bottle recycling industry. • Our members focus on PET and HDPE bottles (96% of bottles), but also reclaim LDPE and PP and have interests in other resins.

  3. APR • APR promotes Design for Recyclability guidelines for container design • APR has Guidance Documents to evaluate new packaging innovations • APR promotes plastics collection

  4. APR Goal • The primary issue is SUPPLY More, good bottles (and film)

  5. Recycled PET Uses • 43% of R-PET used for fiber, typically carpet • 36% of R-PET used for bottle and film packaging, including food contact • 16% of R-PET used for strapping • Rest includes engineering resin compounds for appliances and auto parts

  6. Recycled HDPE Uses • 43% R-HDPE used for bottles (non-food) • 23% R-HDPE used for pipe • 11% R-HDPE used for automotive • Rest includes lumber, lawn & garden, crates/pallets/pails and films

  7. Compostable Plastics • Recycled plastics are often used for DURABLE applications. Including degradables is often forbidden. • BUT, not every plastic application will be recycled. • SOMETIMES the most efficient solid waste option is to compost the plastic with other materials

  8. Can We ‘Gather Together’? • Please, Do Not • Careful planning is necessary to be sure compostable plastics do not end up in the recycled plastic stream • Separate Collection, Please

  9. Compatible? • Most plastics are snobs and do not mix well with others. • PVC and PET are incompatible • PLA and PET are incompatible • PP and PE are often incompatible • Mixed plastics are low valued for recycling. • Should isolate resins for quality and value.

  10. What about Degradable Additives? • If they work, the concept is not helpful to durable and food applications next use. • No way to isolate; all bottles suspect • The potential for negative impact is huge until, if possible, ‘no harm’ is shown. Failures mean liabilities, maybe injuries • Testing must include the service life of recycled products (25 years for carpet, 9 years for strapping).

  11. Degradable PET? • Recycling rate for PET CRV containers in California: 62% • Michigan redemption rate: 97% • Degradation unnecessary

  12. Life Cycle Analysis • Recycling spreads Inherent Energy and burdens over multiple uses. • Composting loses Inherent Energy after one use. • LCI’s are likely to favor recycling IF recycling is practical.

  13. PET LCA • Energy use relates to emissions • Energy: • Inherent: 30 M Joule/kg • Captured with recycling, lost with composting. Partly captured with heat recovery • Process and transport: 40 M Joule/kg • Lost when polymer made • 1 use = 70, 2 uses= 42, 3 uses = 33

  14. RECYCLING 101 Success requires four prerequisites: • Enough, good, identifiable raw material (300-400 million pounds annually in USA) (consistent with tolerable contaminants) CRITICAL MASS OF SUPPLY • Processes to convert raw material to product • Products of sufficient value to return a profit • Investment

  15. Next in Plastics Recycling • Today: bottles and PE films • Tomorrow: • Non-bottle rigid packaging • More flexible films • Foam: packaging and other • More automobile plastics and carpeting • More appliance plastics • More pipe, gutters, siding, cable wrap

  16. Thanks

More Related