5186667950 PET Plastic Recycling

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PET Recycling 1

PET PLASTICS AND PET RECYCLING

Name

Instructor’s name

Course

Date



PET Recycling 2

Table of Contents:

1.1 Abstract………………………………………………………………….…………….. 4

2.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………. 5

3.1 Literature review………………………………………………………………………. 8

4.1 Background Information………………………………………………………………..15

4.1.1 Research questions and Hypotheses………………………………………………….18

4.2 Methodology…………………………………………....................................................19

5.1 Results………………………………………………………………………………….20

6.1 Discussion………………………………………………………………….…………..30

7.1 Conclusion………………………………………………………………….…………..35

8.1 Recommendations……………………………………………………………………...37

9.1 References……………………………………………………………………………...41



PET Recycling 3

Commonly used terms and abbreviations:

PET - Polyethylene Terephthalate

HDPE- High-Density Polyethylene:

PVC- Polyvinyl chloride:

LDPE- Low-Density Polyethylene:

DMT- Di Methelene Terephthalate.

PP- Polypropylene.

PS- Polystyrene



PET Recycling 4

1.1 Abstract:

The project is about the PET plastics and PET recycling. This is a process of recycling

plastics that are recyclable from the environment. PET is a thermoplastic polymer resin

belonging to the polyester family. It is basically used in the manufacture of synthetic fibres,

food and beverage liquid containers. Other uses include the thermoforming applications and the

engineering resins where it is often mixed with glass fibre.

On the methodology, research has shown that mixing starch with plastic will lower

degradation, but it still doesn't lead to total breakdown of the plastic. Bacteria have been

genetically engineered to synthesize a completely biodegradable plastic, but this material is

expensive at present. Recycling of plastics reduces the trash dumped in dumpsites, and provides

the chance for consumers to reuse containers for everything. Recycling plastic containers that

contain PET or HDPE labels on the neck of the container will make distinction of non-

recyclable and recyclable plastic easier on customers or clients.

It is recommended that the current bottle bills should also be expanded even to other

countries. 2 million tons of plastic bottles ended up in the trash instead of in recycling bins in

America in the year 2005 alone. The State container deposit law which is known as "bottle

bills" are long overdue for an upgrade. They have shown to be effective in collecting bottles and

cans. Currently, only 11 states have bottle bills in America.



PET Recycling 5

2.1. Introduction:

Plastics are indeed everywhere, from the grocery to the shopping mall. They are

important in the packaging industry, but a closer look at the plastics brings into focus the price to

be paid by using and dumping it the wrong way. This therefore calls for a lot of care. Before you

toss that plastic bag to the environment then be sure of the impact you are creating. Plastics are

very durable and this means that they will degrade very slowly therefore takes long in the

environment. Decomposition by burning also creates serious toxic fumes in the atmosphere. The

production as well takes some amount of fossil fuels which pollutes the environment (Tukker,

2002). Several plastics debris remains floating on the sea surface and this creates danger to the

marine life. Most sea animals have died due to the ingestion of plastic materials. Solar radiation

degrades plastics into smaller particles which eventually becomes plastic dust and goes to pollute

the atmosphere.

The acronym PET stands for Polyethylene terephthalate. This is a thermoplastic polymer

resin belonging to the polyester family. It is basically used in the manufacture of synthetic fibres,

food and beverage liquid containers. Other uses include the thermoforming applications and the

engineering resins where it is often mixed with glass fibre. The monomer can be processed in

several ways and these include: The esterification of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol with

water as the by product. It can also be synthesized through transesterification of dimethyl

terephthalate and ethylene glycol with methanol as the by product. Finally it can be polymerized

through polycondensation of the monomers with water as the by product.PET is commonly

referred to as polyester and is the third most abundant plastic production behind polyethylene

and poly propylene (Tierney & John 2006). It is widely used in the production of synthetic

fibres.



PET Recycling 6

Due to this damage to the environment, it is therefore imperative to develop ways of

recycling the plastics and this brings us to the actual project that is PET plastics and PET

recycling. The objective of the project is basically to reduce plastics in the environment through

recycling. It also aims at developing appropriate measures to deal with the plastic menace. The

project also focuses on achieving a clean environment which is safe to live in. It also aims at

fostering recycling of plastics as the best option to keep them off the environment.

The recycling processes with polyester are as wide as the manufacturing processes based

on primary pellets. Polyester is used currently in the polyester manufacturing processes as a

mixture with virgin polymer or as 100% recycled polymer. This will depend on the purity of the

recycled materials. There are some reservations like BOPET-film with low thickness and special

uses like yarns or optical film or microfilaments and micro-fibersor microfilaments that are

produced from virgin polyester only.

There exist a number of internal recycling processes where fibre is reused directly to

produce fibre and the same to both performs and films. In a nut shell the following general

simple procedure is used in the process. First is the bale opening, followed by the sorting and

selection for different colours foreign polymers. Next is the pre-washing without cutting before

the cutting process. Stones are then removed and other debris like glass and metal. Air sifting is

done to remove film paper and labels. It is then ground and low density polymers removed. Hot

wash is done followed by caustic wash to maintain intrinsic viscosity. After which the rinsing is

done twice. It is then dried and followed by air sifting flakes before sorting the flakes

automatically. Water circuit and water treatment technology is then employed to attain flake

quality.



PET Recycling 7

There exist some defects which are encountered during the process. They can be grouped

into several categories. The reactive polyester – OH or – COOH end groups could be transformed

into non reactive end groups like the formation of vinyl ester end group. The end group could

also shift towards the direction of the – COOH end groups. This would be due to build up during

thermal and oxidative degradation. The number of poly-functional macromolecules could also

increase. The number, variety and concentration of non- polymer identical organic and inorganic

compounds may increase.

They can be detected either chemically or physically through the following processes.

Increase of – COOH end group, increase of color number B, increase of oligomer content,

reduction in filterability, increase of by products like acetaldehyde, increase of extractable

foreign contaminants, decrease in colour L, decrease ofl intrinsic viscosity, decrease of

crystallization temperature and increase in crystallization speed, decrease in mechanical

properties like tensile strength, broadening of molecular weight distribution.

The statement of the problem to the project states that although plastics are very

important to the users, proper disposal through recycling is required to avoid massive

environmental degradation.



PET Recycling 8

3.1. Literature Review:

Plastics have a major impact in the society due to poor disposal. Most marine lives,

human lives and even the terrestrial animals’ lives have been lost due to this menace of plastics.

This therefore calls for the appropriate measures to curtail the problem. The most appropriate

method is then use of then recycling technology to keep the plastic materials out of the

environment.

On the other hand there are scholars who claim the benefits of plastic materials outweigh

their negative impact to the environment (Thomas & Visakh 2011). Some of the benefits floated

include: In electronics, laptops could not function well in case they were made from glass.

Plastics are used in building and construction as a cheaper material as compared to the others.

They are indeed very useful in the packaging industry. Plastics have slowly taken over the

normal paper in the packaging industry. Plastics are very durable and their manufacture is very

cheap. It can as well be recycled rather decomposing it. This can be achieved easily than

producing a new one. Plastics can be reused over and over again as opposed to the aluminum

materials. They do not corrode as does with the metals. They are not breakable as with the glass

materials. Plastics are light in weight and are usually odourless and thus can be used to carry

most things.

PET is an acronym that stands for Polyethylene terephthalate. This is a thermoplastic

polymer resin belonging to the polyester family. It is basically used in the manufacture of

synthetic fibres, food and beverage liquid containers. Other uses include the thermoforming

applications and the engineering resins where it is often mixed with glass fibre. The monomer

can be processed in several ways and these include: The esterification of terephthalic acid and



PET Recycling 9

ethylene glycol with water as the by product. It can also be synthesized through

transesterification of ethylene glycol and dimethyl terephthalate with methanol as the by product.

Finally it can be polymerized through polycondensation of the monomers with water as the by

product.PET is commonly referred to as polyester and is the third most abundant plastic

production behind polyethylene and poly propylene. It is widely used in the production of

synthetic fibres. Due to the addition of polyvinyl alcohol, there is a reduction in oxygen

permeability.

PET is considered an excellent barrier material as some health practitioners use gloves

made of this material. It is usually used in tape applications like in the carrier for magnetic tape

or the backing for pressure sensitive adhesive tapes due to its high mechanical strength.

Thermoformed PET can be used in the storage of frozen dinners. This is because of their ability

to withstand extreme temperatures. Nylon is a product of PET. It is naturally strong with high

strength and ability to form several products. PET has a variable intrinsic viscosity range.

The process of manufacturing PET takes distinct stages. The initial stage is the Drying

stage. This is achieved since PET is hygroscopic. Drying is achieved by the use a desiccant. This

is basically achieved by the passage of a series of hot air through the material. It can also be done

by the use compressed air. The next stage is the modification through copolymerization. An

example is where the melting point can be lowered through the addition of cyclohexane

dimethanol. Copolymerization is very important in the thermoforming and in the crystallization

process like the material used in the seat belts. Crystallization of polymers occurs when a

polymer chains fold to form some repeating pattern.



PET Recycling 10

PET is considered a semi-crystalline polymer since only 40% of the polymer is

amorphous. The solid state crystallization is a process in which PET is crystallized to glass like

substance through a very rapid cooling process. For the process to make effectively, a catalyst

must be employed in the form of Antimony trioxide (Sb2O3). Exposing PET to boiling or

microwave could increase levels of antimony. This could be detrimental to the health status of

individuals who consume products packaged with such material. Environmental Health

Perspectives in April 2010 claims that PET might yield endocrine disruptions. Contrary to this

Franz and Welle gave evidence based on mathematical modeling claiming that PET is unlikely to

yield endocrine disruptions when consumed in mineral water.

The degradation process of PET takes different forms like the hydrolytic, thermal

oxidation and the thermal which is the most important. This degradation process leads to

discolouration, chain scissions due to reduced molecular weight and the formation of other

products like the acetaldehyde and crosslinks. This interferes with the optimal requirements

especially in the packaging industry. The best way to alleviate this menace is through the use of

copolymers. These will lower the melting point and reduce the degree of its crystallinity. The use

of stabilizers like phosphites which are mainly antioxidants can also stabilize the polymer.

Acetaldehyde can cause foul taste in bottled water when formed onto the walls of the container.

There are two ways employed in the recycling of PET. They are the chemical and the

mechanical. The chemical process destroys all the structure thereby forming new intermediates

like cis-ß-hydroxyterephthalate. In mechanical recycling, the original properties of the polymer

are being maintained. Chemical recycling comes in handy when large tones of the product are

needed within a very short time. Mechanical recycling is used in small and medium scale

industries. Apart from the general contaminants from the first stage of formation, mechanical



PET Recycling 11

impurities depreciate the quality of the recycling process. This calls for efficient sorting, cleaning

and separation process in order to attain optimum results.

The industry consists of three major sections: The Waste Logistics section where

collection and separation of wastes is done (Porter, 2002), the Flake production section where

clean bottles are produced and the Flake Processing section where PET flakes are converted to

final products. There exist a number of internal recycling processes where fibre is reused directly

to produce fibre and the same to both performs and films. In a nut shell the following general

simple procedure is used in the process. First is the bale opening then followed by the sorting and

selection for different colours, foreign polymers? Next is the pre-washing without cutting before

the cutting process. Stones are then removed and other debris like glass and metal. Air sifting is

done to remove film paper and labels. It is then ground and low density polymers removed. Hot

wash is done followed by caustic wash to maintain intrinsic viscosity. After which the rinsing is

done twice. It is then dried and followed by air sifting flakes before sorting the flakes

automatically. Water circuit and water treatment technology is then employed to attain flake

quality.

The defects encountered during the process can be grouped into several categories. The

reactive polyester – OH or – COOH end groups could be transformed into non reactive end groups

like the formation of vinyl ester end group. The end group could also shift towards the direction

of the – COOH end groups. This would be due to build up during thermal and oxidative

degradation. The number of poly-functional macromolecules could also increase. The number,

variety and concentration of non- polymer identical organic and inorganic compounds may

increase.



PET Recycling 12

These can be detected chemically or physically through the following processes. Increase

of – COOH end group, increase of color number B, increase of oligomer content, reduction in

filterability, increase of by products like acetaldehyde, increase of extractable foreign

contaminants, decrease in color L, decrease of intrinsic viscosity, decrease of crystallization

temperature and increase in crystallization speed, decrease in mechanical properties like tensile

strength, broadening of molecular weight distribution.

There are several examples for processing polyester. The recycling processes with

polyester are as varied as the manufacturing processes based on primary pellets. Polyester is used

currently in the polyester manufacturing processes as a mixture with virgin polymer or as 100%

recycled polymer. This will depend on the purity of the recycled materials. There are some

exceptions like BOPET-film of low thickness, special applications like optical film or yarns -

spinning at > 6000 m/min.

The processes include simple re-pelletizing of bottle waste into flakes. This involves

changing waste into flakes, crystallizing and drying the flakes or by and filtering or plasticizing,

and by pelletizing. The product has an intrinsic viscosity is amorphous and re-granulate.

Viscosity is in the range of 0.55 – 0.7 dl/g, depending on the pre- drying state of the flakes. They

have to be dried and crystallized before further processing. Manufacturing is done in order to

obtain the following a PET film for thermoforming, addition of PET virgin production,

packaging film, PET bottle resin by SSP, Carpet yearn, Engineering plastic, Filaments, Non

woven materials, Packaging stripes, Stable fibre. By selecting re-pelletizing way implies having

extra conversion which is one side energy intensive, causes thermal destruction and cost

consuming. On the contrary, pelletizing step is providing the following advantages: intensive



PET Recycling 13

melt filtration, intermediate quality control, modification by additives, product selection and

separation by quality, increased processing flexibility, and quality uniformity.

The other process is the manufacture of PET pellets or flakes for bottles. This is a bottle

to bottle process. It is similar to the one described above in principle; however, pellets are

directly solidified then cast to a solid-state polycondensation (SSP) in a vertical tube reactor a

tumbling drier (Piringer, 2000). The corresponding intrinsic viscosity of 0.80 – 0.085 dl/g is re-

build at the same moment; the acetaldehyde concentration is reduced to 1 ppm in this process.

Besides its’ approval it is nevertheless important that an individual who uses the process has to

regularly check the optimums of the raw materials manufactured by the individual for the

process.

There is also the direct conversion of bottle flakes. This is done to minimize costs.

Polyester intermediate producers like spinning mills, strapping mills or cast film mills, strapping

mills or spinning mils are developing the direct use of the PET-flakes. This is done from the

treatment of used containers, with a view of increasing number of polyester intermediates. It is

possibly necessary to recapture the viscosity through polycondensation in the solid-state

polycondensation of the flakes in order to adjust the viscosity by the application of double screw

extruders, multi-rotation systems or multi-screw extruders and coincidental vacuum degassing.

These are indeed the current PET flake conversion processes. They allow the conversion of non-

dried PET flakes without substantial viscosity decrease caused by hydrolysis. About 70% is of

PET bottle flakes are converted to fibers and filaments.

In direct secondary materials like the bottle flakes, there are some codes to obtain. The

first being the high speed spinning process for the manufacture of POY. A viscosity of 0.62 –



PET Recycling 14

0.64 dl/g is needed. The viscosity can be set via the degree of drying beginning from the bottle

flakes. For full dull or semi dull yarn the use of TiO2 must be added. An efficient filtration of the

melt is necessary for the protection of spinnerets. Staple fibres may also be spun in an intrinsic

viscosity range which lies lower and which should be between 0.58 to 0.62 dl/g. The viscosity

can be adjusted via drying or vacuum adjustment in case of vacuum extrusion. However, the

addition of chain length modifiers like ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol may be used. The

basic spinning non-woven materials in the field for textile industry as well as heavy spinning

non-woven materials like roof covers or road building can be manufactured by spinning bottle

flakes. Spinning viscosity is in the range of 0.58 – 0.65 dl/g. The manufacture of high tenacity

packaging stripes and monofilaments is another area of great interest. The initial raw material is

a recycled material of higher intrinsic viscosity. The monofilaments as well as the high tenacity

packaging stripes are then manufactured in the melt spinning process.

The recycling of PET back to the initial raw materials takes three major processes. The

first process is the glycolysis or partial glycolysis process. The polyester is changed into an

oligomer by adding ethylene glycol or other glycols in thermal treatment. Advantage of this

process is the probability of differentiating the mechanical deposits efficiently and directly

through a stepwise and progressive filtration (Mantia, 2002). The quality of the end product

depends on the filtration finess of the last step. This demonstrates how wastes can be recycled in

an operating polyester line. The quality of the bottle pellets which are manufactured on the line

are maintained with 10-25% bottle flakes feeding into the processor.

Temperature is brought to the lowest possible limit. The probability of a chemical

degradation of hydro peroxides is available when there is addition of a corresponding P-stabilizer

when plasticizing. Treatment by adding H3PO3 in the last step helps in the destruction of hydro



PET Recycling 15

peroxide groups. The finely filtered recycled and partially glycolyzed material is continuously

fed to the esterification or prepolycondensation reactor. Dosing quantities are adjusted

accordingly. Japan has used the treatment of waste through total glycolysis to convert polyester

to Cis-B hydroxyl-terephthalate in experimental production.

The next process is through hydrolysis which operates under very high pressures and

supercritical conditions. PET-waste is directly hydrolyzed for example by applying supercritical

water steam. Re-crystallization in acetic acid will help in oxygenation of crude terephthalic acid.

The final process is the methanolysis which is basically for the large scale production.

Polyester wastes are changed into DMT with methanol, under extreme pressure and with

catalysts. Filtration of the methanolysis product is then applied. Crude DMT is finally purified by

vacuum distillation. Methanolysis is only rarely carried out in industry today since polyester

production shrunk extremely and with this DMT producers disappeared step by step within the

last decade.

4.1 Background Information:

Plastics have had an impact on our culture. However, it has become normal that by using

them then there is a price to be paid. A controversy arose in the late 1950s and early 1960s where

there occurred several cases of young children getting into plastic bags that were probably used

by the launderers then died of suffocation. Plastics industry fended off the trouble by launching

a massive public-education campaign. Collection programs for plastics are now being offered

by several local authorities’ right from recycling centres or from your kerbside collection

scheme. By late 1960s plastics were seen as the symbol for backwardness. However, this

was merely a flashy statement. This is because the plastics are all over. In most instances this



PET Recycling 16

was more effective and environmentally insignificant than the alternative materials in the market.

It also came with problems of litter and waste disposal. However, the invention is credited to

Nathaniel Wyeth of Du Pont according to the American Patent No. 3733309 of 1973.

Plastics have been exponentially good, as they are long lasting and decomposed very

slowly. Burning of the plastic material could release toxic fumes. The manufacture of plastics

has generally managed to create massive masses of deadly pollutants. This has indeed eroded the

Earth's abundant store of fossils. Plastic recycling programs became common in the 1990s

(Lundquist, 2000). Thermoset plastics can be ground and used as filler; thermoplastics can be re-

melted and used over again. The material declines in its purity as the cycles continue.

Automobile machines are now being redesigned to make recycling of their large plastic parts

much easier and cheaper. The Society of the Plastics Industry in collaboration with the Plastic

Bottle Institute formulated the now-common program to make marks on plastic bottles according

to the type of plastic in order to assist in the recycling of plastic disposable items. The material

under this program is specifically marked using a single triangle. Inside the triangle are three

chasing arrows that cover it thus providing the type of the plastics PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP,

PS, and OTHER as shown in the table below.



PET Recycling 17

Plastic container code system:

MATERIAL PERCENT OF TOTAL

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) 20-30 percent

High Density Polyethylene 50-60 percent

Vinyl/Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) 5-10 percent

Low Density Polyethylene 5-10 percent

Polypropylene 5-10 percent

Polystyrene 5-10 percent

All other resins 5-10 percent



PET Recycling 18

4.1.1 Research questions and Hypotheses:

The assumptions of the study and the research questions are as follows:

i. Are plastics generally a menace to the environment and society at large?

ii. Can plastics be eradicated completely from our environment?

iii. What are the major cost benefit analyses of the plastic materials?

iv. What are the benefits of using PET plastics?

v. Are there other materials that can replace in the PET plastics in the common market?

vi.

Recycling of PET is much better than producing new plastics.

vii. Recycling of PET reduces environmental pollution.

viii. Recycled PET is the material of choice to be used.

ix. Recycling PET comes with its’ demerits.

x. Recycling of PET reduces costs and is much cheaper than the virgin type.



PET Recycling 19

4.2 Methodology:

Recycling plastics has proved to be very difficult. It is difficult to Automating the sorting

of plastic waste is very difficult, and so it is labor-intensive (Harper, 2000). Cellular phone toys

are manufactured from several tiny sub sets of plastics which consist of over a thousand different

colors and types of plastics yet the normal bottles are manufactured from only one color and type

of plastic. This has made the sorting out of these bottles much easier than the other materials.

As the value of the material is low, recycling plastics is unprofitable and for this reason, the

percentage of plastics recycled is very small, that is around 5%.

Research is being conducted on "biodegradable" plastics that break down with exposure

to sunlight. By mixing starch with plastic degradation will be lowered, but it still doesn't lead to

complete breakdown of the plastic. Bacteria have been genetically engineered to make a totally

decomposable material. The material is however very expensive in the current market.

Critics claim that their only real problem to be addressed is roadside litter, which is

regarded as a secondary issue. When plastics are deposited into the dumping sites, they are then

mummified to maintain for ages even though they are decomposable biologically.

The Courtald who are the bonafide manufacturers of rayon decided to come up with an in

depth process to manufacture tencel in the mid 80s. This was a superior quality type of rayon

which was just manufactured from the usual biomass of the feedstock. The production is

explicitly very clean according to the plastic manufacture standards. I strongly go for the idea

that the consistent and effective education would inspire more consumers to get into the practice

of recycling the plastics. If both the adults and the children comprehend the re-processing and



PET Recycling 20

re-manufacturing of recycled containers then this would help them understand and take

ownership of the process.

For a successful recycling operation to be achieved, the following requirements must be

put into place. First of all acquire a very steady source of very high grade and competitive

materials. After which, establish a cost effective transportation and collection medium. Create a

recycling processing technology and indeed equipment that can handle the material efficiently

and economically. Ensure you develop the ability to market both continuous and quality in the

quantity of materials. Finally develop proper markets for end products.

5.1 Results:

Not all plastics that go into the curbside recycling bin get recycled. Collecting plastics

brings the notion that all plastics collected are converted to other new products just like the

aluminium and glass. No recovered plastic by the Berkeley company is being transformed into

other new containers again. They are however processed into the secondary products like the

lumbers, bumpers or textiles. All these are non recyclable products. "Recycled" just means

"collected," not reprocessed or converted into useful products.

The amount of plastic in the landfills does not reduce due to the curbside collection. This

is because people feel comfortable buying more when collection seems to be environmental

friendly. The programs might backfire if total use rises faster than collection The curbside

program only captures certain types of plastics thus most will end up in the landfills and

therefore the overall effect of starting this collection type where curbs are used would just but

aggravate the filling of the landfills. According to Berkeley, there is no decline in the plastics



PET Recycling 21

being deposited in the landfills in the areas where curbside services were being offered. Most

reprocessing of plastics results in the secondary products which cannot be recycled and thus are

temporarily diverted from landfills.

The chasing arrows symbols are misleading and are now considered meaningless. All are

marked with the chasing arrows symbol. Information in the symbol gives only the usual type of

resin used in the manufacture of the container. Eleven attorneys general from different states in

America agreed to the misleading and false claims on the plastic recyclability. The settlement

that they reached provides an avenue to clearly distinguish between what false and true claims

about the plastic recycling and recyclability (Harper, 2000).

Plastic resins are made from non-renewable natural resources. They are not made from

petroleum refineries’ waste. These non-renewable resources can be used in a wide range of

applications if not conserved. Plastic recyclers do not pay for the service. The advertisements

are paid for by the virgin resin producers. Their goal is to promote plastic sales. Their major aim

is to remove or otherwise diminish the greatest challenge to the market expansion brought about

by the virgin plastics. The public visualize plastic as environmentally harmful, unrecyclable and

the major component of the wastes to be land filled or burned. Virgin resin producers aim at

alleviating this negative thought.

Using plastics will not conserve energy. Manufacture of new plastic consumes the same

energy as that used in making glass from other virgin materials. It also uses more energy than in

the one used in making glass containers from recycled materials. Refillables are the most energy

conservatives. There are other choices to be adopted which include using refillable containers,



PET Recycling 22

buying in bulk, buying things that don’t want little packaging and also buying materials that are

recyclable.

There are economic, health, and environmental costs and benefits of plastics. It is flexible

and light weight, but on the other hand is problematic. These problems include pollution,

accumulation of waste plastic in the environment, movement of polymers into foodstuffs, high

energy in the process of manufacture and consumption of fossil resources (Eiri, 2007). The

producers do not use any recycled plastic in their packaging. In order to use the virgin resin in

packaging then tough laws must be enacted. Some companies have strongly resisted such

enactment of recycled content legislation. An example here is the Virgin and Endash Plastics

Industry. It has instead defeated or weakened consumer efforts to institute stronger laws. Plastic

producers reached to a consensus that none of post consumer resins would be added to their

resins.

Once plastics are made to appear more ecologically friendly to the retailers and

consumers through organized collection, then the plastic consumption would increase

tremendously. Curbside collection may legalize the marketing and sales of virgin plastic

packages. Curbside areas showed no reduction of "recyclable" plastic containers being thrown

away according to studies of waste Lorries in the most recent pilot programs (Harper, 2002).

Indeed there was a minute rise. This was in part due to the escalated plastic usage. Glass

container plants are being closed down. The Anchor Glass Container Corporation in Antioch is

not left behind and thus the 300 employees are jobless.

Recycling of plastic is costly and does little to achieve recycling goals. The cost- benefit

analysis used in initiating the collection of curbsides in Berkeley portrays that several pitfalls of



PET Recycling 23

the collection of discarded plastics has several pitfalls. These pit falls include limited benefits in

minimizing environmental effects, limited benefits in diverting resources and finally it is very

expensive. Psslastics processing costs more than virgin plastic. The markets for used plastic

diminish with increase in production and reduction in prices. Competition is too high for the PET

recyclers. The capture of yard, glass or paper debris within Berkeley would divert other

resources from the landfills than curbside plastic collection.

Recycling of plastics comes with some benefits as well. The trash dumped in the

dumping sites is diminished due to this process. Consumers will have the opportunity to

appropriately clean and reuse the containers. These containers could be used in handling almost

everything like the water bottles, shampoo containers and even for the handling of lotions. With

the labels on the containers mostly some place across the neck of the bottle, the separation of

recyclable and non recyclable plastic becomes much easier onto the consumers. This is indeed

the best criteria to be followed in solving this menace.

The wealth of products for the future depends on how much of collection and recycling

would replace the habit of throwing away the bottles in the bins. New products such as clothing,

construction materials, tennis balls, automotive parts, industrial strapping and even carpets can

be made from recycled PET (Gehrke, 2010). The market for recycled PET is concentrated only

to the amount of material that consumers collect and on the recycling industries. This is

fundamentally due to the wide use of PET products and also their ability to be recycled. The

closed lop recycling which involves the recycling of used PET into new food grade containers is

generally enlarging the sustainability and efficiency of the PET products even further.



PET Recycling 24

Cost Benefit Analysis of the Different plastics:

Net benefits ($/tonne) of recycling PET:

.

Text description of figure

Dotted line = no externalities included; solid lines: high and low benefit estimates.

There are indeed encouraging and appealing net benefits for recycling PET for all quantities that

are recoverable. It further shows that the net benefit curves are generally flat. They are

decreasing relatively with increased quantities



PET Recycling 25

Net benefits ($/tonne) of recycling HDPE:

Text description of figure:

This line graph shows the net benefits ($/tonne) of recycling HDPE. There are positive net

benefits for recycling HDPE for all quantities that are recoverable. It shows that the net benefit

curves are generally flat and thus is decreasing relatively with increased quantities.



PET Recycling 26

Net benefits ($/tonne) of recycling PVC:


This line graph shows the net benefits ($/tonne) of recycling PVC. Only the curve representing

the high benefit estimate shows positive net benefits. Both the curves representing low benefit

estimates and that with no externalities included show negative net benefits. All curves are fairly

flat, the net benefit decreasing (or negative net benefit increasing) slightly with increased

quantities.



PET Recycling 27

Net benefits ($/tonne) of recycling LDPE:


This line graph shows the net benefits ($/tonne) of recycling LDPE. As with Figure 15,

only the curve representing the high benefit estimate shows positive net benefits. Both the curves

representing low benefit estimates and those with no externalities included show negative net

benefits. All curves are fairly flat, the net benefit decreasing (or negative net benefit increasing)

slightly with increased quantities.

From the four figures above we can deduce that there are positive net benefits for

recycling PET and HDPE for all quantities that are recoverable. On the other hand for PVC and

LDPE, the value of recycling depends crucially on the estimates made of the value of external

benefits and particularly the direct consumer benefits. It gives the total quantity produced. This is

through the use of current technologies. It further gives the quantities that could be recycled for

each material with positive net benefits under high and low benefit assumptions.



PET Recycling 28

There are a number of strategies that can be used to curb the problems or menace above.

First is the reduction in the usage. Retailers and consumers can select products that use little or

no packaging. Choose packaging materials that are recycled into new packaging such as glass

and paper (Carl, 2005). Should individuals refuse plastic as a packaging material, the industry

will decrease production for that purpose, and the associated problems such as energy use,

pollution, and adverse health effects will diminish.

The strategies that can be used to curb the problems or menace above are very varied.

First is the reduction in the usage. Products that use little or no packaging services are the best

choice for both the consumers and retailers. Materials such as glass and paper which can be

recycled into new products could also offer a better alternative (Carl, 2005). The associated

problems of plastics like health effects, pollution and energy use would only be reduced when

individuals decide to refuse using plastics as packaging materials. This would force the industry

to reduce the production of these products.

The other strategy is to foster and encourage the culture of re-using containers.

Containers should even be reused for over 100 times and this could lead to the diminished

market demand for the plastics that are disposable. With this use of energy would be reduced

plus the decline in the impacts to the environment. The designers of the containers would have

to consider the difference in the following policies "Design for service” and "design for

disposal". This will enable them to consider the services provided by the containers and also

consider the final end of the container past the sales.

The producers also need to take back resins as a major requirement. If manufacturers

directly involved with plastic disposal and closing the material loop, then this would encourage



PET Recycling 29

them be considerate on the life cycle of the product right from the start to the end. Reprocessing

should be made much easier by phasing out associated metals like the aluminum seals, use of

water dispersible adhesives used in labels, manufacture of collapsible containers, use of just a

single resin in every container, limiting the quantity of container types and shapes and

eliminating the pigments. Through taking back plastic from consumers, they simply develop the

reprocessing infrastructure.

A legislature requiring that all containers be composed of a specific percentage of post-

consumer material will reduce the amount of virgin material consumed. There should be a

standardized form of labeling (Gleick, 2010). The chasing arrows should not mislead the

consumers unnecessarily. Different standardized labels for recycled, recyclable and plastic type

X should be developed. On the contrary, recycling saves money in disposal costs, extends

disposal capacity, conserves natural resources, creates jobs, and provides a reliable, cost-

effective feed stock to industry.

Plastic is one of humanity's greatest sins against the environment, a wrong for which only

recycling can salvage. Recycling of plastics comes with its’ negative impacts too. It cannot be

read as with simplicity, but elements like to save the planet, reducing greenhouse gases and

saving marine life must be given priority. The change brought about in the environment by

recycling plastics depends on what type of plastic is collected, destination and the final product.

Recycling offers the chance to reprocess and even reuse materials in order top create more

objects. it also aids in the declining of the quantity of trash entering the landfills within the

Nation. Other fabrics that would have never been imagined would also be produced.



PET Recycling 30

Recycled plastics are used to create carpet fibers, clothing and dishes, among others.

When plastics are recycled or burned, they emit poisonous wastes in form of fumes from the

chemical composition of the materials. These once they go to the environment cause serious

damage. This is aggravated by the fact that some industries taking part in recycling process like

the Mountain Dew and 7-up that manufacture soft drinks have vehemently refused to employ the

use of the green bottles. Recycling takes much time of sorting and separation of papers from

magazines, the clear plastic from the colored ones. These daily office and household trash gives

the individuals sorting them out much stress. The numerous and variable usage of the plastic

bottles brings a lot of confusion. These containers can be used for the storage of almost

everything right from butter and shampoos, sodas and ketchup.

6.1 Discussion:

Consumers and businesses must participate actively in the recycling process in order to

gain most of the PET’s environmental sustainability and benefits. Though PET is the most

recycled plastic in the world at a rate of approximately 28%, there is still need to improve in this

sector accordingly to meet the demands of the people. It is however very unfortunate that some

individuals still carelessly toss their used bottles right into the trash bin rather than putting them

into the recycle bin (Board, 2007). These therefore end up in landfills instead of being recycled

for new uses. Due to its’ being inert and resistant to micro-organisms, PET materials that go into

the landfills will pose no risk of leaching or contamination of groundwater. They at the same

time take very little space since they are easy to crush. About 1% of municipal solid waste is

attributed to the PET.



PET Recycling 31

PET containers can be collected or in other words recovered and re-used over again and

again. Reduction of waste, re-use of materials and recycling are the best processes so far that can

save the environment and the society at large. In order to attain a much more sustainable future,

it is indeed necessary to recycle PET bottles and containers. This is because the process is simple

and environment friendly. The production of new plastic materials from already recycled

materials indeed uses about 67% less energy than in the manufacture of the products from virgin

materials. This therefore implies that recycling of plastics frees the energy that could be utilized

somewhere else. For example in the year 2008 UK recycled over 5 billion pounds of plastic and

this amazingly saved the energy that could be used to heat over 2.5 million homes.

Recycling of plastics comes with some benefits as well. The trash dumped in the

dumping sites is diminished due to this process. Consumers will have the opportunity to

appropriately clean and reuse the containers. These containers could be used in handling almost

everything like the water bottles, shampoo containers and even for the handling of lotions. With

the labels on the containers mostly some place across the neck of the bottle, the separation of

recyclable and non recyclable plastic becomes much easier onto the consumers. This is indeed

the best criteria to be followed in solving this menace.

Greenhouse gas emissions arising from the extraction, pre processing and production are

significantly reduced with the substitution of recycled materials with the virgin materials.

Generally the recycled materials give an environmentally friendly source of producing new

products and substitutes for new plastics. The recycled materials make thousands of everyday

products. These include: fleece jackets, carpeting and lumber for outdoor decking. The more

plastics are recycled, the more of recycled plastics available. Furthermore, the more plastics are



PET Recycling 32

bought then the more the industry shall create. Given the current green trends, the demand for

plastics may grow very exponentially. This is given by the fact that the demand for plastic

materials exceeds the industry’s supply. This therefore calls for an elaborate recycling process to

help meet the demands of the people.

Due to these factors the number of plastics recycling plants has tripled in the recent years.

Just imagine that the recycling of one tone of plastic saves about 7.4 cubic yards of landfill

space. Reduction is therefore an important achievement in the recycling industry. New

developments are also being carried out to ensure quality plastics are produced. For example

some bottled water producers are trying to reduce plastic in their production which is otherwise

known as light weighting in order to create an impact. The recycling industry in response to this

managed to reduce the weight of PET plastic water bottles by nearly 33% between the year 2000

and 2008. Currently the average weight of 2 litre bottle of soda is about 19 grams lighter than it

was in 1977. An approximate of 5.6 billion bottles is sold every year therefore the simple source

reduction has managed to eliminate about 200 million pounds of plastic every year.

On the other perspective, recycling of plastics could help in eliminating the negative

impacts associated with plastics. Studies have suggested that most of the world’s fossil fuels are

used in producing new plastics. This accounts for millions of tons of fuels per year in the

environment. Therefore, recycling helps in the preservation of these fuels. It goes ahead to

encourage their use in other markets. Since all plastics recyclable, it should be recycled as much

as possible. This is on the contrary not being done so and thus leads to massive accumulation of

plastics in the landfills. It therefore clearly points out that without proper recycling then the

marine life is in complete danger.



PET Recycling 33

The landfills are closing at an alarming. Two are being closed daily. This land problem is

growing at escalating rates in the cities. The cities landfills in the core areas are usually filled to

the brim and the individuals residing in the sub urban regions tend to decline from the city

residents dumping their trash on their land. Cities along the coast line their waters as dumping

sites. This depletes the fish in the waters, serious health implications to the individuals living

around the water body and a much polluted beach line. Materials made of plastic make up about

11% of the contents of landfills. So without this recycling project then there will be no land in

future for other developments. In order to save space at landfills, plastics are often burned using

incinerators. By doing this, fossil fuels, petroleum and the chemicals that are used in production

process are emitted to the atmosphere. This increases the greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling

would eliminate this by a great margin.

Most plastic containers float on the surface of the oceans. These at times can look like

food to larger sea animal, but it comes with fatal consequences. Sea birds, fish and other sea

animals do get caught up in the plastic rings which would otherwise strangle them or prevent

them from swallowing thereby die of simple negligence. Imagine how recycling could save

much life not only to humans, but to animals also. Research is not quite clear on how long it

takes for plastic to bio-degrade. Though it has not been round long enough, but amazingly the

first plastics made are still around today. However, plastics will surely take centuries in order to

degrade completely or even much longer. Plastics have only been around for a hundred years, yet

they are already a problem. What amount of plastics will be in our landfills in about five hundred

years to come?



PET Recycling 34

PET is considered an excellent barrier material as some health practitioners use gloves

made of this material. It is usually used in tape applications like in the carrier for magnetic tape

or the backing for pressure sensitive adhesive tapes due to its high mechanical strength.

Thermoformed PET can be used in the storage of frozen dinners. This is because of their ability

to withstand extreme temperatures. Nylon is a product of PET. It is naturally strong with high

strength and ability to form several products. PET has a variable intrinsic viscosity range

Plastics generally contain harmful chemicals which include, but not limited to the

following: PVC, lead, cadmium and other toxins in form of dangerous coloring pigments,

stabilizers and plasticizers (Bary, 2003). Some have been found to be very dangerous and their

manufacture is currently prohibited. The much more poisonous and older ones are still getting

their way into the landfills. Some float on water bodies and thus cause pollution to the waters.

The pollutants could seep into the ground and mix with the underground water to cause harm to

the animals and even humans. Energy conserved by the recycling of just a single plastic bottle

would be equivalent to the energy that powers a 60- watt bulb for over twelve hours. This would

power our homes on the energy savings we would gain by recycling every one of those plastic

bottles. It is a general fact that recycled plastic materials are found in many unexpected places.

These may include: tennis balls, paintbrushes industrial strapping flowerpots, lumber, shower

stalls, clothes and carpets. Plastics may also contain oils that could be recycled and reused as

fossil fuels.

The recycling process also came up with its hindrances or difficulties. The first problem

is the issue of contamination. According to nature of impurities, basic washing can solve this

menace. There is also insufficient supply of the plastics for recycling. Some plastics are also too



PET Recycling 35

thin to recycle. Plastics have different molecular construction; practical recycling will depend

majorly on the ability to separate them from each other. This therefore calls for recycling with

proper sorting and packaging. Some consumers view plastics as low quality associated with the

low class individuals.

Some legislation also prevents the use of plastics. This is detrimental to the market

potential of the plastic products. Polymer prices are also very volatile due to the inequality in

capacity demand, stock building during the low price situations. The price of virgin plastic is

also linked to the oil price. The high collection costs hinder the general process of recycling.

Proper development of sorting machines will reduce collecting and sorting costs and at the same

time increasing the plastic streams quality.

7.1 Conclusion:

To crown up issues concerning PET Plastics and PET recycling, it is of importance to

note that this project is of indeed good value. PET containers can be collected or in other words

recovered and re-used over again and again. Reduction of waste, re-use of materials and

recycling are the best processes so far that can save the environment and the society at large. In

order to attain a much more sustainable future, it is indeed necessary to recycle PET bottles and

containers. This is because the process is simple and environment friendly.

Research is not quite clear on how long it takes for plastic to biodegrade. Though it has

not been round long enough, but amazingly the first plastics made are still around today.

However, plastics will take hundreds of years to degrade fully or even much longer. Plastics



PET Recycling 36

have only been around for a hundred years, yet they are already a problem. What amount of

plastics will be in our landfills in about five hundred years to come?

The production of new plastic materials from already recycled materials indeed uses

about 67% less energy than in the manufacture of the products from virgin materials. This

therefore implies that recycling of plastics frees the energy that could be utilized somewhere

else. For example in the year 2008 UK recycled over 5 billion pounds of plastic and this

amazingly saved the energy that could be used to heat over 2.5 million homes.

Research is being conducted on "biodegradable" plastics that break down with exposure

to sunlight. By mixing starch with plastic degradation will be lowered, but it still doesn't lead to

complete breakdown of the plastic. Bacteria have been genetically engineered to make a totally

decomposable material. The material is however very expensive in the current market.

Critics claim that their only real problem to be addressed is roadside litter, which is

regarded as a secondary issue. When plastics are deposited into the dumping sites, they are then

mummified to maintain for ages even though they are decomposable biologically.

The Courtald who are the bonafide manufacturers of rayon decided to come up with an

in-depth process to manufacture tencel in the mid 80s. This was a superior quality type of rayon

which was just manufactured from the usual biomass of the feedstock. The production is

explicitly very clean according to the plastic manufacture standards. I strongly go for the idea

that the consistent and effective education would inspire more consumers to get into the practice

of recycling the plastics. If both the adults and the children comprehend the re-processing and

re-manufacturing of recycled containers then this would help them understand and take

ownership of the process.



PET Recycling 37

Recycling of plastics could help in eliminating the negative impacts associated with

plastics. Studies have suggested that most of the world’s fossil fuels are used in producing new

plastics (Baird, 2004). This accounts for millions of tons of fuels per year in the environment.

Therefore, recycling helps in the preservation of these fuels. It goes ahead to encourage their use

in other markets. Since all plastics recyclable, it should be recycled as much as possible. This is

on the contrary not being done so and thus leads to massive accumulation of plastics in the

landfills. It therefore clearly points out that without proper recycling then the marine life is in

complete danger.

According to nature of impurities, basic washing can solve this menace. There is also

insufficient supply of the plastics for recycling. Some plastics are also too thin to recycle.

Plastics have different molecular construction; practical recycling will depend majorly on the

ability to separate them from each other. This therefore calls for recycling with proper sorting

and packaging. Some consumers view plastics as low quality associated with the low class

individuals.

8.1 Recommendations:

In the early 70’s not even a single curbside was found in any of the countries. Currently

they have grown to unimaginable numbers. Most countries manage to recycle third their

municipal waste. The rate of dumping still exceeds that of recycling. Increasing our recycling

rates will help pull us out of the garbage heap and reduce global warming emissions. This brings

us down to the realization that it is necessary to cut down on the waste we produce in the first

place. Recycling is one of the steps in a full loop of practices that, together, will reduce the

amount of waste going to landfills and cut back on greenhouse gas emissions. It goes beyond



PET Recycling 38

bundling up newspapers and collecting bottles. Manufacturers should use recycled materials to

make their products, and consumers should buy goods made from post-consumer recycled

content in order to close the loop created. Demand for products made with recycled materials

should be increased at the expense of virgin materials. This will eventually ensure a much more

successful recycling, divert waste from landfills, save natural resources and curb global

warming.

Other avenues to work towards a zero waste in the future are as follows: Organics and

recyclables should be kept out of landfills and incinerators. Approximately 60 percent of

household waste is recyclable or compostable, but only 8% are being composted. Composting

helps in preparing organic waste like leftover food and lawn trimmings. The organic waste is

reused as fertilizer, instead of leaving it to decompose in landfills or to combust in incinerators,

which emit greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. Creating more municipal composting

programs should be created to boost composting rates. The programs exist in only a few cities,

and they're outnumbered more than 2 to 1 by curbside recycling programs.

We should also consider putting trash cans in our regular diets. What we dump in our

trash cans doesn't need to be there in whole. By adopting mechanisms of cutting back on

product packaging, promoting reusable bags over paper and plastic, using sponges instead of

paper towels, and favoring mugs or glasses over disposable containers, we are indeed just

reducing the waste.

There are also ways to boost the rates of recycling and also to curb the menace of global

warming. Throwing away our waste creates greenhouse gas emissions just exactly like from

driving our cars and heating our homes. Depositing garbage in landfills releases one fourth of all



PET Recycling 39

methane gas emissions (Andrady, 2003). Contrary to most opinions, methane gas is a global

warming pollutant which is 22 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Trash incinerators emit

greenhouse gases. Therefore throwing away products rather than reusing or recycling them often

means burning more fossil fuels to strip virgin timber and other raw materials from the earth. If

we increase our recycling rate from the current 32.5 percent to 35 percent, the effect on

greenhouse gas emissions would be comparable to removing a million passenger cars from our

roads.

Managing the electronic waste is a major concern in the future. Used and dumped

electronics like old computers, broken cell phones, obsolete television sets will form the fastest

growing element of our waste stream. Laws are in place for nine states that require the recycling

of electronics, and several other states are working on new e-waste laws in America. Most

countries support legislations that put the responsibility on manufacturers to recycle their used

products, and for designing less toxic, more recyclable gadgets in the first place.

The current bottle bills should also be expanded even to other countries. In 2005, 2

million tons of plastic bottles in the United States ended up in the trash instead of in recycling

bins. The State container deposit law which is known as "bottle bills" are long overdue for an

upgrade. They have proven to be the most effective approach to collecting bottles and cans.

Currently, only 11 states have bottle bills in America, and most of them include only beer and

soda bottles but not water bottles, which accounted for 14 percent of bottled beverages in 2005.

Such bill with a higher deposit would give a huge boost to our bottle recycling rates.

Plastic bags should also be ditched and left completely. EPA has recorded that the United

States consumes about 380 billion plastic bags a year and recycles less than 5 percent of them.



PET Recycling 40

Reusing shopping bags just as is common in some other countries could reduce that number

significantly and prevent billions of plastic bags from ending up in landfills (Auckman, 2007). It

could also prevent them from getting into the ocean, on trees and floating by your window. It is

necessary to address the plastic problem. San Francisco banned the use and distribution of plastic

bags by grocery stores in 2007. Other stores around the country are creating incentives for

shoppers to reduce plastic bag use, such as offering cash back for reused bags, selling branded

reusable bags and installing in-store bag drop-off stations to encourage reuse. This is a good

strategy for future advancement in this sector.



PET Recycling 41

9.1 References:

Ackerman, Frank. (2007). Why Do We Recycle? Markets, Values, and Public Policy. Iland Press.

Andrady A. L. (2003). Plastics and Environment . New York: Wiley-IEEE.

Baird, Colin (2004) Environmental Chemistry (3rd ed.). New York, W. H. Freeman.

Bary E. A. (2003). Handbook of Plastic Films. London: iSmithers rapra Publishing.

Board E. E. (2007). Plastic Compounding, Masterbatches, PET and Other Plastic

Processing Industries. New Delhi: Engineers India Research In.

Carl A. Zimring (2005). Cash for Your Trash: Scrap Recycling in America. New Jersey:

Rutgers University Press.

Eiri (2007). Handbook of Polymer & Plastic Technology. New Delhi: Engineers India

Research In.

Gehrke R. (2010). Recycling Projects for the Evil Genius. New York: McGraw-Hill

Professional.

Gleick P. H. (2010). Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind our Obsession with Bottled Water.

London: Island Press.

Harper C. A. (2006). Handbook of Plastics Technologies: The Complete Guide to Properties and

Performance. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional.



PET Recycling 42

Harper C. A. (2002). Handbook of Plastics, Elastomers and Composites. New York:

McGraw-Hill Professional.

Harper C. A. (2000). Modern Plastics Handbook . New York: McGraw-Hill Professional.

Hulse S. (2000). Plastics Product Recycling: A Rapra Industry Analysis Report . London:

Smithers Rapra Publishing.

Lundquist L. (2000). Life Cycle Engineering of Plastics: Technology, Economy, and the

Environment. New Jersey: Elsevier.

Mantia F. L. (2002). Handbook of Plastics Recycling. London: iSmithers Rapra Publishing.

Piringer O. G. (2000). Plastic Packaging Materials for Food: Barrier Function, Mass

Transport. Quality Assurance and Legislation. New York: John Wiley and Sons

Porter, Richard. (2002). The economics of waste. Resources for the Future.

Thomas S. & Visakh P. M. (2011). Handbook of Engineering and Speciality

Thermoplastics. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Tierney, John. (2006). Recycling Is Garbage. The New York Times.

Tukker A. (2002). Plastics Waste: Feedstock Recycling, Chemical Recycling and incineration.

London: Smithers Rapra Publishing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resources_for_the_Future

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resources_for_the_Future

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