Plastic is one of the widely used material worldwide. Most of the things in our surroundings are made of up of plastics now and due to increasing costs of wood and metals and labor, more and more plastic products are adding in the line for our daily use even with relatively lesser cost. So as the plastic consumption is increasing, plastic recycling problems are seeking more and more attention.
More strict legislations are encountering usage and waste management of plastics globally and many of its types are now widely discouraged and so being abandoned due to their material composition and contaminations resulting in pollution and dangers to human health.
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| Image: Example of Single Use Plastics |
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| Image: Reusable Plastics |
There are many types of plastics in our daily use with different materials, grades, melting point and recyclability and all of the types are widely available with lower cost as compared to metals and other materials. Some of these plastics are easily recyclable but others need more sophisticated and intricate handlings in their recycling process which sometimes makes recycling more costly.
Reasons Why Not All Plastics Can Be Recycled
It is however alarming that not all types of plastic can be recycled. One of the principle reason for this is the need for more facilities, technology, and financial needs to upgrade recycling facilities of certain types of plastic. Due to increased recycling cost, most recycling plants only take the type of plastic they need and ignore the rest which remains in landfills causing pollution.
Currently 2 types of plastic that are mostly picked up for recycling are Polyethylene Terephthalate PET and High-Density Polyethylene HDPE. More research and advanced techniques are being introduced to recycling all other plastic types to reduce as much environmental pollution as possible.
Global Efforts to Address Plastic Recycling
Many countries are taking strict actions towards plastic recycling to mitigate pollution caused due to plastics specifically.
Government restrictions can help reduce plastic wastes by banning and restricting single use plastics. Many countries in the world have banned single-use plastics like plates, cups, and straws and many other countries are engaged in significant efforts towards reducing use of single use plastics. Bangladesh for example was the first country to ban thin plastic bags in 2002. European Union have approved ban on single use plastics in 2019.
Additionally, owing to the global concerns of environmental pollution due to plastic products, representatives of member states of the United Nations endorsed a historic resolution titled “End Plastic Pollution” at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in 2022, to end plastic pollution by 2024.
Technological Advancements in Plastic Recycling
Integrated Chemical Recycling
Advanced Recycling converts waste plastic waste back into a liquid raw material for use again in next generation plastic production. This technology can be used for many types of plastic including mixed plastic waste streams that are normally difficult or impossible to process with traditional recycling.
The new technology enables plastics to be recycled back to a raw material stream and returned to the market as a brand new product from recycled material. Mostly, the product properties of recycled plastic are identical to virgin plastics made from oil and gas. By this way, advanced recycling reduces the use of fossil-fuel based raw materials.
However, some research studies have raised the issue that chemical recycling can be more harmful than producing virgin plastics.
Use of bio plastics and biodegradable plastics
Bioplastics are plant based naturally formed biopolymers of biomass like starch and cellulose mainly obtained from Corn, Sugarcane, Sugar beet, Potatoes, Wheat, Rice, Sorghum and Barley and break down completely through a natural process. While bioplastics, being completely organic in nature are easy to breakdown at the end of useful life cycle and therefore are widely introduced to replace conventional plastics. Read about bioplastics and biodegradable plastics in our blog.
Using 100% Recyclable Parts in Automotive Sector
Use of plastics in automotive sector is also increasing and car manufacturers are using plastic parts instead of metal. Many car manufacturers are using almost 85% of recycled parts for their use in automotive or other sectors while many companies are replacing bioplastics with conventional plastics for car parts.
The BMW i-Vision Circular is a concept for an electric compact car that aims to use 100% recycled materials. Similarly, students from Eindhoven University of Technology Netherlands have revealed, Lina, a 100% biodegradable car, where chassis, body and interior of the car are made from a resin derived from Flax combined with a bioplastic made entirely from sugar beets. To study our research on biodegradable cars, please read our blog.
Mechanical Sorting through Artificial Intelligence
The effectiveness of mechanical recycling depends mainly on accurate sorting, which was traditionally being done manually. Automated systems using Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and robotics can streamline this process.
Advanced techniques like Near-infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy, Tracer-Based Sorting (TBS) and Triboelectric Separation combined with artificial intelligence (AI) have been developed to enhance sorting precision. These technologies, when integrated, significantly enhance the sorting process, improving purity, recovery rates, and the overall efficiency of plastic recycling for step towards circular economy and reducing plastic waste pollution.
Social Efforts towards Reducing Plastic Use
Educating people at all levels can also help reduce the use of plastics which on one side will change the habits of using reusable plastics instead of single use plastics and on the other side will help reduce plastic waste.
Awareness campaigns at schools and community programs and advertisements can also help change long term consumer behaviors and habits for using reusable plastics at homes and workplace. Adding slogans and informative signs at parks, markets, medical facilities and public places can also help educate people highlighting the hazardous effects of plastics use.
The manufacturers can also contribute by investing more in manufacturing usable plastics.
Similarly, separate waste bins and bin-bags have been introduced in many countries to separate the plastic waste at initial level. Teaching people how to properly sort recyclables by keeping them in separate bins and bags, and educating them about the benefits of recycling can reduce contamination in recycling streams, improving the quality of recycled materials. This not only helps the recycling facilities to reduce cost of sorting and segregation but also in quick recycling.
Conclusion
As the use of plastic products is increasing, plastic waste recycling is facing a number of problems. These crisis primarily require a technological shift in how plastic materials are designed, used, and recycled. The emerging recycling technologies have a great potential in advancing towards a circular economy.
Innovations in chemical recycling, using biodegradable plastics, and AI-driven sorting systems demonstrate significant improvements in processing plastic wastes. These technologies enable the recovery of valuable resources, reduce reliance on virgin plastics, and mitigate environmental pollution.
Addressing global efforts towards mitigating environmental and health impacts of plastic pollution, a holistic approach that combines technological innovation by manufacturers, policy intervention by governments, and public engagement through education, awareness and behavior change, the vision of a sustainable and circular plastics economy can be recognized, paving the way for a cleaner and greener earth.
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