Chapter 31 - Plastic recycling

Abstract

Plastics are synthetic organic polymers, mainly made from petrochemical feedstocks. Since the invention of the first plastic in the early 1900s, the number of plastics has increased dramatically, and so have its uses. Plastics are now omnipresent. Thus plastic waste management has become a growing concern. Today, about 350–380 million tonnes of plastics are produced annually. Yet, plastic recycling is still limited compared to most other bulk materials. Today, the plastic recycling rate in the EU is about 33% (2018). Recovery and recycling rates for plastics are increasing in many countries and an (international) market for recycled plastics is developing, while recycling technology improves. To increase the low recycling rate, the industry faces several challenges. Most recycled plastic is not used for its original function due to downcycling (i.e., a reduction in material quality). The key challenge for the industry is the need to increase the quality of the recovered and recycled material, and to ensure that material and product cycles can be closed.