What does recyclability mean?
Recycling means closing the circle
For this reason, the term “recycling” must be used in strict compliance with this definition. The latter refers to the processing of materials for the production of new products, regenerated, blends or alloys to replace the corresponding virgin material in standard applications.
When a material can be defined as recyclable
The definition of the Plastic Recyclers Europe
Supported by a specific program
The product must be made with a plastic that can be subsequently sorted for recycling, with a market value and/or supported by a specific program required by law;
Streams for recycling processes
The product must be sorted and then aggregated into defined streams for recycling processes
Commercial recycling processes
The product can be processed and remanufactured/recycled using commercial recycling processes
For this reason, the term “recycling” must be used in strict compliance with this definition. The latter refers to the processing of materials for the production of new products, regenerated, blends or alloys to replace the corresponding virgin material in standard applications.
Mechanical recycling
The second life of plastics
Mechanical recycling is a method that allows recycling waste materials into “new” secondary raw ones, without changing their basic structure. Plastic waste passes extensive automated or manual sorting processes, in order to separate the different material streams. Waste can be very inhomogeneous.
For this reason identifying the material is necessary, and possible, thanks to new technologies (infrared spectroscopy (NIR), laser or x-ray techniques) trying to achieve maximum purity of recyclates. After cleaning and grinding processes the material is recovered by remelting and regranulated, ready to be processed with all common technologies of plastics conversion.
Chemical Recycling
Closing the loop is the future
Chemical, or raw material recycling is a general term used to describe innovative technologies where post-consumer plastic waste is converted into valuable chemicals to be used as feedstock for the chemical industry. These technologies include pyrolysis, gasification, chemical depolymerization, cracking, catalytic reforming and hydrogenation.
With chemical recycling plastic waste is converted into raw materials, i.e. monomers, oligomers and higher hydrocarbons that can be used to produce virgin-like polymers to create new plastic articles also for direct food contact.
New technologies have been developed for chemical recycling and several pilot plants across Europe are now researching new processes to recycle plastic waste.
Circular
economy
Circular
economy
