30/01/2013 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Plastic recycling From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Plastic recycling is the process of recovering scrap or waste plastic and reprocessing the material into useful products, sometimes completely different in form from their original state For instance, this could mean melting down soft drink bottles and then casting them as plastic chairs and tables Typically a plastic is not recycled into the same type of plastic, and products made from recycled plastics are often not recyclable.[citation needed] Contents Challenges Processes 2.1 Monomer recycling 2.2 Thermal depolymerization 2.3 Heat compression 2.4 Other processes Applications 3.1 PET 3.2 PVC 3.3 HDPE 3.4 PS 3.5 Other plastics Recycling rates Economic and energy potential Consumer education 6.1 United States 6.2 United Kingdom Plastic identification code See also References 10 External links Challenges When compared to other materials like glass and metal, plastic polymers require greater processing (heat treating, thermal depolymerization and monomer recycling) to be recycled.[citation needed] Due to the high molecular weight of their large polymer chains, plastics have a low entropy of mixing A macro molecule interacts with its environment along its entire length, so total energy involved in mixing it is large compared to that of an organic molecule with a similar structure (see enthalpy) Heating alone is not enough to dissolve such a large molecule, so plastics must often be of nearly identical composition to mix efficiently When different types of plastics are melted together, they tend to phase-separate, like oil and water, and set in en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling 1/11 30/01/2013 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia these layers The phase boundaries cause structural weakness in the resulting material, meaning that polymer blends are useful in only limited applications Another barrier to recycling is the widespread use of dyes, fillers, and other additives in plastics The polymer is generally too viscous to economically remove fillers, and would be damaged by many of the processes that could cheaply remove the added dyes Additives are less widely used in beverage containers and plastic bags, allowing them to be recycled more often Yet another barrier to removing large quantities of plastic from the waste stream and landfills is the fact that many common but small plastic items lack the universal triangle recycling symbol and accompanying number A perfect example is the billions of plastic utensils commonly distributed at fast food restaurants or sold for use at picnics.[citation needed] The use of biodegradable plastics is increasing.[1] If some of these get mixed in with the other plastics for recycling, the reclaimed plastic is not recyclable because of the variance in properties and melt temperatures.[citation needed] Processes Before recycling, most plastics are sorted according to their resin type In the past, plastic reclaimers used the resin identification code (RIC), a method of categorization of polymer types, which was developed by the Society of the Plastics Industry in 1988 Polyethylene terephthalate, commonly referred to as PET, for instance, has a resin code of Most plastic reclaimers not rely on the RIC now; they use automatic sort systems to identify the resin, such as near infrared (NIR) technology Some plastic products are also separated by color before they are recycled The plastic recyclables are then shredded These shredded fragments then undergo processes to eliminate impurities like paper labels This material is melted and often extruded into the form of pellets which are then used to manufacture other products Monomer recycling Many recycling challenges can be resolved by using a more elaborate monomer recycling process, in which a condensation polymer essentially undergoes the inverse of the polymerization reaction used to manufacture it This yields the same mix of chemicals that formed the original polymer, which can be purified and used to synthesize new polymer chains of the same type Du Pont opened a pilot plant of this type in Cape Fear, North Carolina, USA, to recycle PET by a process of methanolysis, but it closed the plant due to economic pressures.[2][3] Thermal depolymerization Main article: Depolymerization Main article: Thermal depolymerization Another process involves the conversion of assorted polymers into petroleum by a much less precise thermal depolymerization process Such a process would be able to accept almost any polymer or mix of polymers, including thermoset materials such as vulcanized rubber tires and the biopolymers in feathers and other agricultural waste Like natural petroleum, the chemicals produced can be made into fuels as well as polymers A pilot plant of this type exists in Carthage, Missouri, USA, using turkey waste as input material Gasification is a similar process, but is not technically recycling since polymers are not likely to become the result Heat compression en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling 2/11 30/01/2013 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Yet another process that is gaining ground with startup companies (especially in Australia, United States and Japan) is heat compression.[citation needed] The heat compression process takes all unsorted, cleaned plastic in all forms, from soft plastic bags to hard industrial waste, and mixes the load in tumblers (large rotating drums resembling giant clothes dryers) The most obvious benefit to this method is the fact that all plastic is recyclable, not just matching forms However, criticism rises from the energy costs of rotating the drums, and heating the post-melt pipes Other processes A process has also been developed in which many kinds of plastic can be used as a carbon source in the recycling of scrap steel.[4] Applications PET Main article: PET bottle recycling Post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) containers are sorted into different colour fractions, and baled for onward sale PET recyclers further sort the baled bottles and they are washed and flaked (or flaked and then washed) Non-PET fractions such as caps and labels are removed during this process The clean flake is dried Further treatment can take place e.g melt filtering and pelletising or various treatments to produce foodcontact-approved recycled PET (RPET) RPET has been widely used to produce polyester fibres.[5] This sorted post-consumer PET waste is crushed, chopped into flakes, pressed into bales, and offered for sale.[6] Bales of PET bottles to be recycled One use for this recycled PET that has recently started to become popular is to create fabrics to be used in the clothing industry.[7] The fabrics are created by spinning the PET flakes into thread and yarn.[6] This is done just as easily as creating polyester from brand new PET.[8] The recycled PET thread or yarn can be used either alone or together with other fibers to create a very wide variety of fabrics Traditionally these fabrics were used to create strong, durable, rough, products, such as jackets, coat, shoes, bags, hats, and accessories However, these fabrics are usually too rough on the skin and could cause irritation Therefore, they usually are not used on any clothing that may irritate the skin, or where comfort is required.[9] But in today's new eco-conscious world there has been more of a demand for "green" products As a result, many clothing companies have started looking for ways to take advantage of this new market and innovations in the use of recycled PET fabric are beginning to develop These innovations included different ways to process the fabric,[6] to use the fabric, or blend the fabric with other materials.[10] Some of the fabrics that are leading the industry in these innovations include Billabong's Eco-Supreme Suede,[10] Livity (http://www.livity.org/) 's Rip-Tide III,[11] Wellman Inc (http://www.wellmaninc.com/) 's Ecofi(formerly known as EcoSpun),[5] and Reware (http://www.rewarestore.com/) 's Rewoven.[8] Some additional companies that take pride in using recycled PET in their products are Rethink Fabrics (http://rethinkfabrics.com) ,[12] Crazy Shirts[13] and Playback (http://www.playbackclothing.com/) [7] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling 3/11 30/01/2013 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Other major outlets for RPET are new containers (food-contact or non-food-contact) produced either by (injection stretch blow) moulding into bottles and jars or by thermoforming APET sheet to produce clam shells, blister packs and collation trays These applications used 46% of all RPET produced in Europe in 2010 Other applications, such as strapping tape, injection-moulded engineering components and even building materials account for 13% of the 2010 RPET production PVC In Europe, developments in PVC waste management are monitored by Vinyl 2010,[14] a legal entity established in 2000 In the waste management area their commitment is to Support integrated waste management approaches, using raw materials as efficiently as possible; Work with the stakeholders to research, develop, and implement recycling of 200,000 tonnes per year of PVC postconsumer waste in 2010 in addition to waste already recycled in 2000, or regulated by the PPW, ELV and E&E Waste Directives; Recycle collectable, available PVC postconsumer waste from pipes, window profiles, and roofing membranes Vinyl 2010 has a Monitoring Committee and publishes annual reviews.[15][16] In 2011, it reported that 260,842 tonnes of post-consumer PVC waste was recycled in 2010, i.e an increase of 220,000 tonnes over the 1999 volumes, exceeding the 10-year target of 200,000 tonnes PVC SPI code, for recycling (Society of the Plastics Industry) The Unicode character for this symbol is U+2675 Collection and recycling schemes for the PVC waste stream are managed through Recovinyl[17] which reported the recycled tonnage as follows: profile 107,000 tonnes; flexible cables 79,000 tonnes; pipe 25,000 tonnes; rigid film 6,000 tonnes; and mixed flexible 38,000 tonnes Recovinyl states that of the recycled material, 75% is for floors, 15% for foils, 5% for traffic cones, 3% for hoses end 2% for other applications One of the recycling processes is the Vinyloop Texyloop[18] used for solvent-based mechanical recycling It involves recovering PVC plastic from composite materials through dissolution and precipitation, and is a closedloop system, recycling the solvent and regenerating PVC It offers a major ecological benefit, as Vinyloop-based recycled PVC's primary energy demand is 46 percent lower than conventional produced PVC The global warming potential is 39 percent lower This is why the use of recycled material leads to a significant better ecological footprint.[19] HDPE The most-often recycled plastic[citation needed], HDPE (high-density polyethylene) or number 2, is downcycled into plastic lumber, tables, roadside curbs, benches, truck cargo liners, trash receptacles, stationery (e.g rulers) and other durable plastic products and is usually in demand PS Most polystyrene products are currently not recycled due to the lack of incentive to invest in the compactors and logistical systems required As a result, manufacturers cannot obtain sufficient scrap Expanded polystyrene scrap en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling 4/11 30/01/2013 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia can be easily added to products such as EPS insulation sheets and other EPS materials for construction applications When it is not used to make more EPS, foam scrap can be turned into clothes hangers, park benches, flower pots, toys, rulers, stapler bodies, seedling containers, picture frames, and architectural molding from recycled PS.[20] Recycled EPS is also used in many metal casting operations Rastra is made from EPS that is combined with cement to be used as an insulating amendment in the making of concrete foundations and walls Since 1993, American manufacturers have produced insulating concrete forms made with approximately 80% recycled EPS Other plastics The white plastic polystyrene foam peanuts used as packing material are often accepted by shipping stores for reuse.[21] The resin identification code symbol for polystyrene Successful trials in Israel have shown that plastic films recovered from mixed municipal waste streams can be recycled into useful household products such as buckets.[22] Similarly, agricultural plastics such as mulch film, drip tape and silage bags are being diverted from the waste stream and successfully recycled[23] into much larger products for industrial applications such as plastic composite railroad ties.[24] Historically, these agricultural plastics have primarily been either landfilled or burned on-site in the fields of individual farms.[25] CNN reports that Dr S Madhu of the Kerala Highway Research Institute, India, has formulated a road surface that includes recycled plastic: aggregate, bitumen (asphalt) with plastic that has been shredded and melted at a temperature below 220 degrees C (428 °F) to avoid pollution This road surface is claimed to be very durable and monsoon rain resistant The plastic is sorted by hand, which is economical in India The test road used 60 kg of plastic for an approximately 500m-long, 8m-wide, two-lane road The process chops thin-film road-waste into a light fluff of tiny flakes that hot-mix plants can uniformly introduce into viscous bitumen with a customized dosing machine Tests at both Bangalore and the Indian Road Research Centre indicate that roads built using this 'KK process' will have longer useful lives and better resistance to cold, heat, cracking, and rutting, by a factor of three.[26] Recycling rates The quantity of post-consumer plastics recycled has increased every year since at least 1990, but rates lag far behind those of other items, such as newspaper (about 80%) and corrugated fiberboard (about 70%).[27] Overall, U.S post-consumer plastic waste for 2008 was estimated at 33.6 million tons; 2.2 million tons (6.5%) were recycled and 2.6 million tons (7.7%) were burned for energy; 28.9 million tons, or 85.5%, were discarded in landfills.[28] Economic and energy potential In 2008, the price of PET dropped from $370/ton in the US to $20 in November.[29] PET prices had returned to their long term averages by May 2009.[30] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling 5/11 30/01/2013 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Consumer education United States Low national plastic recycling rates have been due to the complexity of sorting and processing, unfavorable economics, and consumer confusion about which plastics can actually be recycled.[31] Part of the confusion has been due to the recycling symbol that is usually on all plastic items[citation needed] This symbol is called a resin identification code It is stamped or printed on the bottom of containers and surrounded by a triangle of arrows (See the table in Plastic.) The intent of these arrows was to make it easier to identify plastics for recycling The recycling symbol doesn't necessarily mean that the item will be accepted by residential recycling programs.[32] United Kingdom In the UK, the amount of post-consumer plastic being recycled is relatively low,[33] due in part to a lack of recycling facilities The Plastics 2020 Challenge was founded in 2009 by the plastics industry with the aim of engaging the British public in a nationwide debate about the use, reuse and disposal of plastics, and hosts a series of online debates on its website framed around the waste hierarchy There is a facilities in Worksop capable of 60 - 80 thousand metric tonnes a year.[34] Plastic identification code Main article: Resin identification code Five groups of plastic polymers,[35] each with specific properties, are used worldwide for packaging applications (see table below) Each group of plastic polymer can be identified by its Plastic Identification code (PIC) – usually a number or a letter abbreviation For instance, Low-Density Polyethylene can be identified by the number "4" or the letters "LDPE" The PIC appears inside a three-chasing-arrow recycling symbol The symbol is used to indicate whether the plastic can be recycled into new products.[citation needed] The PIC was introduced by the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., to provide a uniform system for the identification of different polymer types and to help recycling companies separate different plastics for reprocessing Manufacturers of plastic products are required to use PIC labels in some countries/regions and can voluntarily mark their products with the PIC where there are no requirements.[36] Consumers can identify the plastic types based on the codes usually found at the base or at the side of the plastic products, including food/chemical packaging and containers The PIC is usually not present on packaging films, as it is not practical to collect and recycle most of this type of waste.[citation needed] Plastic Identification Code Type of plastic polymer en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling Properties Common Packaging Applications Glass Transition and Melting Temperatures (°C) Young's Modulus (GPa) 6/11 30/01/2013 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Clarity, Soft drink, water and salad Polyethylene strength, dressing bottles; peanut butter terephthalate toughness, (PET, PETE) barrier to gas and jam jars and moisture Tm = 250;[37] 2-2.7[38] [37] Tg = 76 Stiffness, strength, toughness, resistance to moisture, permeability to gas Water pipes, hula hoop rings, five gallon buckets, milk, juice Tm = 130;[39] 0.8[38] and water bottles; grocery bags, Tg = -125[40] some shampoo / toiletry bottles Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Versatility, ease of blending, strength, toughness Blister packaging for non-food items; cling films for non-food use Not used for food packaging as the plasticisers needed to make natively rigid PVC flexible are usually toxic Non-packaging uses are electrical cable insulation; rigid piping; vinyl records Tm = 240;[41] 2.4-4.1[42] Tg = 85[41] Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) Ease of processing, strength, toughness, flexibility, ease of sealing, barrier to moisture Frozen food bags; squeezable bottles, e.g honey, mustard; cling films; flexible container lids Tm = 120;[43] 0.17-0.28[42] [44] Tg = -125 High-density polyethylene (HDPE) Strength, toughness, resistance to heat, Polypropylene chemicals, (PP) grease and oil, versatile, barrier to moisture Polystyrene (PS) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling Reusable microwaveable ware; kitchenware; yogurt containers; margarine tubs; microwaveable Tm = 173;[45] 1.5-2[38] disposable take-away Tg = -10[45] containers; disposable cups; plates Egg cartons; packing peanuts; Versatility, disposable cups, plates, trays clarity, easily and cutlery; disposable takeformed Tm = 240 (only isotactic);[40] Tg = 100 3-3.5[38] 7/11 30/01/2013 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia away containers; (atactic and isotactic)[40] Beverage bottles; baby milk bottles Non-packaging uses for polycarbonate: compact discs; Polycarbonate: Dependent on "unbreakable" glazing; electronic Polycarbonate: Other (often polymers or 2.6;[38] ABS apparatus housings; lenses polycarbonate Tg = 145;[47] combination plastics: [48] including sunglasses, or ABS) Tm = 225 of polymers 2.3[38] prescription glasses, automotive headlamps, riot shields, instrument panels;[46] See also Baler Bisphenol_A#Identification_in_plastics, an article on "BPA", esp relevant to types & plastics Clean Value Plastics Microplastics Phase-out of lightweight plastic bags Plastics 2020 Challenge Post-consumer resin sterilization Reuse of water bottles References ^ Hatti-Kaul, Rajni "Industrial biotechnology for the production of bio-based chemicals – a cradle-to-grave perspective" (http://www.cell.com/trends/biotechnology//retrieve/pii/S0167779907000170?cc=y) Trends in Biotechnology Lund University http://www.cell.com/trends/biotechnology//retrieve/pii/S0167779907000170? cc=y Retrieved 26 August 2012 ^ "DUPONT ENDS RECYCLING EXPERIMENT | Chemicals > Chemicals Overview from" (http://www.allbusiness.com/chemicals/chemicals-overview/9060603-1.html) AllBusiness.com http://www.allbusiness.com/chemicals/chemicals-overview/9060603-1.html Retrieved 2010-08-21 ^ "DUPONT ENDS TRIAL." (http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/article/19981109/NEWS99/311099953/dupont-ends-trial) Waste&Recycling News http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/article/19981109/NEWS99/311099953/dupontends-trial Retrieved 2012-09-08 ^ Steel (http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/08/10/plastic.steel.reut/index.html) CNN Retrieved 9.11.06 ^ a b "EcoSpun (Eco-fi) Clothing - Eartheasy.com Solutions for Sustainable Living" (http://www.eartheasy.com/wear_ecospun.htm) Eartheasy.com http://www.eartheasy.com/wear_ecospun.htm Retrieved 2010-08-21 ^ a b c Idea TV GmbH "Recycled plastic - the fashion fabric of the future" (http://www.innovationsreport.com/html/reports/environment_sciences/report-7183.html) Innovations-report.com en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling 8/11 30/01/2013 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/environment_sciences/report-7183.html Retrieved 2010-08-21 ^ a b 10:24 AM PT, November 13, 2009 (2009-11-13) "Trashy Chic: Recycled clothing from Playback - Brand X" (http://www.thisisbrandx.com/2009/11/trashy-chic-recycled-clothing-from-playback.html) Thisisbrandx.com http://www.thisisbrandx.com/2009/11/trashy-chic-recycled-clothing-from-playback.html Retrieved 2010-08-21 ^ a b "Reware's REWOVEN Technology Info: The Eco Narrative - Recycled PET" (http://www.rewarestore.com/tech_recycled_pet.html) Rewarestore.com http://www.rewarestore.com/tech_recycled_pet.html Retrieved 2010-08-21 ^ "Billabong ECO Supreme Suede Boardshorts: Sustainable is Good Eco Products" (http://www.sustainableisgood.com/products/2008/04/billabong.html) Sustainableisgood.com 2008-04-09 http://www.sustainableisgood.com/products/2008/04/billabong.html Retrieved 2010-08-21 ^ a b [1] (http://www.billabongbiz.com/bethechange/environment.php?page=sustainable) ^ "Rip-Tide "Eco Tech" Fabric Made From Hemp, Recycled PET" (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/riptide-livity.php) TreeHugger http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/rip-tide-livity.php Retrieved 2010-08-21 ^ "Garbage Fashion: T-Shirts Made From Recycled Bottles" (http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-0320/garbage-fashion-t-shirts-made-from-recycled-bottles) http://www.businessweek.com.+2012-03-20 http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-20/garbage-fashion-t-shirts-made-from-recycled-bottles ^ September 3, 2009 (2009-09-03) "Eco Friendly Recycled Board Shorts" (http://www.gogreenstreet.com/ecofriendly-recycled-plastic-bottle-board-shorts/) Gogreenstreet.com http://www.gogreenstreet.com/eco-friendlyrecycled-plastic-bottle-board-shorts/ Retrieved 2010-08-21 ^ Home – Vinyl 2010 The European PVC industry commitment to Sustainability (http://www.vinyl2010.org) Vinyl2010.org (2011-06-22) Retrieved on 2011-10-06 ^ Vinyl 2010 Reporting on the activities of the year 2010 and summarising the key milestones of the past 10 years (http://www.vinyl2010.org/images/progress_report/2011/vinyl2010_progress_report_2011_final.pdf) The European PVC Industry's Sustainable Development Programme ^ Buekens, Alfons; Arjen Sevenster (2010) "Vinyl 2010 – nearing the target date" J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 12: 184–192 doi:10.1007/s10163-010-0286-9 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10163-010-0286-9) ^ Incentives to collect and recycle (http://www.recovinyl.com) Recovinyl Retrieved on 2011-10-06 ^ Texyloop : recyclage de textiles PVC (http://www.texyloop.com/index.php?lang=gb) Texyloop.com Retrieved on 2011-10-06 ^ [2] (http://www.solvayplastics.com/sites/solvayplastics/SiteCollectionDocuments/VinyLoop/The%20VinyLoop%20Eco -Footprint%20Study.pdf) ^ Polystyrene recycling (http://pspc.intoweb.co.za/index.php?page=recycle1) Polystyrene packaging council Retrieved on 2009-03-06 ^ "Let Peanuts Live! Mail Boxes Etc Recycles as Part of National Effort; Recycle Loose-fill, Foam 'Peanuts' At Participating Mail Boxes Etc Locations" (http://www.allbusiness.com/consumer-products/office-suppliesequipment/6916130-1.html) AllBusiness.com http://www.allbusiness.com/consumer-products/office-suppliesequipment/6916130-1.html Retrieved 2010-08-21 ^ Plastic trial procedure (http://www.oaktech-environmental.com/plastictrials.htm) Oaktech Environmental website Retrieved 9.11.06 ^ Agricultural plastics recycling process (http://www.rkoindustries.com/id26.html) Agricultural plastics recycling website Retrieved 07.11.08 ^ Plastic Composite Railroad Tie Facts (http://www.rti-railroad-tie.com/id5.html) Plastic Composite Railroad Ties website Retrieved 01.21.08 ^ Recycling Used Agricultural Plastics (http://environmentalrisk.cornell.edu/AgPlastics/References/Garthe&Kowala.pdf) James W Garthe, Paula D Kowal, PennState University, Agricultural and Biological Engineering ^ Patel, Almitra H (October 2003), Plastics Recycling and The Need For Bio-Polymers (http://isebindia.com/01_04/03-10-2.html) , 9, EnviroNews Archives, http://isebindia.com/01_04/03-10-2.html ^ The Self-Sufficiency Handbook: A Complete Guide to Greener Living by Alan Bridgewater pg 62 Skyhorse Publishing Inc., 2007 ISBN 1-60239-163-7, ISBN 978-1-60239-163-5 ^ ""Energy and Economic Value of Non-recycled Plastics and Municipal Solid Wastes" at Journalist's Resource.org" (http://journalistsresource.org/studies/environment/energy/energy-non-recycled-plastics-landfill/) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling 9/11 30/01/2013 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://journalistsresource.org/studies/environment/energy/energy-non-recycled-plastics-landfill/ ^ Page, Candace, Waste district raises recycling fees, Burlington Free Press, November 12, 2008 ^ Financial Times, May 15, 2009 (article by Max Hogg) ^ Watson, Tom (June 2, 2007) "Where can we put all those plastics?" (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/homegarden/2003730398_ecoconsumer02.html) Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/homegarden/2003730398_ecoconsumer02.html Retrieved 2007-06-02 ^ Where can we put all those plastics? By Tom Watson June 2, 2007 Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/homegarden/2003730398_ecoconsumer02.html ^ Plastics (http://www.wasteonline.org.uk/resources/InformationSheets/Plastics.htm#_Hows) wasteonline.org.uk Retrieved 10.18.07 ^ http://www.mbapolymers.com/home/mba-polymers-uk-ltd ^ "Safe Use Of Plastic Food Packaging And Containers" (http://www.ava.gov.sg/FoodSector/FoodSafetyEducation/Food+Facts/SafeUsePlasticContainers/index.htm) http://www.ava.gov.sg/FoodSector/FoodSafetyEducation/Food+Facts/SafeUsePlasticContainers/index.htm ^ "19" Holt Chemistry (Florida edition) Holt, Rinehart, and Winston 2006 p 702 ISBN 0-03-039114-8 "More than hlf the states in the United States have enacted laws that require plastic products to be labeled with numerical codes that identify the type of plastic used in them." ^ a b [3] (http://www.polymerprocessing.com/polymers/PET.html) PolymerProcessing.com ^ a b c d e f [4] (http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/young-modulus-d_417.html) The Engineering Toolbox ^ [5] (http://www.dynalabcorp.com/technical_info_hd_polyethylene.asp) Dyna Lab Corp ^ a b c [6] (http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/etc/medialib/docs/Aldrich/General_Information/thermal_transitions_of_homopolyme rs.Par.0001.File.tmp/thermal_transitions_of_homopolymers.pdf) Sigma Aldrich ^ a b [7] (http://www.polymerprocessing.com/polymers/PVC.html) PolymerProcessing.com ^ a b Modern Plastics Encyclopedia 1999, p B158 to B216.(Tensile Modulus) ^ [8] (http://www.dynalabcorp.com/technical_info_ld_polyethylene.asp) Dyna Lab Corp ^ [9] (http://www.lasalle.edu/academ/chem/ms/polymersRus/Resources/GlassTrans.htm) Wofford University ^ a b [10] (http://www.polymerprocessing.com/polymers/PP.html) PolymerProcessing.com ^ "What is Polycarbonate (PC)?" (http://www.recycledplastic.com/resource/plastic/polycarbonate-pc/) http://www.recycledplastic.com/resource/plastic/polycarbonate-pc/ ^ "polycarbonate information and properties" (http://www.polymerprocessing.com/polymers/PC.html) Polymerprocessing.com 2001-04-15 http://www.polymerprocessing.com/polymers/PC.html Retrieved 2012-1027 ^ [11] (http://www.polymerprocessing.com/polymers/PC.html) PolymerProcessing.com External links West, Larry "Recyclable Plastic: Why are So Few Food Containers Made of Recyclable Plastic?" (http://environment.about.com/od/reducingwaste/a/corn_plastic.htm) About.com http://environment.about.com/od/reducingwaste/a/corn_plastic.htm Retrieved 2009-05-04 Plastic Packaging Resin Codes (http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_plastics/bin.asp? CID=1102&DID=4645&DOC=FILE.PDF) data from the American Chemistry Council ISF's Plastics Recovery Manual American Chemistry Council Statement on Plastic Recycling (http://www.greenbuildingsolutions.org/s_greenbuilding/sec.asp?CID=2134&DID=8972) Technology for plastic recycling (http://www.erema.at/en/1/) Mike Biddle we can recycle plastic (http://www.ted.com/talks/mike_biddle.html) Visit Earth911 to find locations to drop off plastics that are not recycled by your municipality en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling 10/11 30/01/2013 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://earth911.com/) Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Plastic_recycling&oldid=533843136" Categories: Plastic recycling Navigation menu This page was last modified on 29 January 2013 at 09:55 Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply See Terms of Use for details Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling 11/11 [...]...30/01/2013 Plastic recycling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://earth911.com/) Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title =Plastic_ recycling&oldid=533843136" Categories: Plastic recycling Navigation menu This page was last modified on 29 January 2013 at 09:55 Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike... Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply See Terms of Use for details Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization en.wikipedia.org/wiki /Plastic_ recycling 11/11