Post on 23-Sep-2020
Plastics 101
and BioPlastics Primer
Recycled Presentationby
Patty Moore
Presented bySarah Grimm, Lane County Waste Reduction SpecialistFor:
Willamette Valley Sustainable Food Coalition Education Forum
Patty@moorerecycling.com
The Basics of Polymer Chemistry
• A polymer is a chain of monomers usually made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and/or silicon
• Amorphous: no long‐range order or form, generally clear
• Crystalline: distinct pattern, general opaque (higher crystallinity the less light can pass through)
Patty@moorerecycling.com
The Basics of Polymer Chemistry
• Thermoplastics: will remelt– Most packaging and consumer goods
• Thermosets: cannot remelt – Durable products. Melamine, Urathane
Fact: an item is only recyclable if there is someone who will take it –and make use of it in the production of another product.
Fact: Numbers on plastics refer to only the base resin ingredient. ‐Additional, PERMANENT changes occur in the manipulations that create the product—can’t be mixed with others.
Fact: Every community in the country has varying access to recycling opportunities
PLA PHA
IngeoACCPTT
Patty@moorerecycling.com
Plastics by the Numbers
• Clear, tough, heat resistant, good gas and moisture barrier properties• Bottles (extrude/blow molded), sheet, fiber, geotextiles, strapping
Stiffness, ease of forming, resistance to chemicals and moisture, permeable to gas. Natural (homopolymer) or Pigmented (copolymer)
Bottles, crates, bags, carts
High Density Polyethylene
Polyvinyl Chloride Transparency, chemical resistance, stability, weatherability, flow and
insulatory (electrical), versatile, easily blended, grease and oil resistant Film, sheet and bottles
Low Density Polyethylene Tough, flexible, transparent, ease of sealing, moisture barrier Film applications (bags, liners, wrap), caps, squeeze bottles
Polyethylene terephthalate
Patty@moorerecycling.com
• Chemical resistance, high melting point, ease of forming, low density, oil resistant
• Bottles, tubs, fibers, large molded items,car battery cases, film• Also OPP ‐ oriented polypropylene
More Plastics by the NumbersPolypropylene
Polystyrene
Versatile, clear, hard brittle, low melting point, poor barrier, ease of forming including foamed
Food service items (“styrofoam”), utensils, CD cases, protective packaging, desk trays
Most coded bottles and containers are multilayer except polycarbonate aka: lexan, nalgene and polylacticacid (PLA)
#7 ‐ Other
Patty@moorerecycling.com
Forming the Plastic Resins
• Rotational molding• Vacuum forming
Patty@moorerecycling.com
• Extrusion through a die• Sheet via calendaring• Blown film
• Extruded fibers and filaments
• Injection molding• Blow molding
Forming the Plastic Resins
Fact: an item is only recyclable if there is someone who will take it –and make use of it in the production of another product.
Fact: Numbers on plastics refer to only the base resin ingredient. ‐Additional, PERMANENT changes occur in the manipulations that create the product—can’t be mixed with others.
Fact: Every community in the country has varying access to recycling opportunities
PLA PHA
IngeoACCPTT
What’s still in our WASTE?
Distribution of Resin Sales and Captive use by Major Market
Patty@moorerecycling.com
Strength in NumbersMANY plastics are
technically recyclable and have market
value----but are not generally known as
recyclable---because of the challenges in
collecting from disparate sources.
(Cups from stadiums, medical plastics,
lumber wrap)
Patty@moorerecycling.com
• PET = PET bottles• N HDPE = Natural HDPE bottles • C HDPE = Colored HDPE Bottles. Note: Specifications vary depending
on the buyer. Some buyers may allow the market mix of injection grade containers (no foamed PS); these buyers will discard all non‐olefin bottles and containers.
• Commingled Bottles and Containers = All bottles and containers (no foamed PS). Buyers generally expect approximately 40% PET bottles, 40% HDPE bottles and no more than 20% 3‐7 bottles and 1‐7 containers
• Bulky HDPE = Large HDPE items (buckets, crates, toys, trays, furniture, bins, barrels etc...). This category is often referred to as “Injection HDPE”
• Plastic Film, bags, etc
Recycling as a Commodity (Strength in Numbers - Bottles and Containers)
Patty@moorerecycling.com
Challenges for Recyclers THERMOFORM PLASTIC Materials that use PET, look like PET bottles but soften and melt at 325°F --really hurt the PET drying process.
Contaminants like lids, rings, labels
PLA –Compostable (?) Plastics
Challenges for Recyclers
Issue 2005 Contamination of successful recycling infrastructure.
Defining Bioplastics & Compostable Plastics
Bioplastics = whole category including both made from biobased feed stocks and &/or can biologically degrade. Biobased = made from plant based raw materials. Biobased may/maynot be biodegradable/recyclableBiodegradable = will degrade due to biological activityBut biodegradable & compostable are not the same Compostable = will decompose under certain conditions, over a given time ‐‐‐competing definitions
SPI – Society of Plastics Industry
STEVE DAVIES @ http://compostingcouncil.org/2011‐compostable‐plastics‐symposium/
“…growth in bio‐plastics demand is expected to increase 35‐40% annually…”
STEVE DAVIES @ http://compostingcouncil.org/2011‐compostable‐plastics‐symposium/
Compostable
Recyclable
Recycle it? or Compost?
Issue # 1 Contamination of successful, sustainable recycling infrastructure.
Fact: Every community in the country has varying access to recycling /compost opportunities
The increasing number and variety of products labeled with terms such as “biobased,” “biodegradable,” and “compostable,” is causing consumer confusion.
Compostable Plastics 101, a white paper by the California Organics Council‐‐‐ posted to www.lanecounty.org/eventrecycling
issue #2: Is it really Compostable?
STEVE DAVIES @ http://compostingcouncil.org/2011‐compostable‐plastics‐symposium/
• American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has developed “Standard Specifications for Compostable Plastics” > ASTM D6400
• Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) has launched a “Compostable Logo” program for products that conform to the ASTM D6400 standard. To comply, products must:– 1. Biodegrade to carbon dioxide at a rate comparable to yard trimmings, food scraps and other compostable material
– 2. Disintegrate into small enough particles so no remnants remain that could clog screening equipment
– 3. Safely biodegrade leaving no visible or toxic residues so that the compost is able to support plant growth
• Must be visible from 10 ft. away as compostable• Must be BPI or ASTM certification .... or...• Must be listed on Cedar Grove “acceptable” list
issue # 3: Is it Greener? Compost Quality : • Creates no humus, reduced to CO2 and water
• Creates likelihood of contamination of other plastics
Lifecycle analysis : • Producer sponsored studies often show reduced GHG
emissions, • Other’s not…
Cultivation of feed stocks ‐> genetically modified, pesticides, fossil fuel intensive agricultural practicesPolymerization processes
Should you use it? ‐will consumers put it in recycle?
‐will it get composted?‐will it make healthy soil?
credits to Compostable Plastics 101, a white paper sponsored by the California Organics Council‐‐‐ available at www.lanecounty.org/eventrecycling
issue #3: Is it GREENER
Reference:
sarah.grimm@co.lane.or.usWaste Reduction Specialist
Compostable Plastics Presentations: http://compostingcouncil.org/2011‐compostable‐plastics‐symposium/
White paper : Compostable Plastics 101California Organics Council‐‐‐also posted to: www.lanecounty.org/eventrecycling
Biodegradable Products Institute http://www.bpiworld.org/
Patty@moorerecycling.com