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MYTHS AND TRUTHS ABOUT PLASTICS

MYTHS TRUTHS
PLASTICS ARE Plastics can be degraded by adding materials like starch
NOT etc. (eg. Starch Based Mulching films). Lot of research
BIODEGRADABLE work are going on in this field to make plastics biode
gradable and recent developments are entirely new
biodegradable polymers such as PLA (polylactic acid),
Poly capro lactone etc.. Compare to other non
biodegradable packing materials like aluminium, tin,
glass etc., plastics are crushable and highly compatible.
Also biodeg radation is a slow process (even after many
years diaries, purses, lumber, raked leaves were found in
land fill) and not economical as land fill is costly way of
waste disposal hence, recycling is the right way to extend
life cycle of products. Also composite containers like
plastic coated paper cups, tetra packs are not recyclable
and. do not biodegrade easily.
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PLASTICS Although plastics contribute only 1 to
ARE MAJOR 4% of the total Municipal Solid Waste
SOURCE OF (MSW) (7 to 8% in other developing
SOLID countries) they are blamed because of
WASTE their high visibility in the waste stream.
PROBLEM Also in India 60% of used plastics are
recycled even though the consumption
of plastics in India is less compared to
world average.

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PLASTIC Safe additives and stabilizers are
ARE now used in plastics for food
TOXIC contact applications. Food and
drug authorities inspect and permit
use of plastics for these
applications. Plastics are used
world wide for packing personal
care products, medical
applications, packing food and
medicine
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PLASTICS Comparing consumption of oil for
DEPLETE the production of glass bottle and
PRECIOUS paper, the plastic bottles
FOSSIL consume very less. Globally
RESOURCES plastics use only 4-8% of
commercially produced oil, and
the remaining is used for heating,
transportation and for other
purposes

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PLASTICS Plastics conserve soil and preserve
CAUSE SOIL forests, ground water and use non
AND PLANT renewable energy efficiently. Plastics
DECAY prevent plants and trees in many ways.
Plastics being used as a substitute for
wood applications such as furniture,
building materials etc, it prevents
massive deforestation of forests. But
help afforestation programme in many
ways e.g.. Nursery bags, drip irrigation,
sprinkler irrigation etc. Plastic films are
used in mulching and green house
applications to protect corps,
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vegetables, and flowers.

BURNING Burning of polyethylene bags
OF PLASTIC releases carbon dioxide and water
BAGS vapour only which are harmless.
RELEASES
TOXIC
Plastic bags increase the calorific
FLAMES value in MSW if used as fuel for
incineration.

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PLASTICS Plastics do not contaminate water.
POLLUTE Plastics are used everywhere to pack
WATER and distribute water. Plastic tanks,
drums, etc are used for water storage.
Plastic dispensers are used in water
coolers and filters. In fact mineral water is
packed in plastic pouches and bottles for
health and hygienic reasons

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 Waste Management
 For the management of plastics waste, the “ministry of
environment and forest, Government of India” has set up national
plastics waste management task force in 1996. it has laid down
guidelines on plastics packaging, recycling to promote recycling
incentives are being provided to rag pickers and NGOs for increased
collection of plastics from public places

 A lot of recyclable dry waste such as waste paper, plastics, broken

glass, metal, packaging material, etc., is not segregated and is thrown
on the streets along with domestic/trade/institutional waste. Such
waste is picked up to some extent by poor rag pickers for their
livelihood. At times they empty the dustbins and spread the contents
around for effective sorting and collection. By throwing such
recyclable material on the streets or into a common dustbin, the
quality of recyclable materials deteriorates as it gets soiled by wet
waste, which often contains contaminated and hazardous wastes. 9
 CONSUMPTION OF PLASTICS
 Packaging represents the largest single sector of plastics use in the UK. The
sector accounts for 35% of UK plastics consumption and plastic is the material
of choice in nearly half of all goods.
 The amount of plastic waste generated annually in the UK is estimated to be nearly 3
million tones. An estimate 56% of all plastics waste is used packaging, three-quarters of
which is from households. It is estimated that only 7% of total plastic waste arising are
currently being recycled

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WHAT IS WASTE PLASTICS?
 Plastics are used in a wide range of applications and some plastics items, such as food packaging,
become waste only a short time after purchase. Other plastic items lend themselves to be reused
many times over.

TYPES OF PLASTIC WASTES

Domestic wastes :-packaging, clothing, old books, newspapers, old furnishings .
Commercial wastes :-Solid wastes generated in offices, wholesale stores, restaurants, hotels.
Municipal wastes :-Wastes generated due to municipal activities and services such as street waste,
dead animals, market waste and abandoned vehicles.
Garbage :-vegetable wastes due to various activities like storage, preparation and sale, cooking and
serving. These are biodegradable.
Street wastes: -Street wastes include paper, cardboard, plastic, dirt, dust, leaves and other vegetable
matter collected from streets, walkways, alleys, parks and vacant plots.

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COLLECTION SYSTEM OF WASTE
PLASTICS
 There is an increasing activity among various local self government councils to treat the wet waste
also through vermiculture or similar process to generate compost, which can be used as fertilizer.

 ROLE OF NGOs IN COLLECTION OF WASTE PLASTICS

 They are playing an important role in segregation of waste, its collection and handling over to local
authorities.
 Create mass awareness, ensuring public participation in segregation of recyclable material and
storage of waste at source.
 These organizations promote environmental education and awareness in schools and involve
communities in the management of solid waste.

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THE ROLE OF RAG PICKERS
 Rag pickers are the people who are actually going through the garbage bins, dumping sites to pick
out the ‘rags’.
 These rag pickers: women, children, and men from the lowest rung in the society, are a common
sight in most cities and towns around the country.
 They are one of the focal points for the recycling of waste. They are the persons who, in
spite of all the dangers that they faces, goes on relentlessly picking through the garbage
bin, looking for waste that could be useful to them. They sell all the material they picked
to the whole sellers and retailers who in turn sell it to the industry that uses this waste
matter as raw material. The main items of collection are plastics, paper, bottles, and
cans.

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ROLE OF MUNCIPAL CORPORATION

1. The wet waste are collected by separate SMC vans from the households localities –
directly to the lands fills.

 SMC has given a secured area and a shed for segregation of dry wastes.
 SMC has also provided two 1-tonner vans with drivers , free of cost , to move in the
locality for 8 hours to collect dry wastes from households.

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 SOURCE OF GENERATION OF WASTE PLASTICS

Source of generation of waste

plastics
HOUSEHOL Carry bags
D Bottles
Containers
Trash bags

HEALTH Disposable syringes

AND Glucose bottles
MEDIC Blood and uro bags
ARE Intravenous tubes
Catheters
Surgical gloves

HOTEL AND Packaging items

CATERI Mineral water
NG bottles
Plastic plates,
glasses, spoons
AIR/RAIL Mineral water bottles
TRAVE Plastic plates,
L glasses, spoons
Plastic bags

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RECYCLING TECHNIQUES
 Most people believe that plastics are easy to recycle. Recycling plastic is difficult, but it
is done.

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BEFORE RECYCLING SORTING OF PLASTICS WASTES ARE
REQUIRED

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 RECYCLING
 Mechanical recycling
 Chemical recycling
 Feedstock recycling
MECHANICAL RECYCLING
Mechanical recycling is where the plastics, which soften on heating, are, reformed into molding
granules to make new products. The process involves collection, sorting, baling then size
reduction into flake (film and sheet) or granules which may then need washing and drying.
This is then re-compounded with additives and/or more virgin raw material, extruded and
chopped into pellets ready for reuse.

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CHEMICAL RECYCLING
 Chemical recycling involves the breaking down of polymers into their fundamental parts being
monomers and raw chemicals.  These chemicals can then be purified and reused. 
 It consists of :-

 Pyrolysis
 Hydrogenation
 Gasification
 solvolysis

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 Hydrogenation plant

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Pyrolysis
 The Pyrolysis process is an Advanced Conversion Technology that has the ability to
produce a clean, high calorific value gas from a wide variety of waste and biomass
streams. The hydrocarbon content of the waste is converted into a gas, which is suitable
for utilization in either gas engines, with associated electricity generation, or in boiler
applications without the need for flue gas treatment

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 Feedstock recycling

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ADVANTAGES OF PLASTIC RECYCLING
 Conservation of non-renewable fossil fuels - Plastic production uses 8% of the
world's oil production, 4% as feedstock and 4% during manufacture.
 Reduced consumption of energy.
 Reduced amounts of solid waste going to landfill.
 Reduced emissions of carbon-dioxide (CO2), nitrogen-oxide (NO) and sulphur-
dioxide (SO2).

 Save natural resources?

 Reduce environmental pollution?
 Save energy?
 Save space?
 Reduce litter?
 Create jobs?

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APPLICATION OF RECYCLED PLASTICS

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Fan Back Chair
Chaise Lounge
Side Table
Foot Stool
Park Bench
Straight Bench
Garden Bench
Glider
Love Seat
A-Frame Picnic Tables without wheels
Walk-in picnic tables
Patio Sets Litter Receptacle

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FUTURE OF RECYCLING

An Indian scientist of Nagpur Zadgaonkars has

successfully demonstrated the production of
industrial fuel from plastics waste including
commingled plastics waste in commercial scale.
The company is doing well as per the financial
report available from the banker, which financed
the project.

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 Unique features of the process and product obtained are

 All types of Plastics Waste – PE, PP, PS / EPS, PET, PVC, ABS, PC are used in this process
 Bio-medical plastics waste can be used.
 About 1 liter of Fuel is produced from 1 kg of Plastics Waste. Bye products are Coke and LPG
Gaseous Fuel.
 Any possible Dioxin formation is ruled out during the reaction involving PVC waste, due to the
 fact that the reaction is carried out in absence of oxygen, a prime requirement for Dioxin formation.
 This is a unique process in which 100% waste is converted into 100% value-added products.
 The process does not create any pollution.

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 Fuel from plastic waste

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 SOME RECYCLING CENTERS
INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage)
71, Lodhi Estate,
New Delhi-3

 Association for Environment and Development Research

Flat No. 8090, Pocket 7, Sector D, Vasant Kunu, New Delhi

 Centre for Rural Development & Technology Indian Institute of Technology,

Hauz Khas, Delhi-110016

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 PET RECYCLING

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 CONCLUSIONS
 Plastics recycling is an important part of the
environment protection which is one of the major
challenges facing world Growth in public awareness
of the risks posed by environmental problems and
available technical solutions should result in lower
environment pollution International cooperation is
essential for reaching global goals, among which is
improvement of quality of life Legislation, recovery
and recycling systems, as well as technology of
plastic waste recycling are important factors of
waste management. Ecological education in world
should profit in better public understanding of future
activities on recycling of plastics.
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