RECYCLING OF PLASTIC WASTE IS NOT COST-EFFECTIVE.
    
Rating: 1 user(s) have rated this article Average rating: 5.0
Posted by: admin, on 5/28/2008, in category "General news & articles"
Views: this article has been read 2664 times
Location: san Jose, CA
Abstract: No waste product causes more confusion for users of recycling programs than plastic because plastics come in chemically diverse polymers. Since recycling of heterogeneous plastic waste polymers is of no commercial value, the recycling process incurs an upfront cost of collection, cleaning, and sorting.

No waste product causes more confusion for users of recycling programs than plastic because plastics come in chemically diverse polymers. Since recycling of heterogeneous plastic waste polymers is of no commercial value, the recycling process incurs an upfront cost of collection, cleaning, and sorting. In addition, the recycling of plastic polymers is not a closed loop, where a material is reformed into new products repeatedly, such as in the case with aluminum. Most plastics can be recycled only once, and the product made of recycled polymer is discarded after one use. To achieve maximum benefit of recycling technology, the products made from it should have a relatively long useful life and free of potentially toxic contamination. Finally, one of the major hurdles facing the recycling industry is the cost; products made from recycled polymers are more expensive than those made from a virgin plastic precursor.

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Comment posted by Diana on Sunday, February 21, 2010 5:51 PM
This article addresses something crucial. If you are going to use a reusable bag it should have a long life cycle. I produce reusable produce & bulk food bags sold at hundreds of places across Canada including Whole Foods, the Overwaitea Food Group, Planet Organic, Noah's Naturals and many more. Our bags are made of a synthetic technical fabric with a great track record. I'm still using the first prototypes 18 years later. Now that's a long life cycle. As consumers it pays to go for quality, something that will last. Also a product with a small footprint. Although we import our textile and drawstrings, all other operations are contained within a 2km footprint, which supports the local economy, fosters community, and provides employment. Best, Diana   www.carebagsonline.com

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