A

Seminar Report
On
Recycling of plastic waste
Submitted to the Department of Chemical Engineering in Partial Fulfilment for the
Requirements for the Degree of

Bachelor of Technology
(Chemical Engineering)

by

SUBHAM
(U18CH084)
(B. TECH. IV(CH), 7th Semester)

Guided by

Dr.Sarita Kalla
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SARDAR VALLABHBHAI NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEC-2021
 Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute Of Technology
Surat - 395 007, Gujarat, India

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the seminar report entitled “Recycling of plastic waste” is pre-
sented & submitted by Candidate SUBHAM, bearing Roll No.U18CH084, of B.Tech.
IV, 7th Semester in the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of B.Tech.
Degree in Chemical Engineering for academic year 2021 - 22.
He has successfully and satisfactorily completed his Seminar Exam in all respects.
We certify that the work is comprehensive, complete and fit for evaluation.

Dr.Sarita Kalla
Assistant Professor & Seminar Guide

Name of Examiners Signature with Date

1. Dr. Jigisha Kamal Parikh

2. Dr. A. K. Mungray

3. Dr. Jogender Singh

Dr. Chetan M. Patel

Head Of Department Seal of The Department
Department of Chemical Enginnering, SVNIT (December 2021)
 Acknowledgement
I would like to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to my guide Dr.Sarita
kalla for her guidance. I am heartily thankful for suggestion and the clarity of the
concepts of the topic that helped me a lot for this work. I would also like to thank
Prof.C.M.Patel, Head of the Chemical Engineering Department, SVNIT and all the
faculties of Ched. for their co-operation and suggestions. I am very much grateful to
all my classmates for their support.

Student Name: SUBHAM

Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology
Surat

Dec 9, 2021

iii
 Abstract
This review covers the options for recycling of plastic waste and provides a general
overview of the main issues associated with plastic disposal. It provides a summary
of the quantities and type of plastics in the waste stream and also the main effects of
recycling on the plastic material itself. The four types of recycling: primary, secondary,
tertiary and quarternary .Plastics are inexpensive, lightweight and durable materials,
which can readily be moulded into a variety of products that find use in a wide range of
applications. As a consequence, the production of plastics has increased markedly over
the last 60 years. However, current levels of their usage and disposal generate several
environmental problems. Around 4 per cent of world oil and gas production, a non-
renewable resource, is used as feedstock for plastics and a further 3-4% is expended to
provide energy for their manufacture. In addition, because of the durability of the poly-
mers involved, substantial quantities of discarded end-of-life plastics are accumulating
as debris in landfills and in natural habitats worldwide. Recycling is one of the most
important actions currently available to reduce these impacts and represents one of the
most dynamic areas in the plastics industry today. Recycling provides opportunities to
reduce oil usage, carbon dioxide emissions and the quantities of waste

iv
 Table of Contents
Page
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
List of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
List of Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
Chapters
1 plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1.1 The History of Plastic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1.2 What is Plastic? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1.3 Categories of plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Description of Plastic Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.3 source of plastic waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3.1 Industrial plastic waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3.2 Commercial waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3.3 Municipal waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 Harmful Effects of Plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4.1 Groundwater and soil pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.4.2 Pollution in Oceans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.4.3 Dangerous for human life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.5 plastic waste management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.5.1 Two-Bin/bag collection System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.5.2 Quality control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.5.3 Bailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.5.4 Pre-shredding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.5.5 Storing sorted waste plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.5.6 Collection and transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.6 Micro Planning -life cycle assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2 Recycling of Plastic Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.1 Global recycling trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.2 Recycling Technique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2.1 Primary Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2.2 Secondary Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2.3 Tertiary Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.2.4 Quaternary Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.2.5 Mechanical Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

v
 Table of Contents

2.2.6 Technological Disposal Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2.2.7 Gasification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.2.8 Chemical recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3 Plastics recycling & sustainable developmet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.1 Depolymerisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.2 Plastic to Fuel (Pyrolytic Conversion Technologies) . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.3 Benefits of Recycling: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.4 Difficulties in Recycling: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.5 Energy recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.5.1 Case Study: Plastic to Alternate Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.6 Plastics recycling & sustainable development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.6.1 Environmental aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3.6.2 Economic aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Appendix

vi
 List of Figures

1.1 Examples of different types of Plastic [1] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1.2 plastic waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 Plastic waste poses a huge threat to marine life . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.4 Whale Killed by Plastic Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.5 Great Pacific Garbage Patch [2] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.6 The integrated sustainable waste management model . . . . . . . . . . 9

2.1 Global quantities of plastic produced and disposed of annually (1950-

2015), showing the estimated amounts disposed of via landfill, recy-
cling and incineration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2 schematic diagram of Plastic Recovery Options [3] . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.3 Air Tabling [3] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.4 Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.5 Schematic Diagram of Plasma Pyrolysis Technology [4] . . . . . . . . 17
2.6 Schematic Diagram Gagification of Plastic Waste [5] . . . . . . . . . . 18

3.1 Plastic Waste: Co-Processing [6] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

vii
 List of Abbreviations
PET Polyethylene Terephthalate
HDPE High-Density Polyethylene
PVC Polyvinyl Chloride
LDPE Low-Density Polyethylene
PP Polypropylene
PS Polystyrene or Styrofoam
BIS Bureau of Indian Standards
TPD Tonnes Per Day
TPA Tonnes of Plastic Waste per Year
CPCB Central Pollution Control Board

viii
 Chapter 1
plastics

1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.1.1 The History of Plastic
Plastics development might be considered one of the most significant technological
achievements of the twentieth century from a historical perspective. Plastics have per-
vaded practically every facet of daily life in just 50 years, paving the path for new ideas
and innovations.Many existing goods have materials that need to be replaced. These
goods’ success has been based on their tensile strength, resistance to moisture, chemi-
cals, and photobiodegradation, as well as their stability and ability to be moulded into
any required shape. The first semi-synthetic plastics material, cellulose nitrate, was de-
veloped in the late 1850s and involves the altering of cellulose fibres with nitric acid.
Following its invention by a Briton, Alexander Parkes, who showed it as the world’s
first plastics in 1862, cellulose nitrate suffered a number of false begins. [1]Historically
recycling in the plastic industry was carried out within manufacturing companies as
part of the standard production process. In extrusion for instance, often where mate-
rial and contamination constraints allowed, in-house scrap would be reprocessed with
virgin material, to improve final material production yields.

1.1.2 What is Plastic?

Plastic is a broad word that refers to a variety of synthetic and semi-synthetic polymer-
ization products. They are made up of organic condensation or addition polymers and
may include additional ingredients to boost performance or reduce costs. There are just
a handful natural polymers that are often referred to as ”plastics.” These polymers are
broken down into monomers such as ethylene, propylene, vinyl, styrene, and benzene
in the presence of a suitable catalyst. These monomers are then chemically polymerized
into various plastic types.

1.1.3 Categories of plastics

A. Recyclable Plastics (Thermoplastics): PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, PVC, PS, etc.
B.. Non-Recyclable Plastics (Thermoset and others): Multilayer and Laminated Plas-
tics, PUF, Bakelite, Polycarbonate, Melamine, Nylon etc. [7]
As per BIS Classification, there are seven categories of plastics like; PET, HDPE,

1
 1.2. Description of Plastic Waste

Figure 1.1: Examples of different types of Plastic [1]

PVC, LDPE, PP, PS and other.

1.2 Description of Plastic Waste

In India approximately 16.5 Million ton plastic products are consumed every year
(2017-2018) Its broad range of application lies in films, wrapping materials, shopping
and garbage bags, fluid containers, clothing, toys, household and industrial products,
and building materials. It is a fact that plastics will never degrade and remains on land-
scape for several years. Mostly, plastics are recyclable but recycled products can again
be recycled but the litter left over in earth system and water systems are more hazardous
to the environment. The recycling of a virgin plastic material can be done many times,
but after every recycling, the plastic material is deteriorated due to thermal pressure
Given that 70 of plastic consumption is turned to garbage over time, the country gener-
ates around 5.6 million tonnes of plastic waste per year (TPA), or 15342 tonnes per day
(TPD) Plastic garbage accounts for a large percentage of overall municipal solid waste.
Though there is a formal garbage collection system in place in metropolitan areas, in-
formal waste collectors, such as rag pickers, only collect value-based plastic waste such
as pet bottles and the like. They do not prioritise plastic carry bags, metalized plastics,
or low-quality plastic less than 20 microns since collecting them is not lucrative. This is
due to the fact that the rewards are little in comparison to the work involved. Moreover,
the major concern for this waste stream is that these are non-biodegradable and remains
in the environment for many years. Clogging of drains by plastic waste is a common
problem. The packaging and poly vinyl chloride (PVC) pipe industry are growing at
16-18% per year. The demand of plastics goods is increasing from house hold use to

2
 1.3. source of plastic waste

Figure 1.2: plastic waste

industrial applications. It is growing at an annual rate of 22% annually.

1.3 source of plastic waste

Plastics may be utilised for a number of reasons, thus waste plastics come from a range
of places. Plastic garbage may be divided into three categories: industrial, commercial,
and municipal waste.

1.3.1 Industrial plastic waste

Large plastics processing, manufacturing, and packaging businesses can provide indus-
trial trash and rejected material (also known as primary waste). The majority of this
waste material has good physical properties.
Many industries may provide useful supplies of primary waste plastics:

• The automotive industries: spare-parts for cars, such as fan blades, seat coverings,
battery containers and front grills.

• Construction and demolition companies: e.g. PVC pipes and fittings, tiles and
sheets.

• Electrical and electronics industries: e.g. switch boxes, cable sheaths, cassette
boxes, TV screens, etc. [8]

1.3.2 Commercial waste

Workshops, artisans, stores, supermarkets, and wholesalers may be able to supply ac-
ceptable amounts of waste plastics for recovery. A large portion of this trash is expected

3
 1.4. Harmful Effects of Plastics

to be in the form of clean or contaminated PE packaging material. Often, tainted PE

material comes from hotels and restaurants.

1.3.3 Municipal waste

Residential locations (domestic or home garbage), streets, parks, collection depots, and
waste landfills are all excellent areas to collect waste plastics. Due to the population’s
inclination of littering, significant volumes of plastic garbage can be detected in the Mu-
nicipal Solid Waste stream. The ”sachet” water film bags are the most prevalent form
of plastic garbage in the municipal waste stream, and they are dumped in a discrim-
inatory manner immediately after their contents have been consumed. The gathering
of this form of garbage is particularly common in Asian nations. Unless they are pur-
chased directly from families, before they have been mixed with other waste materials,
such waste plastics are likely to be dirty and contaminated. Sometimes the plastics can
be separated and cleaned quite easily, but contamination with hazardous waste is not
always visible and may be more difficult to remove. Litter that has been waiting for
collection for some time may have been degraded by sunlight. This is mainly a super-
ficial effect, however, and does not always mean that the plastics cannot be reprocessed.

1.4 Harmful Effects of Plastics

Plastic is adaptable, lightweight, flexible, moisture-resistant, robust, and reasonably
priced4. These are the alluring attributes that have led to such a ravenous hunger for
and overconsumption of plastic items all over the world. Plastic materials, which are
robust and slow to decay, are utilised in the creation of a wide range of items, but they
eventually become garbage. Our insatiable want for plastic, along with an indisputable
behavioural proclivity for progressively over-consumption, discarding, littering, and
hence polluting, has become a toxic mix.The disposal of plastics is one of the least rec-
ognized and most highly problematic areas of plastic’s ecological impact. Ironically,
one of plastic’s most desirable traits: its durability and resistance to decomposition, is
also the source of one of its greatest liabilities when it comes to the disposal of plas-
tics. Natural organisms have a very difficult time breaking down the synthetic chemical
bonds in plastic, creating the tremendous problem of the material’s persistence. A very
small amount of total plastic production (less than 10%) is effectively recycled; the re-
maining plastic is sent to landfills, where it is destined to remain entombed in limbo
for hundreds of thousands of years, or to incinerators, where its toxic compounds are
spewed throughout the atmosphere to be accumulated in biotic forms throughout the
surrounding ecosystem. [9]

4
 1.4. Harmful Effects of Plastics

1.4.1 Groundwater and soil pollution

Plastic is a material designed to endure a lifetime, and it cannot biodegrade due to the
same chemical makeup; it breaks down into smaller and smaller bits. When plastic is
buried in a landfill, it remains untreated for years. Toxic chemicals from plastics leak out
and seep into groundwater, eventually seeping into lakes and rivers downstream. Plastic
seepage pollutes the soil and has recently resulted in the existence of microplastics in
the soil.

1.4.2 Pollution in Oceans

More significant issues have arisen as a result of the rising abundance of plastic on the
ocean’s surface. Because most plastic garbage that reaches the ocean does not disinte-
grate rapidly, it floats for years, lowering oxygen levels in the sea and jeopardising the
existence of marine organisms. Plastic, for example, is non-degradable, which means it
will not be absorbed and recycled. When aquatic animals and even birds unintentionally
swallow plastic, they choke, resulting in a continuous reduction in their number.
Plastics have an impact on over 600 marine species. Plastic has been consumed by
about 45000 marine species, with 80 percent of them being damaged or died as a result.
Plastics may puncture animals from the inside, resulting in hunger, entanglement, body
part loss, and asphyxia.

Figure 1.3: Plastic waste poses a huge threat to marine life

1.4.3 Dangerous for human life

When plastic is burned, a class of flame retardants known as halogens is formed. Can-
cer, endometriosis, neurological damage, endocrine disruption, birth abnormalities and
child developmental disorders, reproductive damage, immunological damage, asthma,
and numerous organ damage are all known to be caused by these hazardous substances
in combination.

5
 1.5. plastic waste management

Figure 1.4: Whale Killed by Plastic Waste

Figure 1.5: Great Pacific Garbage Patch [2]

1.5 plastic waste management

Segregation, collection, storage, transportation, processing, and disposal of plastic waste
are all part of the plastic waste management process. Adopting concepts of economy,
aesthetics, energy conservation, and pollution control should be used to dispose of plas-
tic garbage in an ecologically friendly manner. It includes multidisciplinary aspects
of planning, organisation, administration, finance, legal, and engineering. In order to
maximise resource recovery in an environmentally sustainable manner, India, as a de-
veloping country, need simpler, low-cost technologies.
Due to differences in waste characteristics, budgetary restrictions, and socio-cultural
factors, an advanced technology solution for plastic waste disposal is accessible in rich

6
 1.5. plastic waste management

nations but cannot be readily applied in underdeveloped countries. The following ac-
tions must be implemented in plastic waste management in order to reduce littering and
have an appropriate disposal process for plastic waste.

1.5.1 Two-Bin/bag collection System

Segregation at the source is required to follow proper plastic disposal strategies. By
having a two bin/bag system for trash storage, recyclable waste material should be seg-
regated from food waste and other biodegradable garbage in a separate container at the
site of waste formation. It is recommended that each home receive a free plastics bag
from a recycling trash collector who is also a network garbage dealer.
The bags are clearly labeled/marked ”Recyclable Garbage,” which might also be a bag
for ease of handling because it will largely contain dry waste rather than wet ”Bio-
degradable Waste.” When this bag is filled, it will be replaced with another bag. This al-
lows for easy separation of plastic trash from other recyclable materials. Biodegradable
garbage is taken to a municipal waste processing facility to be converted into fertiliser,
while recyclable waste might be given to a newly installed recycling system. Reusing
recyclable waste material will dramatically cut processing costs while also addressing
segregation requirements and environmental concerns.

1.5.2 Quality control

As already mentioned, the quality of the sorted plastics has a direct influence on its
sale price. In order to maintain the desirable quality, routine quality control must be
established. Samples of sorted materials should be analyzed in detail and the results
compared with the requested quality. This allows for the detection of streams with sort-
ing issues. A more thorough investigation will reveal the source of a defective sorting:
a misinterpretation of the sorting instructions, equipment failure, and so on.
Routine quality control must be maintained in order to maintain the desired quality.
Samples of sorted materials should be thoroughly examined, and the results should be
compared to the desired quality. This allows for the detection of streams with sorting is-
sues. Volume reduction and storage of sorted waste plastics, which can be cumbersome
to transport and store. Some form of volume reduction method is required to make these
operations more cost effective.

1.5.3 Bailing
By compacting plastic garbage, this gadget decreases the volume of waste, making stor-
age and transportation simpler. Baling is a good alternative for both films and bottles

7
 1.6. Micro Planning -life cycle assessment

since it reduces volume, making it easier to store, transport, and handle waste plas-
tics. The baler must be able to handle the baled materials as well as the flow. Over-
compaction can bind the trash, making it difficult to separate, while under-compacted
bales are unstable and difficult to stack. Most balers can handle a variety of materials,
however some changes may be required.

1.5.4 Pre-shredding
Pre-shredding large pieces of waste plastic, such as pipes or window frames, might
be an appealing choice for reducing storage space and shipping expenses. The sorting
plant, on the other hand, is responsible for weighing the benefits of such technology
against its cost. This sort of technology can also aid in the reduction of other types
of trash. When it comes to the baler, the material compatibility and the outflow of
materials to shred are the two most crucial factors to consider.

1.5.5 Storing sorted waste plastics

Rain has little effect on the quality of plastics; nevertheless, UV radiation causes most
polymers to lose their physical and chemical structure. Because the effect of UV degra-
dation varies depending on the virgin polymer, tarpaulins or other UV-protective mate-
rials should be used to keep plastics outside. Plastics should be stored on clean concrete
floors to minimise contamination from dust and grime; storing the material on pallets
can also help to limit contamination. Fire-safety and preventive systems should be es-
tablished if plastics are to be stored indoors. Plastic is flammable, and while baled
plastics are difficult to ignite, non-baled material is considerably simpler.

1.5.6 Collection and transportation

The collection and transportation of plastic waste on a daily basis is an imperative step.
Since the waste cannot be removed as fast as it is littered, it is stored and transported as
soon as possible at specific pre-defined frequencies by private traders.. The system of
storage and types of vehicles are often compatible. [10]

1.6 Micro Planning -life cycle assessment

An efficient and cost beneficiary system of waste management requires micro planning
for collection, storage, transportation processing and disposal of plastic waste. This
should also ensure an effective participation of the Government, citizens and NGO’s in

8
 1.6. Micro Planning -life cycle assessment

planning and waste management system.. Integrated sustainable waste manage model
as shown in figure .

Figure 1.6: The integrated sustainable waste management model

A life-cycle analysis is a technique for calculating a product’s environmental effect

across its full life cycle. From raw material extraction to manufacturing, transportation,
and usage, as well as waste processing, several aspects of the life cycle are investigated.
An inventory of energy and material use, as well as any environmental emissions, is
established for each stage. This allows for the identification of components that may be
improved to benefit the environment.
This type of investigation of products may bring economic advantages, as often mate-
rial and energy consumption are reduced. Environmentally friendly products also have a
marketing advantage, as consumers are becoming increasingly aware of ’green’ issues.
In addition, legislation is being introduced across the world to enforce environmentally
friendly practices. The concept of product responsibility is commonplace and manufac-
turers and end-users must now consider the cradle to grave pathway of each product.
Environmental effect comes in a variety of forms. Plastics, for example, are often made
from fossil fuels, which are rapidly depleting. The manufacturing process itself con-
sumes energy and depletes natural resources. Emissions to water, air, or soil may occur
during manufacturing. Heavy metals, chlorofluorocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydro-
carbons, volatile organic compounds, sulphur oxides, and dust are all pollutants to be
concerned about. Ozone depletion, carcinogenicity, smog, acid rain, and other impacts
are all caused by these emissions. As a result, manufacturing a plastic product may have
negative consequences for ecosystems, human health, and the physical environment.

9
 Chapter 2
Recycling of Plastic Waste
Since many years, the technique of recycling post-manufacturing plastic trash has been
popular. Plastic recycling may be done in a variety of ways. A specialised supply chain
network should deliver compacted bales of plastic trash to recycling plants on a regular
basis. Plastic trash is recycled in order to create a new product with a higher profit
margin. While recycling plastics, the following considerations should be considered.

• Minimize the pollution level during the process

• Enhance the efficiency of the process, and

• Conserve the energy

Because practically all plastic is non-biodegradable and so accumulates in the environ-

ment, where it might cause harm, recycling is required. Every year, almost 8 million
tonnes of waste plastic enter the world’s seas, wreaking havoc on the aquatic life and
resulting in enormous ocean garbage patches. Almost all recycling nowadays is done by
remelting and reforming wasted plastic into new things, a process known as mechanical
recycling. This can lead to chemical deterioration of polymers, and it also necessitates
sorting trash by colour and polymer type before reprocessing, which is time-consuming
and costly.

2.1 Global recycling trade

Increasing globalisation in the 1990s permitted rich nations to export plastic garbage
to developing and middle-income countries, where it could be processed and recycled
more cheaply. This was part of a burgeoning worldwide garbage trade, with yearly
plastic waste trade quickly increasing from 1993 forward. Many governments consider
items to be recycled if they have been exported for that purpose, but this practise has
been criticised as environmental dumping because environmental laws and enforcement
are generally weaker in less developed economies, and exported plastic waste can be
mishandled, allowing it to enter the environment as plastic pollution.
Around 14 Mt of all plastic garbage destined for recycling was shipped in 2016, with
China accounting for over half of it (7.35 million tonnes). [22] However, much of this
was low-quality mixed plastic that was difficult to separate and recycle, and hence ended
up in landfills and recyclers, or was discarded. In 2017, China launched Operation
National Sword, which imposed import restrictions on waste plastics. Due to major

10
 2.2. Recycling Technique

Figure 2.1: Global quantities of plastic produced and disposed of annually

(1950-2015), showing the estimated amounts disposed of via landfill, recycling and
incineration.

waste stream backlogs in Europe and North America, waste plastic was shipped to other
nations, mostly in Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam and Malaysia, but also to countries
with less rigorous environmental rules, such as Turkey and India. [11]

2.2 Recycling Technique

2.2.1 Primary Recycling
Conversion of waste plastic into products having performance level comparable to that
of original products made from virgin plastics

2.2.2 Secondary Recycling

Conversion of waste plastics into products having less demanding performance require-
ments than the original material

11
 2.2. Recycling Technique

2.2.3 Tertiary Recycling

The process of producing chemicals/ fuels/ similar products from waste plastics

2.2.4 Quaternary Recycling

The process of recovering energy from waste plastics by incineration). However, In-
ternational Standards like ISO refers Plastics Recycling as a Recovery Process. The
recovery has been divided into two categories namely material recovery and energy
recover

Figure 2.2: schematic diagram of Plastic Recovery Options [3]

2.2.5 Mechanical Recycling

Mechanical recycling entails the transformation of trash into a product having qualities
that are comparable to those of the original. Due to its economic effectiveness and
simplicity of conversion to valuable items for daily use, this is the most desired and
extensively utilised recycling technique. The process’s shortcoming is that it needs
homogeneous and clean input. The mechanical recycling of waste plastics into products
of different use mostly entails the following steps:

• Collection/ Segregation (Plastic wastes are separated/segregated by Flotation

Process in which varying density property of plastic waste is made use for segre-
gating plastics);

• Cleaning and Drying (Post consumer plastic wastes require cleaning and drying
than industrial waste. The wastes generated during these processes require proper
treatment and disposal methods);

12
 2.2. Recycling Technique

• Sizing/ Chipping (Cleaned plastic waste products should be sized/chipped to fed

into the extruders for processing and palletizing and these operations depends
upon the type and size of the plastic waste);

• Agglomeration/Coloring (Depending upon the end product, sized plastic waste

is mixed with color master batch in high speed mixers/ agglomerators);

• Extrusion/ Pelletisation(Chipped plastics are plasticized and re-granulated to

make the plastic material ready for fabrication) and finally fabrication into End
Product. [12]

Air Classifier:

Also known as a Zig Zag Separator. A technique used for Separating of light
films or contaminating paper/foil, or for separating fine dust from reclaimed ma-
terial such as plastic flake or other granular materials. It is usually used after
Granulation or Dry Cleaning Operations and is very effective.

Air Tabling:

A density concentration technique in which particles of mixed sizes, shapes, and

densities are separated from each other due to the differential settling in an up-
ward airflow with controllable velocity and under the influence of a vibrating
action.

Figure 2.3: Air Tabling [3]

2.2.6 Technological Disposal Options

The selection of appropriate technology for plastic waste disposal and its processes
for the management of plastic wastes are available in market. Several processes and

13
 2.2. Recycling Technique

technologies have been explored and developed for plastic waste management. Some
of these are:

• Chemical recycling of pet bottles into fibers

• Processing of plastic waste in Blast Furnace

• Co-incineration of plastic waste in cement kilns

• Utilization of plastic waste in road construction with bitumen

• plasma Pyrolysis Technology for disposal of plastic waste and

• Gasification

Chemical recycling of pet bottles into fibers

This process of plastic recycling entails dismantling polymer chains into their con-
stituent parts, which may subsequently be employed in a variety of industries. In com-
parison to mechanical plastic recycling, the feedstock plastic recycling method is more
versatile and forgiving of plastic additives. This is the most expensive recycling pro-
cess. The following procedure is used to produce several end products:

Monomerization: Chemical reactions are used to break down waste polymers into
their component monomers (depolymerization). These monomers are then isolated
and used as a raw material in the manufacture of new plastic goods. Material recy-
cling yields lower-quality plastic raw materials than monomerization. As a result, high-
quality plastic goods with the same (or nearly the same) quality as virgin raw material
may be produced. This, among other things, allows trash PET bottles to be recycled
into new PET bottles, which is not feasible with conventional recycling systems. This
procedure allows for a 50 percent recovery rate. The procedure’s drawbacks include
that it is a large-scale process [1].

Processing of plastic waste in Blast Furnace

Plastic waste can be co-incinerated as fuel in the iron and steel industry. This will reduce
coal consumption and hence in reduction in the consumption of energy. The proportion
of The amount of waste plastic added to coal should be around 1% by mass. The heating
strength of coal/coke18 will be reduced as the amount of waste plastic added increases.
Plastic was first used in coke ovens, a common high-temperature operation in the iron
and steel industry, at Nippon Steel Corporation in Japan in the year 2000. The collected
and baled plastic trash that has been agglomerated by pre-treatment is combined with
coal and charged into the coke furnace in this process. At around 1,100 to 1,2000C,

14
 2.2. Recycling Technique

mixed plastic trash and coal are carbonised in an oxygen-free reducing environment. As
a consequence, the waste plastic is thermally degraded into coke (about 20%), tar/light
oil (roughly 40%), and coke oven gas (roughly 40%). These items, which are made by
carbonising waste polymers, have their own applications. CO2 emissions are greatly
reduced when plastics are combined with coke. Excess reducing gases are also utilised
for power generation and blast furnace stoves.

Blast Furnace:

Plastic trash may be utilised as a replacement raw material in blast furnaces to create
energy for iron production. Plastic waste may be utilised successfully as a reducing
agent in blast furnaces to produce iron from its ore. Only one sort of reducing agent is
produced when coke is used in a blast furnace: carbon monoxide. Using plastic trash,
on the other hand, adds another form of reducing agent — hydrogen. This procedure
has the advantage of allowing any sorts of plastics, including laminated plastics, to be
used without polluting the environment. The plastic garbage is first crushed or pel-
letized to the appropriate size, then pumped into the blast furnace through tubers at the
furnace’s base with hot air. The injected plastic waste material is broken down into
carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen, which are used as reducing gases (H2). In the
blast furnace, the reducing gas rises through the raw material layers and combines with
iron ore to form pig iron. After the reduction process, the gas is collected at the top of
the blast furnace, where it has an energy content of 800 kcal/NM3 and is utilised as a
fuel gas in the steel plant’s heating furnaces.

Co-incineration of Plastics Waste in Cement Kilns

With the challenges connected with the disposal of plastic waste in mind, the CPCB
launched a research with the Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment (ICPE),
the MP Pollution Control Board, and ACC Ltd on ”Co-incineration of plastic waste
in cement kiln.” Co-incineration is the process of using waste materials as alternative
fuels in order to recover energy and material value. The temperature of a cement kiln is
around 14000 degrees Celsius. The process has a lot of turbulence because of the high
oxygen content and the fact that the flue gases are travelling in the opposite direction
of the materials. The presence of an alkaline reducing environment (lime) and the pre-
heating of raw materials by a preheated tower (¿100 metres tall) serves as an effective
scrubber for hot flue gases before they are discharged into the atmosphere.

Utilization of plastic waste in road construction

The use of plastics in roadways creates a new recycling opportunity for post-consumer
plastics. Plastic roads are either totally constructed of plastic or are built of a com-

15
 2.2. Recycling Technique

bination of plastic and other materials. Polystyrene (PS) (hard packaging, cartons,
plates, vending cups, etc. ); Polypropylene (PP) (ketchup bottles, yoghurt cups, etc.
); Polyethylene (PE) (both high and low density) (plastic bags, water bottle, shampoo
bottle, etc.) are some of the plastics that may be used for road building. It is important
to remember that Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) or Flux sheets should not be utilised.

Methodology:

The waste plastic has to be collected, segregated, cleaned and then shredded as shown
in Figure below. The shredded waste plastic shall pass through 4.75 mm sieve and be
retained on 1 mm. This also indicates indirectly that the size of the shredded plastic
should normally be 2-3 mm for better spread and coating the aggregate.

Figure 2.4: Methodology

Plasma Pyrolysis Technology (PPT)

Plasma pyrolysis is a cutting-edge technique that combines the pyrolysis process with
the thermochemical capabilities of plasma. Plasma Pyrolysis technology’s powerful and
diverse heat generating capabilities enable it to safely and reliably dispose of all sorts
of plastic waste, including polymeric, biomedical, and hazardous waste. The thermal
decomposition of carbonaceous material in an oxygen-depleted environment is known
as plasma pyrolysis. Methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen carbon dioxide, and water
molecules are the most likely chemicals to occur when the process is optimal.
Plastic trash is supplied into the main chamber at 850 degrees Celsius via a feeder

16
 2.2. Recycling Technique

Figure 2.5: Schematic Diagram of Plasma Pyrolysis Technology [4]

in Plasma Pyrolysis. Carbon monoxide, hydrogen, methane, and other higher hydro-
carbons are produced when the waste material decomposes. The pyrolysis gases and
plastic trash are drained into the secondary chamber, where they are combusted in the
presence of extra air, using an induced draught fan. With a high voltage spark, the
combustible gases are ignited. A temperature of 1500°C is maintained in the secondary
chamber. The hydrocarbon, CO, and hydrogen are combusted to produce carbon diox-
ide and water, which are both harmless. [4]

2.2.7 Gasification
The utilisation of partial combustion lies at the heart of gasification technology. It was
designed to work on coal and oil at first. Depending on the type of gas utilised, there
are several variants. Air, steam, pure oxygen, oxygenenriched air, and carbon dioxide
are examples of these. The needed temperature is also determined by the kind of fuel.
It usually ranges between 800 and 1600 degrees Celsius. Gasification is preferred for
fuel gas generation because it produces a single gaseous product with great efficiency
without the need for costly and possibly hazardous air separation units. The composi-
tion, heat value, and use of the synthetic gas created may all be categorised. In this
process, the long polymer chains are broken down into small molecules, for example,
into synthesis gas. The process may be fixed bed or fluidized bed gasification. In the
fluidized process sand is heated to 600 8000°C at first- stage low temperature gasifi-
cation furnace and plastic introduced into the furnace. Waste plastic break down on
contact with the sand to form hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The gas
from the low-stage gasification furnace is allowed to pass in second-stage high temper-
ature gasification furnace with a steam at a temperature of 1.300 1,5000°C to produce a
gas composed primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

17
 2.2. Recycling Technique

Figure 2.6: Schematic Diagram Gagification of Plastic Waste [5]

2.2.8 Chemical recycling

Chemical recycling is a process where the polymer is broken down into smaller molecules
that can be easily separated from impurities. This process also known as feedstock re-
cycling creates raw materials for petrochemical processes or feedstock that can be used
to produce the monomer for new polymers or other petroleum Waxes and paraffin are
examples of such products. Cracking and hydrogenation are two examples of such
processes. These sorts of processes limit the types of materials that may be used.
they are capable of handling, and each approach comes with its own set of limi-
tations.as well as tolerances In most cases, however, they are unable to cope with un-
treated infections. To eliminate fractions containing heavy metals, trash and sorting are
required.halogen compounds, metals, and fillers.
Chemical recycling is particularly well adapted to polymers created by condensation
processes, such as PET, PU, and Nylon*, since the process is the inverse of that used
to manufacture them. This, however, necessitates that the waste be relatively devoid
of other polymers or contaminants. In industry, several technologies are used. The de-
polymerization of Nylon 6 has, for example, been extensively investigated and practised
since the 1960s10. In Germany, Austria, and Denmark11, commercial glycolysis-based
depolymerisation machines for polyurethanes are in operation. [5]

18
 Chapter 3
Plastics recycling & sustainable developmet

3.1 Depolymerisation
Depolymerization refers to the breaking down of linkages into monomers. Plastic
degradation to lower hydrocarbons is accomplished using this method. Chemical de-
polymerization has been used to recover monomers from PET, polyamides like nylons,
and polyurethanes with great success. It has the power to restore the quality of a re-
covered resin to that of virgin resin, and it has the potential to improve the quality of
a recovered resin.recover a valuable feedstock from products that. are economically
challenging to recycle. The De-polymerization is carried out in a specially designed
Reactor, in absence of oxygen and in the presence of certain catalytic additives. The
maximum reaction temperature is 350°C. The entire feed material is converted into ei-
ther of the products: Liquid RDF, gases and solids. The solids can be reused as fuel in
cement industries while the gas is reused in the system as a fuel. The unused hot Air
from the reactor is released through chimney.

3.2 Plastic to Fuel (Pyrolytic Conversion Technologies)

A new generation of conversion technology has been developed expressly for the man-
agement of non-recyclable plastics, and commercial scale plants using pyrolysis tech-
nology to convert polymers into oil and fuel are being built in Europe and Asia. Pyrol-
ysis is the thermal breakdown of materials in an inert environment at high temperatures.

The benefits presented by plastic to fuel (PTF) technologies are two-fold:

(1)Transforming non-recyclable plastics into a valuable commodity
(2) Creating a reliable source of alternative energy from an abundant, no/low cost feed-
stock.
Steps in pyrolysis to convert scrap plastic to fuel sources:

• Segregation and Pre-treatment: Plastic waste only HD, LD, PP and multilayer
packaging except PVC) is segregated and pretreated. The pretreatment could be
as minor as size reduction or as involved as cleaning and moisture removal.

• Conversion: Pyrolytic processes are used to convert the plastic to gas. It is under-
taken in close reactor vessel where waste plastics is heated at high temperatures to
convert it into vapour state. The catalyst is added whereby the pyrolysis requires

19
 3.3. Benefits of Recycling:

less energy and results in the formation of more branched hydrocarbons. The gas
generated in the process is reused as fuel in the process thus making the process
economically viable and also help in minimizing air pollution. [3]

• Distillation: The gas is collected in condensation chamber and is converted in

the form of liquid fuel. The oil has properties similar to LDO and can be safely
used as an alternative to LDO in industries thus conserving the already depleting
natural resources.

• Acid removal process: Acids that form in the breakdown are required to be
removed as they can be corrosive to the plastic to fuel systems as well as the
engines that will consume the fuel.

• Separation / final blending / refining: As per the end-use

3.3 Benefits of Recycling:

• Reduces Environmental Pollution.
• Energy savings : 40 - 100 MJ/kg (depends on the polymer).
• Economic Benefits.
• Reduces demand for virgin polymer.
• Preferred to Land Filling.
• Generates Employment.
• Reduces depletion of Fossil fuel reserves.

3.4 Difficulties in Recycling:

• Hard to separate from non-plastics (no ‘magnet’ equivalent).
• Differing composition of plastic resins means they are largely incompatible.
• Degradation of polymer chains on recycling.
• Recycled polymer is of lower quality than virgin polymer.
• Most waste plastics films specially thin plastics films have limited market value, there-
fore effort is not spent in collecting them.
• Identification of reuse and recycling opportunities.
• Markets for Plastics; Lack of Infrastructure.
• Low value of recovered Plastics.
• Subsidies for recycling program. [13]

20
 3.5. Energy recovery

3.5 Energy recovery

Incineration to recover intrinsic energy is referred to as energy recovery.
Given that polymers are formed from oil, it’s not surprising that they have a high
oil content. When burned, they make excellent fuel sources. The sum of money The
amount of energy that can be recovered is determined by the calorific value of the sub-
stance. value. The average calorific value reported in the literature is 35 MJ/kg of
mixed plastic garbage In comparison to paper, It can be seen that there is a difference
between solid trash (16 MJ/kg) and organic waste (3 MJ/kg).When burnt, plastics pro-
vide a rather high energy return. Energy recovery can be done in a variety of ways.
One Pyrolysis has been discussed previously. Incineration, production of waste-derived
fuel and gas recovery from landfill site emissions are three examples of energy recovery
in action. The UK tends to lag behind mainland Europe, Japan and the USA when it
comes to using energy recovery technologies. For example, Japan uses around 78%
of its municipal waste for energy generation, Denmark 58%, whilst the UK uses only
9%. [14]

3.5.1 Case Study: Plastic to Alternate Fuel

• Company Details:

ACC Limited is India’s largest cement and concrete producer. With 16 advanced ce-
ment mills and more than 40 ready mix concrete plants, ACC’s operations are dispersed
across the country. The firm has been a trailblazer and significant benchmark for the ce-
ment industry in several areas of cement and concrete technology since its founding in
1936. ACC has a distinguished history of cutting-edge research, product development,
and specialist advising. A single technological support services centre, the only one of
its kind in the Indian cement sector, supports the company’s different manufacturing
plants. Gagal Cement Works is one of the ACC Group’s cement facilities.
The first effort, dubbed ”Making Gagal Plastic Free,” was initiated by Green Soldiers
from Gagal Cement Works. Because segregation is critical to effective waste man-
agement, a workshop for stakeholders was held. Residents of the colony and the sur-
rounding hamlet were invited to a meeting to discuss the approach. The Green Soldiers
squad was taught how to separate plastic garbage. Green Soldiers collected 53 tonnes
of plastic garbage, which was successfully co-processed in the Gagal cement kiln.

• Project Details:

Each week after the collection effort, the plastic waste collected from the villages,
colony, and plant premises was weighed at the weighbridge. The initiative began with
a weekly collection of 50 kg and has since grown to about 2 tonnes every week. This

21
 3.6. Plastics recycling & sustainable development

indicated that the stakeholders were becoming increasingly aware of segregation and
concerned about their environment.

Figure 3.1: Plastic Waste: Co-Processing [6]

• Result of the Project and Replication Potential:

Co-processing of waste at cement kiln is the best disposal option than conventional op-
tions of landfilling and incineration. It also substitutes fossil fuel.
The programme can be reproduced in other industries and businesses across the country,
as well as globally. The initiative’s beauty is that the projects can be simply adapted to
suit the climate, topography, and biodiversity of any location on the planet while keep-
ing the ideas intact. Our natural resources are dwindling by the minute, and alternative
fuels like bio-charcoal and plastic are a great method to supplement nonrenewable en-
ergy sources. [6]

3.6 Plastics recycling & sustainable development

The recycling of plastic waste can be a positive contribution to a sustainable develop-
ment policy, integrating environmental, economic and social aspects, within a frame-
work of effective legislative instruments Continuing advances in sorting and processing
technologies is making rubbish that was previously deemed unfit for recycling more
accessible.
More materials are now approved for recycling, and improvements in collecting and
sorting methods are improving the quality of recycled garbage produced. This is aided
by R&D into new markets for secondary plastics, which is critical for the long-term

22
 3.6. Plastics recycling & sustainable development

sustainability of plastic recycling. Secondary materials will benefit from research into
new and existing processes; what is currently not technically or economically viable
may become so in the future. It should focus on today’s material requirements.
The benefits of recycling can be categorized into these aspects such as; environmen-
tal, economic, social and Environmental awareness of the population. These are briefly
explained below.

3.6.1 Environmental aspects

Plastic garbage recycling helps to save natural resources, notably raw materials like
oil and energy. The more recycled materials there are, the longer natural resources
will be available to future generations. It means that mining, quarrying, oil and gas
drilling, deforestation, and other activities have a lower environmental impact. The
environment will be safe from constant destruction and degradation if there are fewer
of these operations.

3.6.2 Economic aspects

The amount of raw material introduced in production processes is reduced when re-
sources are recovered. As a result, reusing plastic helps to minimise reliance on im-
ported raw materials while also saving foreign money. Due to the rising cost of virgin
plastics as a result of depleting oil reserves, recycling companies will be able to avoid
going out of business due to the high cost of importing virgin pellets if they use repro-
cessed pellets for product manufacturing. Recycling enterprises will avoid paying large
bills due to the low energy and water use, which could otherwise have a negative impact
on their operations. [6]

23
 Conclusion
Variety of elements must be considered in order to determine the most effective way of
plastics recycling disposal. The composition of the waste is the most crucial of these. If
you know this, you can move on to the next step. It is simple to determine the viability
of mechanical recycling. If If mechanical re- cycling isn’t possible, chemical recycling
and bioremediation are the next top choices. Finally, there is energy recovery. Both are
plausible alternatives to the current situa- tion.The use of oil reserves in the manufacture
of plastic. However The most effective method of garbage disposal will always be one
of Waste avoidance by both manufactur- ers using best practises as well as the wider
population, ensuring the greatest potential environmental benefit.

24
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