Nonmetallics Department

American Chemistry Council Releases Report on Rigid Plastics Recycling

The American Chemistry Council (ACC), Arlington, Va., has released a status report on the collection and recycling of post-consumer non-bottle rigid plastics in the United States for 2008.

The report, prepared by Moore Recycling Associates Inc., Sonoma, Calif., found that in 2008, more than 361 million pounds of post-consumer rigid plastics were collected for recycling nationwide, an 11 percent increase from the previous year. The report also found that in North American markets, much of the recycled material was used to make products such as pallets, crates, composite lumber and gardening items.

According to the report, the number of communities collecting mixed rigid plastics has grown in response to demand from domestic and export buyers. 

In 2008, 28 of the 100 largest cities collected non-bottle rigid plastics curbside, and more communities are recovering and recycling this material, according to the report.

The report is based on data supplied by 47 post-consumer plastic processors, end-users and exporters across the United States.

Steve Russell, vice president of plastics for the ACC, says, “It’s encouraging to see that communities, recyclers and consumers are increasingly recognizing the value of post-consumer non-bottle rigid plastics and working together to provide recycling opportunities.”

IBM, Stanford University Unveil Research on Plastics

In a paper published in the American Chemical Society journal, Macromolecules, scientists from IBM and Stanford University have provided detailed discoveries that the two say could lead to the development of new types of biodegradable, biocompatible plastics.

The result of a multi-year research effort, the breakthrough could lead to a new recycling process that the article claims has the potential to significantly increase the ability to recycle and reuse common PET (polyethylene terephthalate) as well as newer plant-based plastics in the future.

Further, the announcement may have sustainability implications across a wide range of industries, including biodegradable plastics, plastics recycling, health care and microelectronics.

A release by IBM notes that scientists from the company and Stanford are pioneering the application of organocatalysis to green polymer chemistry, which represents a fundamental shift in the field. This discovery and new approach using organic catalysts could lead to well-defined, biodegradable molecules made from renewable resources in an environmentally responsible way.

“We’re exploring new methods of applying technology and our expertise in materials science to create a sustainable, environmentally sound future,” says Josephine Cheng, IBM fellow and vice president of IBM Research, Almaden. “The development of new families of organic catalysts brings more versatility to green chemistry and opens the door for novel applications, such as making biodegradable plastics, improving the recycling process and drug delivery.”

IBM also is collaborating with scientists from King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology to develop the recycling process for PET plastics.

The paper, “Organocatalysis: Opportunities and Challenges for Polymer Synthesis,” outlines how and why organocatalysis provides new opportunities for the preparation of sustainable plastics. Through the introduction of organic catalysis to synthetic polymer chemistry, scientists have developed a broadly applicable technology with demonstrations in a diverse range of polymerization techniques and monomer types, according to the paper.

A major focus of the efforts has been on ring-opening polymerization, a strategy dominated by metal oxide or metal hydroxide catalysts. The research has shown that organic catalysts exhibit activities that rival the most active metal-based catalysts and provide access to polymer architectures that are difficult to access by conventional approaches.

The paper outlines the development of several new families of what it describes as highly active, environmentally benign organic catalysts for the conversion of renewable resources to products that exhibit cost/performance characteristics comparable to existing materials.

Additionally, the paper describes recycling or degradation strategies that, according to the scientists, would enable a “closed-loop” life cycle for materials that meet the needs of the marketplace while helping to minimize the environmental footprint left for future generations.

The team of scientists also says it has developed a new strategy for the synthesis of high-molecular-weight cyclic polyesters and the generation of new families of biocompatible polymers for biomedical applications.

Plastics Associations Express Concern over Misuse of Resin ID Codes

The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR), Washington, D.C.,  and the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR), Sonoma, Calif., are expressing concern about the misuse of the plastics industry’s resin identification code. The code was created in 1988 by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) for all rigid plastic packaging. Although its use is mandated by varying laws in 39 states, according to both associations, the code is the de-facto national standard.

APR Executive Director Steve Alexander says, “Misuse of the code is an extremely serious issue for plastics reclaimers. We see bottles labeled with such terms as ‘Compatible with PET Recycling’ and wonder what that undefined phrase means. We also see bottles that are clearly not made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate) resin being labeled as ‘No.1 PETE.’”

He adds, “Many of these rogues have such low melting points that inclusion with PET bottles can shut down recycling operations.”

A primary concern is that mislabeled material will be combined with properly labeled material, contaminating bales. Long term, mislabeling will cause disruptions in marketing and handling recycled plastics, the associations say.

Alexander is calling on brand owners to work with the APR to address issues concerning the appropriate criteria for coding plastic bottles.