Plastic

Recycling

Aluminum | Plastic | Glass | Paper

Introduction

The number of plastics recycling businesses has tripled since 1990, with more than 1,700 companies handling and reclaiming post-consumer plastics, according to the American Plastics Council. Of the many grades of plastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high density polyethylene (HPDE) account for more than 67 percent of post-consumer recycled plastics although recycling of polystyrene, polypropylene, and low density polyethylene (LPDE) packaging continues to increase. EPA estimates that in 2000, PET soft drink bottles had a recycling rate of 34.9 percent, while HPDE containers were recycled at a rate of 30.4 percent. In addition, more than 1 billion pounds of non-bottle post-consumer plastics were recycled in including battery casings, film and bags, crates, and x-ray film.

Why Recycle Plastic?

• Every ton of plastic bottles recycled saves about 3.8 barrels of oil

• Without plastics, 3.98 times more material by weight and 1.61 times more material by volume, costing 89% more to the consumer, would be needed to make packaging

• For every seven trucks needed to deliver paper grocery bags to the store - only one truck is needed to carry the same number of plastic grocery bags. This means that while not only less greenhouse gases generated, less fresh water used, and less water pollution generated to make a bag out of polyethylene than from paper, but less greenhouse gases are generated and less energy expended to deliver the plastic bags

• Plastic lumber, made with recycled plastic, holds nails and screws better than wood and is virtually maintenance free

• Plastic grocery bags require 40-70 percent less energy to manufacture than paper bags

• For every seven trucks needed to deliver paper bags, only one truck is needed for the same number of plastic bags, helping to save energy and reduce emissions

• It takes 91% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper

• 2,000 plastic bags weigh 30 lbs; 2,000 paper bags weigh 280 lbs. Plastic bags take up a lot less space in a landfill

• Plastic bags generate 80 percent less waste than paper bags

• The manufacture and use of paper bags generates 70% more air emissions than plastic

• Plastic bags generate only 40% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of non-composted paper bags and only 21% of the GHG emissions of composted paper bags

• The production of plastic bags consumes less than 4 percent of the water needed to make paper bags

• Foam polystyrene containers take 30 percent less total energy to make than paperboard containers

• Recycled plastic bottles are used to make hundreds of everyday products, ranging from fleece jackets and carpeting to detergent bottles and lumber for outdoor decking

• Over 80 percent of U.S. households have access to a plastics recycling program, be it curbside collection or community drop-off centers, yet, in most areas, the demand for recycled plastics exceeds the available supply

• Studies such as the following:

NAPCOR Study on “The Environmental Impact of Soft Drink Delivery Systems” – This study found that:

1. When comparing the energy efficiency of like-sized PET (16-ounce), glass (16-ounce) and aluminum (12-ounce) soft drink containers, PET and aluminum containers, PET and aluminum containers are 32 percent more efficient than glass in delivering 1,000 gallons of soft drink to the consumer. 16-ounce PET bottles are equivalent to aluminum cans in terms of energy efficiency. Because of their superior packaging-to-product ratio, however, two-liter and three-liter PET bottles are 47 percent more energy efficient than 12-ounce aluminum cans and 63 percent more energy efficient than 16-ounce glass bottles
2. PET containers have the least environmental impact of all soft drink container systems in terms of the total weight of both total air emissions and total waterborne wastes
3. 16-ounce PET bottles contribute 68 percent less solid waste than 16-ounce glass by weight and are statistically equivalent to glass by volume. 16-ounce PET bottles contain 18 percent less solid waste by weight, when compared to the 12-ounce aluminum can
4. Custom PET containers for liquor, fruit juices, and salad dressing consistently consume less energy and generate fewer solid, atmospheric and waterborne wastes than like-size glass containers

The Recycled Plastics Market

The Nature of the Market

Because it is a young industry, the recycled plastics market has been volatile in recent years. After rapid growth in the early 1990s, the PET and HDPE markets slowed in 1996 due to large increases in virgin capacity but have rebounded since then. Prices for recovered plastics are closely tied to the price and availability of virgin and off-spec resin. As a result, prices for recovered and reclaimed plastics have historically been quite low in order to remain competitive. Major barriers to growth in plastics recycling include the lack of value-added markets, consistency of quality and quantity, and high transportation costs for plastics collection. In an effort to improve efficiency and reduce costs, the industry has focused on improving its processing technology to reduce contaminants and increase product quality and tailoring the processed materials to meet market specifications.

Will These Trends Continue?

According to NAPCOR, 2006 recycling rates exceeded many expectations. “Fears of virgin PET oversupply and the accompanying price deterioration proved unfounded.” (NAPCOR 2006 Report) There was an increase in exports but U.S. reclaimers were able to utilize a significant enough amount of the collected plastic to make “healthy” profits. Demand for Recycled PET (RPET) outweighed Supply and this fact has good implications for the future of the market.

There were, however, several factors that arose during the course of the year that will most likely have an impact on the future of the recycled plastics industry.

• Wal-mart, during the fourth quarter of 2005, announced to its customers and suppliers that they would be “evaluating the environmental impacts of all parts of their operations, including the packaging of the products they sell.” (NAPCOR 2006 Report)

• Wellman closed Johnsonville, SC plant, which was a long standing “model of a successful post-consumer recycling business.” (NAPCOR 2006 Report)

• Waste Management’s Recycle America subsidiary closed new automated assortment facility and puts another up for sale (Chicago and Raleigh). This reflects both the difficulty and the high cost in obtaining low contamination bales for recycling

Conclusion

There are many benefits to recycling plastic and, fortunately, there are very positive trends in the market for recycled plastic. However, there is uncertainty over how long the rapid increase in the recycling rate will be sustained in the US due to technical difficulties and costs. Companies are therefore making a concerted effort to boost consumer confidence and find innovative technologies and programs that can make recycled plastics even more useful while keeping costs low and prices competitive.

Sources

American Chemisty Council, “Facts about Plastic.” Available: http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_plastics/doc.asp?CID=1571&DID=5975

Christman, Keith, American Chemisty Council, “Info Sheet.” Available: http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_plastics/sec_content.asp?CID=1102&DID=5615

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Jobs Through Recycling: Plastic,” January 31, 2008. Available: http://www.epa.gov/jtr/comm/plastic.htm

Killinger, Jennifer, American Chemisty Council, “Info Sheet.” Available: http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_plastics/sec_content.asp?CID=1102&DID=5007

National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR). “2006 Report On Post Consumer PET Container Recycling Activity, Final Report.” Available: http://www.napcor.com/pdf/2006PET_Report.pdf

NAPCOR, “The Environmental Impact of Soft Drink Delivery Systems,” A Comparative Analysis (1995 Update). Available: http://www.napcor.com/pdf/Env_Impact.pdf