Materials: Difference between revisions

4,928 bytes added ,  11 November 2018
→‎PET recycling: + w:Petcore, PET Container Recycling Europe is a Brussels-based non-profit European trade association.
(Expanding on w:Biodegradable waste)
(→‎PET recycling: + w:Petcore, PET Container Recycling Europe is a Brussels-based non-profit European trade association.)
 
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Consumerium's information on materials, their production, use and recycling
Consumerium's information on materials, their production, use and recycling.
 
Materials consist of one or more [[w:chemical element]]s. [[w:List of chemical elements|118 different elements]] have been identified, of which 94 occur naturally on earth.


[[w:List of materials properties|Materials have many properties]] which effect which material is most suitable for which use.
[[w:List of materials properties|Materials have many properties]] which effect which material is most suitable for which use.
[[w:Materials science]] is the design and discovery of new materials, particularly solids.
[[w:Timeline of materials technology]]


= Biodegradable waste =
= Biodegradable waste =
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= Glass =
= Glass =
'''[[w:Glass]]''' constitutes mostly of [[w:Silicon dioxide]].


== Recycling glass ==
== Recycling glass ==
'''[[w:Glass recycling]]'''
Effective recycling of glass (mostly bottles currently) relies on a refund system where a small refund is paid for the return of the package to the producer for reuse after it has been cleaned and checked to be in a functional condition.  
Effective recycling of glass (mostly bottles currently) relies on a refund system where a small refund is paid for the return of the package to the producer for reuse after it has been cleaned and checked to be in a functional condition.  


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= Plastics =
= Plastics =
Plastics are made from oil or recycled plastic.
'''[[w:Plastics]]''' are made from petroleum or recycled plastic.
 
== Information about plastics on Wikipedia ==
* [[w:Plastic container]]
* [[w:Plastic pollution]]


== Recycling plastics ==
== Recycling plastics ==
* Many types of plastic can be recycled to make plastic.
'''[[w:Plastic recycling|Plastic recycling article on Wikipedia]]'''
 
Advanced countries have '''[[w:Container-deposit legislation|deposit-refund systems]]''' for efficient plastic (and aluminum) recovery.
 
* Most types of plastic can be recycled to make plastic. PVC, marked with code '03' is not welcome in the plastic recycling bin.
 
<div class="thumb tright">
<div style="width:400px;">
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 1 PETE.svg|50px|1-PETE]]
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 2 HDPE.svg|50px|2–HDPE]]
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 3 V.svg|50px|3-PVC]]
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 4 LDPE.svg|50px|4-LDPE]]
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 5 PP.svg|50px|5-PP]]
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 6 PS.svg|50px|6-PS]]
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 7 OTHER.svg|50px|7-Other]]
<div class="thumbcaption">Plastics type marks: the [[w:resin identification code]]<ref>[http://www.plasticsindustry.org/AboutPlastics/content.cfm?ItemNumber=823&navItemNumber=2144 SPI Resin Identification Code – Guide to Correct Use] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321142801/http://www.plasticsindustry.org/AboutPlastics/content.cfm?ItemNumber=823&navItemNumber=2144 |date=2012-03-21 }}. plasticsindustry.org</ref> </div>
</div>
</div>
 
 
''' What plastics should be recycled? '''
 
In Finland the following rules of thumb have been given: You should put the plastic into a recycling bin if the three following conditions are met: <ref name="HS2018-10-26">https://www.hs.fi/kotimaa/art-2000005877189.html</ref>
# If the packaging (visually inspected) contains more that 50% plastic
# If the packaging does not contain dangerous substances and
# If the packaging is not made of PVC (marked with sign '03')
 
* As of 2018 in Finland the demand for recycled plastic exceeds the amount being recycled.<ref name="HS2018-10-26"/>
 
''' Links to information about recycling plastics '''
* [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-42703561 Plastic recycling: Your questions answered at BBC.com]
 
=== PET recycling ===
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 1 PETE.svg|100px|1-PETE]]
 
'''[[w:Polyethylene terephthalate]]''' ('''PET''' or '''PETE''') is the most common type of plastic.
 
* [[w:PET bottle recycling]]
* [[w:Polyethylene terephthalate#Polyester recycling industry|Polyester terephalate recycling industry in the Wikipedia article on Polyethylene terephthalate]]
* '''PET''' '''Co'''ntainer '''R'''ecycling '''E'''urope, commonly known as '''[[w:Petcore]]''', is a Brussels-based non-profit European trade association.
 
=== HDPE recycling ===
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 2 HDPE.svg|100px|2–HDPE]]
 
'''[[w:High-density polyethylene]]''' ('''HDPE''')
 
=== PVC recycling ===
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 3 V.svg|100px|3-PVC|PVC]]
 
'''[[w:Polyvinyl chloride]]''' ('''PVC''') is not accepted in normal consumer plastics recycling bins. But industrial PVC waste may be reprocessed.
 
'''[[w:Polyvinyl chloride#Sustainability|Wikipedia on sustainability of PVC]]''' states that recycled PVC is broken down into small chips, impurities removed, and the product refined to make pure white PVC. It can be recycled roughly '''seven times''' and has a lifespan of around '''140 years'''.
 
Another method is the '''[[w:VinyLoop]]''', a proprietary physical plastic recycling process for polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It is based on dissolution in order to separate PVC from other materials or impurities. The solvent is in a closed loop, hence the name.
 
=== LDPE recycling ===
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 4 LDPE.svg|100px|4-LDPE]]
 
'''[[w:Low-density polyethylene]]''' ('''LDPE''') is the material that most [[w:plastic bag]]s are made of. The [[w:Plastic_bag#Environmental_issues|Wikipedia article on plastic bags, section "Environmental issues"]] states that many recycling plants don't process LDPE.
----
=== PP recycling ===
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 5 PP.svg|100px|5-PP]]
 
'''[[w:Polypropylene]]''' ('''PP''') can be recycled.
 
=== PS recycling ===
[[File:Symbol Resin Code 6 PS.svg|100px|6-PS]]
 
'''[[w:Polystyrene]]''' ('''PS''')
 
[[w:Polystyrene#Recycling|Wikipedia on Polystyrene recycling]] states that it is generally not accepted in [[w:curbside collection]] due to the lack of recycling companies incentives to invest in compactors. An exception is [[Germany]] where PS is collected due to the packaging law (Verpackungsverordnung) that requires manufacturers to take responsibility for recycling or disposing of any packaging material they sell.
 
= See also =
* [[Energy]]
* [[Material input per service unit]] can be used to measure [[eco-efficiency]]
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