Economical and Ecological
Feasibility of Plastic Recycling
Group3:
Kristina Jucyte
Karolis Kevelaitis
Jiang Renzhong
Andrew Hirschpold
Hector Perez Varona
Liu Debin
Supervisor: Claus Henrik Heinberg
1st semester, Autumn 2005
Natural Science Basic Studies (Nat-Bas)
Roskilde University
RUC Nat-Bas
2005 Autumn
Group3: Economical and Ecological Feasibility of Plastic Recycling
2
Table of Contents
ABSTRACT
4
THE TEAM
5
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
5
INTRODUCTION
6
PROBLEM FORMULATION
8
METHODOLOGY
9
TIME PLAN
10
PLASTIC
11
CONSUMPTION
11
PLASTIC IS MADE OF
12
PLASTIC TYPES
13
TREATMENT OF PLASTIC WASTE
18
PACKAGING AND HEALTH
21
ISO
26
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
29
THE SITUATION OF PLASTIC WASTE IMPACT IN CHINA
30
The environment and social problem due to plastic waste
31
The risk research of waste plastic impact to agriculture, animals and humans
33
Soil and crop
33
Animals
34
Human health
34
THE LAW
36
RUC Nat-Bas
2005 Autumn
Group3: Economical and Ecological Feasibility of Plastic Recycling
3
RECYCLING PLASTICS
39
PROCESSING OF PLASTIC FOR REUSE
39
PLASTICS
40
PROCESS OF RECYCLING
41
WHERE DO WE RECYCLE PLASTIC BOTTLES?
43
WHERE CAN WE RECYCLE OTHER PLASTICS?
44
HOW MANY KINDS OF PLASTIC ARE THERE IN THE RECYCLE SYSTEM?
45
WHY DO WE RECYCLE PLASTICS?
45
DRAWBACKS ABOUT PLASTIC RECYCLING
47
TYPICAL CONSTRUCTION OF A PLASTIC WASTE COLLECTION SYSTEM
49
NON-RECYCLABLE PLASTICS
50
ALTERNATIVES
51
COSTS
52
RECYCLING COULD BE A GOOD BUSINESS
54
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
55
GENERAL OBSTACLES AND SOLUTIONS TO PROCURING RECYCLED PLASTIC PRODUCTS
57
RECYCLING IN DENMARK
57
MARKET RESEARCH FOR A PROJECT
62
CONCLUSION
72
BIBLIOGRAPHY
74
WEBIOGRAPHY
75
RUC Nat-Bas
2005 Autumn
Group3: Economical and Ecological Feasibility of Plastic Recycling
4
Abstract
This project is carried out as the final project for the first semester of Bachelor of
Science studies. Our project will aim on plastic r