Polyolefins and Polyethylene Terephthalate Package Wastes: Recycling and Use in Composites

Hannah Jones, Florence Saffar, Vasileios Koutsos and Dipa Ray
Additional contact information
Hannah Jones: Institute for Materials and Processes, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Sanderson Building, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh EH9-3FB, UK
Florence Saffar: DMAS, ONERA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-92322 Châtillon, France
Vasileios Koutsos: Institute for Materials and Processes, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Sanderson Building, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh EH9-3FB, UK
Dipa Ray: Institute for Materials and Processes, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Sanderson Building, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh EH9-3FB, UK

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-43

Abstract: Plastics are versatile materials used in a variety of sectors that have seen a rapid increase in their global production. Millions of tonnes of plastic wastes are generated each year, which puts pressure on plastic waste management methods to prevent their accumulation within the environment. Recycling is an attractive disposal method and aids the initiative of a circular plastic economy, but recycling still has challenges to overcome. This review starts with an overview of the current European recycling strategies for solid plastic waste and the challenges faced. Emphasis lies on the recycling of polyolefins (POs) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which are found in plastic packaging, as packaging contributes a signification proportion to solid plastic wastes. Both sections, the recycling of POs and PET, discuss the sources of wastes, chemical and mechanical recycling, effects of recycling on the material properties, strategies to improve the performance of recycled POs and PET, and finally the applications of recycled POs and PET. The review concludes with a discussion of the future potential and opportunities of recycled POs and PET.

Keywords: plastic wastes; recycled polyolefins; recycled polyethylene terephthalate; chemical recycling; mechanical recycling; compatibilization; composite (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/21/7306/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/21/7306/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:21:p:7306-:d:671783

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().