In Germany, the fall of each year in accordance with the nature conservation Federal Germany e. V. (NABU), around six million tons of plastic waste. According to the Federal this waste to be recycled by the environment Agency almost completely – In the year 2017, there were approximately 99 percent. Recovery does not mean recycled. There are different ways to dispose of plastic waste:
- the energy recovery be incinerated, the waste. The energy produced in the process is recycled. Find out more: waste incineration: you should, for the energetic recovery knowledge .
- For the raw recovery the plastics in the basic materials applied to columns, which are then used
- In material recycling to be recycled the waste materials to art, so recycled.
The Federal environment Agency indicates that 53 percent of energy and about one percent of the waste raw materials are recycled. The remaining 46 percent are recycled. This recycling rate is, however, misleading: it covers all wastes, which are introduced into the recycling system. However, a majority of plastics are not sorted out again, because it is suitable for Recycling. The daily news reported that, in the end, only about 17 percent are for plastic recycling.
Different types of plastics the plastic recycling
make it difficult, According to NABU, most of the plastic waste comes with about five million tonnes of private and commercial end-users. About 60 percent of that is packaging waste. Packaging often consist of different types of plastic. They differ in their chemical structure, and can be difficult to separate from each other. In the best case, they are used to inferior art, further processed, or they must be burned. Modern chemical processes to make plastic recycling more efficiently in the future.
such As plastic recycling?
The conventional type of plastics recycling, the mechanical methods . The waste with lasers and infrared technology, are sorted into single plastics. Then they are cleaned, melted down and reprocessed into recycled materials. The mechanical method works well if the starting materials are clean and unmixed.
An example of transparent PET bottles: they are made up of a single type of Plastic, the polyethylene terephthalate. The bottles are collected separately and can be recycled. The majority of our plastic waste mixtures, however, Plastic. They are made of different polymers, pigments and additives and can not be mechanically separated. A possible solution for the already mentioned chemical Recycling offers . The plastics are split up into their chemical components, to exploit you again. In order to separate the chemical ingredients, treated the plastics with high-temperature, pressure, or chemicals.
“best of” list: BPA-free water bottles
- place 1Klean Kanteen Reflect
4,8
54
DetailKlean Kanteen**
- place 2Soulbottles
4,8
41
Detail soulbottles**
- place 3Emil, the bottle to Wear
4,6
69
detail of Emil-the Shop**
- place 4Nalgene
4,6
36
detail mountain friends**
- place 5Ecotanka thermot Anka
5,0
11
detail of water up to date**
- place 6Aladdin Aveo
4,6
18
detail avocado gates**
- place 7Mizu
5,0
6
detail mountain friends**
- place 8BB Bayonix Bottle
5,0
5
detail avocado gates**
- place 9Retap
3,9
17
detail avocado gates**
- place 10FLSK
3,9
7
DetailFLSK**
- place 1124 Bottles – Urban Bottles
3,8
5
detail avocado gates**
- place 12Equa
5,0
4
detail avocado gates **
- place 13Dopper
5,0
3
detail green your life**
- place 14Primus widemouth
4,7
3
detail Globetrotter**
- place 15Doli Bottles
5,0
1
DetailDoli Bottles**
- place 16Dora’s
4,0
2
detail avocado gates**
- place 17Brotzeit water bottle
4,0
1
detail avocado Store**
- place 18CamelBak
as of 3.0
2
detail Otto**
- place 19Eco lunch box water bottle
1.0
1
detail avocado gates**
- Place 20Hydrophil LOVE tap water bottle
0,0
0
Detail hydrophilic**
- place 21Miir
0,0
0
Detail
- place 22Sigg Thermo drink bottles & glass water bottles
0,0
0
detail mountain friends**
Chemical recycling of plastic: Pros and cons
the chemical process of plastics could be recycled, which can be mechanically processed further. As the process toxins from the plastic to be separated, is also high-quality plastic left. However, waste remains in addition to the pure plastics-products such as toxic gases, ash, coke and contaminated water. These substances cannot be recycled and ultimately end up in the environment. Chemical methods have, according to NABU, moreover, a poor energy balance, because very much energy is needed to split the plastics chemical. In addition, this type of plastic recycling is currently relatively expensive.
Plastics to avoid, instead of to exploit
Whether mechanical or chemical process – if recycling of plastic is possible, it is very energy consuming. In addition, packages contain toxic additives, which are deposited in the environment and pollute the waters. Long-term, it is therefore, if you have waste plastic as well as it avoid going. The easiest way is with packaging waste – it is to recycle also the most difficult to.
Meanwhile, there are a lot of food without the packaging, not only in unpacked shops. Many disposable products such as toothbrushes or razors, you can replace it with sustainable materials. Let you like to our tips, to plastic avoid inspire.
read More on Utopia.de:
- plastic in the holiday to avoid: 8 tips for a plastic free journey time
- avoid waste in school and College: how to buy sustainable materials
- Green dot: Recycling and the dual System
This article was written by Melanie Hagenau
*The contribution of “recycling of plastic: you should know about it” will be released by Utopia. Contact with the executives here.
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