A unique new glimpse into the future of recycling
My special interest is focusing on the future of recycling. This article especially caught my eye because of it's unique project goal of taking on items that do not usually pass typical recycling facilities standards resulting in a trip to the landfill. One resource stream being plastic film and the other being mixed plastics items.
One of the key challenges to the circular economy resides in the extraction of materials from the recycling stream that even sophisticated recycling facilities have long deemed by-products or waste (Koisor, 2024).
These materials, often considered low-value, include plastic films and other difficult-to-recycle components that are typically landfilled or incinerated. Yet, as our understanding of waste and our recycling technologies evolve, so does the recognition of the untapped potential within these overlooked streams (Koisor, 2024).
The vast majority of these films, which include materials such as LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) and LLDPE (Linear Low-Density Polyethylene), are used in food packaging and other consumer-targeted products. Consequently, these films frequently find their way into post-consumer waste streams, further complicating the recycling process (Koisor, 2024).
Both of these films are major opportunities, in my experiences they have always gone into the trash because of the lack of infrastructure to recycle them. I personally haven't seen them on any local bin as an object to recycle yet they are in a majority of objects from packaging.
The HydroDyn process consists of three stages: a cold wash (HydroClean) that removes 99.5% of extrinsic contamination, a hot wash (HydroSuperClean) that further reduces contamination levels, and a final rinsing step (HydroPURE) that leaves the material virtually free of impurities. The cleaned film is then extruded and melt-filtered, resulting in a material that can be evaluated for its suitability in new applications, such as film blowing (Koisor, 2024).
In a separate but equally groundbreaking project, WRAP Cymru, in collaboration with Nextek and several industry partners, sought to tackle the recycling of mixed plastic waste derived from MRF and ASR (Auto Shredder Residue) rejects. The project’s goal was to demonstrate that these challenging waste streams, which are typically destined for landfill or incineration, could be repurposed into high-quality building materials (Koisor, 2024).
This project showcased how these waste streams, often considered low-value and problematic, could be transformed into resources with significant environmental and economic benefits. By incorporating these materials into long-term applications such as decking, the project not only diverted waste from landfill but also reduced the need for virgin materials, once again contributing to the circular economy (Koisor, 2024).
The success of this project also underscores the importance of collaboration between recyclers, manufacturers, and end markets. By bringing these stakeholders together, the project created new material options that can drive industry competitiveness and reduce CO2 emissions." (Koisor, 2024).
A couple of spots in this article mention working towards a circular economy, which is exciting, it seems like more of a modern mindset to have when addressing an issue. These examples show how previously discarded plastics have found a place in the recycling stream, and they encourage optimism for the future of other items currently deemed unrecyclable.
Resource
Kosior, P. E., & Mitchell, Dr. J. (2024, December 9). A unique new glimpse into the future of Recycling. Innovators magazine. https://www.innovatorsmag.com/a-unique-new-glimpse-into-the-future-of-recycling/
