Detailed Analysis of the Composition of Selected Plastic Packaging Waste Products and Its Implications for Mechanical and Thermochemical Recycling

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c03371
• Publication Date: 2020-09-28T14:50:51Z
• Authors: Martijn Roosen; Nicolas Mys; Marvin Kusenberg; Pieter Billen; Ann Dumoulin; Jo Dewulf; Kevin M. Van Geem; Kim Ragaert; Steven De Meester
• Keywords: Plastic packaging

Plastic packaging typically consists of a mixture polymers and contains whole range components, such as paper, organic residue, halogens, metals, which pose problems during recycling. Nevertheless, until today, limited detailed data are available on the full polymer composition plastic waste taking into account separable parts present in certain stream, nor their quantitative levels (elemental) impurities. This paper therefore presents an unprecedented in-depth analysis elemental composition, including C, H, N, S, O, commonly generated streams European sorting facilities. Various analytical techniques applied, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy, ion chromatography, inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), more than 100 different products, all separated subcomponents (e.g., bottle itself, cap, label). Our results show that consist mixtures up to nine contain various elements periodic table, particular metals Ca, Al, Na, Zn, Fe halogens like Cl F, occurring concentrations between 1 3000 ppm. As discussed both impurities impede many cases closed-loop recycling require advanced pretreatment steps, increasing overall cost.