Plastic Waste Recycling─A Chemical Recycling Perspective
Chemnitz University of Technology · Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems
Abstract
This article provides an overview of plastic recycling development since the 1970s. It discusses the three common recycling options: mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, and energetic recycling. Additionally, it considers the challenges of waste cleaning and sorting. The article describes the mechanical and chemical recycling processes in detail for the main constituents of plastic waste, such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The current recycling rates indicate that only mechanical recycling is economically viable, which is insufficient for a sustainable circular economy. Chemical recycling methods are often too…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 24.26
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 160
Authors
6- ASAlexander SchadeCorresponding
Chemnitz University of Technology
- MMMarcel Melzer
Chemnitz University of Technology
- SZSven Zimmermann
Chemnitz University of Technology, Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems
- TSThomas Schwarz
Chemnitz University of Technology
- KSKlaus Stöwe
Chemnitz University of Technology
Topics & keywords
- Incineration
- Waste management
- Polyvinyl chloride
- Context (archaeology)
- Plastic waste
- Polypropylene
- Waste recycling
- Polyethylene