Polymer Recycling

The last six years have seen a great shift in plastics recycling from the mechanical recycling of the early nineties towards a more integrated approach in which feedstock recycling and the recovery of incineration energy is encouraged. Based on extensive research of the international recycling industry, this book describes technological advances in polymer recycling from the sorting stage through to recycling processes and end-use applications; provides an overview of state-of-the-art recycling techniques with current and potential applications and draws together and consolidates literature in this rapidly growing field. Due to widespread growing concern over the contribution of plastics to environmental pollution, a book which does all of the above is long overdue. In the US and Europe the recycling of polymers is a major political issue and has become an expanding commercial activity. Dr. Scheirs places significant emphasis on the recycling of automobile tyres, polyurethane foams, carpets, engineering plastics and fibre-reinforced composites, all of which had been previously thought to be hard to recycle.

Sorting and Separation Techniques.

Size Reduction of Recycled Plastics.

Melt Filtration of Contamination in Recycled Polymers.

Recycling of PET.

Recycling of Polyolefins.

Recycling of PVC.

Polystyrene Recycling.

Nylon Recycling.

Recycling of Engineering Thermoplastics.

Recycling of Polyurethanes.

Recycling of Polymers Composities.

Rubber Tyre Recycling.

Feedstock Recycling--Pyrolysis, Hydrogenation and Gasification.

Incineration of Plastic Waste with Energy Recovery.

Plastics Lumber Based on Recycled Polymers.

Index.