Thermo-Chemical Treatment of Plastic Solid Waste (PSW)

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a brief introductory guide to the challenge of managing plastic solid waste (PSW) to its use as a material and an energy resource. PSW recycling processes can be classified in four major categories, re-extrusion (primary), mechanical (secondary), chemical (tertiary), and energy recovery (quaternary). Each method provides a unique set of advantages that makes it particularly beneficial for specific locations, applications or requirements. Increasing recovery of waste and diverting waste away from landfill play a key role in tackling the environmental impacts of increasing waste volumes. PSW not only represents a significant proportion of the total waste produced but also has the highest potential for energy recovery, having the highest calorific value when compared with other waste fractions. This chapter also presents a review of the current situation in the United Kingdom (UK), European Union (EU), and worldwide in relation to solid waste arising and strategies to address waste management. It also introduces the different routes for PSW management, namely, re-extrusion, mechanical recycling, and energy recovery. Petrochemical recovery via thermochemical treatment is also discussed and in particular some of the thermal treatment options available, namely, gasification, hydrogenation, and pyrolysis, are presented. Finally, it discusses a case study based on pyrolysis.

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