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kmateri i s actib.. y..uu. ly.,AYutic recycling what the d&elopn 3 f d a l s and paper guidelines did so long ago to establish the market viability of recycling these scrap commodities,” says Herschel Cutler, executive director of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISlU)-the trade association for the commercial recycling industry.
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The industry viewpoint If Cutler is correct, then plastics recycling could be big business. According to the US. Department of Commerce, this country enjoys a healthy $4 billion net annual trade surplus from the export of scrap ferrous and nonferrous metals. Furthermore, according to the Plastic Industry’s Council for Solid Waste Solutions (which co-developed the guidelines], of all the materials being recycled, only aluminum has a higher dollar value than plastics made primarily with the resin polyethylene terephthalate [PET). Cutler also points out that manufacturers worldwide recognize recy-
Pr6cis articles are reports of meetings of unusual significance, international or national developments of environmental importance, significant public policy developments, and related items.
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e industry will need to lllvest around YAUU million in neu ’ ‘-iandlethe anticin 3d mowt ici li t an !auinmer =+
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0013-936w91/0925-181~02.50/00 1991 American Chemical Society
Environ. Sci. Technol., VoI. 25. No. 11, 1991 1819
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clables as the equal of virgin materials in quality. On the other hand, with the growth of “green” labeling, consumers see a difference between sources. Thus, the industry views recycled plastics as a new product, explains Richard Swigart of the Council for Solid Waste Solutions. “We are building capacity to meet demand.” To create sufficient capacity, the Council has set several goals for 1995: a recycling rate of 2 5 % for all rigid plastic bottles, plastics recycling programs accessible to onehalf of the U.S. population, and an increase in the number of communities with curbside recycling to approximately 4000. The Council now provides technical advice to community groups interested in plastic recycling and funds research on how to improve recycling and handling programs. Furthermore, Swigart says, the industry will need to invest around $ 2 0 0 million in new reclaiming facilities and equipm e n t to h a n d l e t h e anticipated growth. The guidelines also may affect plastics recycling in other countries. “ W h e n t h e Japanese s e n d scrap metal to the United States, they follow ISRI guidelines. And when Japan sends scrap metal to Korea, they also follow ISRI guidelines,” explains Robert Garino, ISRI director of commodities. The n e w guidelines provide a common nomenclature for the recycling industry and a basis for valuing commodities. Specific details cover bottles manufactured with the standard resins-high- a n d lowdensity polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and PET. Standards list allowable color, sources (e.g., milk bottles, trays, and tubes), bale properties, contamination, a n d proper storage of bales. Waste reduction Recycling, however, may create its own problems. According to a recently released study written by the World Wildlife Fund and The Conservation Foundation and funded by EPA, “All waste management practices, including recycling, have associated economic and environmental costs, and can simply shift pollution problems from one environmental m e d i u m to another.” The study advocates source reduction as the best method for municipal waste reduction. “By reducing the amounts and toxicity of waste
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generated, a wide range of benefits can be realized.” In particular, the report recommends evaluating processes a n d manufactured products according to a life-cycle assessment model that inventories the materials used, the energy consumed, and the pollution released; weighs the potential environmental effects from the manufacture; and analyzes changes needed to improve the product or process “environmentally.” To ensure that businesses and individuals adopt waste reduction, the study advocates a national policy with quantifiable goals drawn up by EPA for different regions and industries. Examples include encouraging individuals to compost yard wastes, conducting waste audits in businesses and industries, and encouraging double-sided photocopying in offices. The authors of the report realize that waste reduction will focus public attention on complex questions such as whether plastic or paper garbage bags are best, and the relative impact of cloth versus disposable d i a p e r s . To a d d r e s s t h e s e points, the study suggests an evaluation procedure based on such factors as the best and most effective options and implementation strategies. Interestingly, the switch to plastics from glass and paper in products during the 1970s was promoted as a source reduction move because plastics require less energy to produce. As a product that also can be recycled, plastics could become the consumer material of choice. Reference (1) Porter, J. W. Environ. Sci. Technol. 1991,25,1542.
Additional reading “Bailed Recycled Plastic Commercial Guidelines,” available from the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.? 1627 K St., N . W . , Washington, DC 20006; (202) 466-4050. “ T h e Blueprint for Plastics Recycling,” available from the Council for Solid Waste Solutions, 1275 K St., N.W., Washington, DC 20005; 1-800-2-HELP90. “Getting at the Source: Strategies for Reducing Municipal Solid Waste,” available from the World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20037; (202) 293-4800.
Alan Newman is an associate editor on the Washington editorial staff of ES&T.
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