Methods of polymer waste processing
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33216/1998-7927-2025-287-1-67-76Keywords:
polymer waste, circular economy, recycling technologies, synthetic polymers, biodegradable polymersAbstract
An analysis of existing methods of recycling plastic waste, such as landfilling, incineration, mechanical and chemical processing, was conducted. The advantages and disadvantages of existing methods of recycling and recycling plastic waste in different parts of the world were shown. Thus, landfilling and incineration are the most common and cheapest methods of recycling polymer waste. Landfilling only leads to the accumulation of waste in landfills, and incineration of polymer waste allows you to regenerate a significant amount of energy that can be used in various industries. However, incineration generates excessive greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, which negatively affects the environment. Mechanical and chemical processing of polymer waste allows you to reduce waste volumes and reuse materials. However, when processing plastics, the problem of sorting waste is important, which complicates the processing of plastic mixtures and reduces the efficiency of using these technologies.
A search was conducted for new approaches in the processes of recycling and processing of polymer waste, which will allow to implement the principles of cyclical use of materials.
The features of the processes of processing different types of polymer materials by mechanical and chemical processing methods with preliminary sorting by type were considered. The possibilities of reusing the obtained products of processing polymer materials were established. The possibility of using biopolymers to solve the problem of recycling polymer waste was analyzed. The possibility of applying the principles of a circular economy to the organization of processing of biopolymer waste was considered. The possibility of effectively combining complex solutions in the direction of polymer waste management while implementing the principles of lean production was shown.
A comprehensive approach to the processing of synthetic and biopolymer polymer waste by converting them into products suitable for reuse using modern methods and approaches, digital technologies and new concepts was proposed. The use of digitalization elements in organizing the processing of polymer waste will allow these technologies to be transferred to the next stage of development to ensure sustainable development and improve the environmental situation.
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