1 Polymers and the Environment

Outline Plastics and the environment  Amount  Energy Solution  Life-cycle analysis  Prevention, desing  Recycling  Chemical recycling  Combustion Biodegradable polymers  Controlled lifetime  Starch blends  Compostable polymers  Products Laws  Product fees  Solution 2

Environmental management The judgement of the environmental effect of polymers is influenced by several parameters 3 EconomicPoliticsSocial Psychological

Environmental pollution Landscape in Buda The presence of plastic is dominant 4

5 Environmental pollution Hurray, holiday

Environmental pollution Unpredictable, unforseenable consequences Not only polymers 6

7 Waste – Hungary 1998 (KTM) Waste (%) Agriculture Energetics Communal Dangerous Production 6.1 %

Communal waste – 1997 KSH 8 Waste (%) Other org. Organic Paper Dangerous P. + paper Textile Plastics Glass Metal 3.5 %

9 Area  Chemical industry  Polymer industry  Packaging industry Processing – mineral oil equivalent  Aluminum15 kg  Iron5 kg  Polyethylene1.5 kg Transportation  Glass36.2 %  Plastics3.5 % Energy consumption Energy consumption (%) Heating Transport Industry Chem. Ind. Other

10 Lifetime analysis Raw material PVC prodiction Production Product application Waste management Production Deposition Combustion MaterialEnergy Pollution Energy energia Material Lifetime analysis  Estimation of goal  Exposition  Interpretation  Correction Important questions  Biological differences  Aesthetics  Point of reference  Subjective Further development

Lifetime analysis Yogurt cups – 1000 pieces 11 Effect (MJ) (cm 3 ) (1000 m 3 ) (dm 3 ) Energy Waste Air Water Glass

Lifetime analysis 12 Emission Paper (1.8 t) Energy of production Energy content Powder Sulphur dioxide Nitrogene dioxide Carbohydrates Carbon monoxide Chlor phenol Phenol traces Chemical oxigene needs Biological oxigene needs

Solution - possibilites Planing Recycling Chemical decomposition Combustion, incineration Deposition 13

Prevention 14 Planing  Decreased wall thickness  Larger portions  Re-useable packaging  Re-fill of material Mass (g) Year

Recycling – process, difficulties Difficulties  Agglomeration  Selection  Cleaning  Washing 15 Agglomeration Transportation Selection Valuable re-usable raw material Product PreparationProduction Bottle….

Recycling - selection 16

Recycling - product 17

Recycling - product 18

Recycling - product 19

Recycling – product (Recyclen) 20

Recycling – product (Recyclen) 21 CompanyType of waste Amount (ton) Rypackfilm2000 Partium 70film3000 Aranyhíd Áfészfilm1500 Regranulátum Kft.film 800 Hoplofon 95 Rt.vegyes5000 Recyclen Kft.vegyes2500 Cs + Cs Bt.vegyes2000 Plasztinform Bt.vegyes2000 Sum18800

Chemical decomposition Coking Cracking Depolymerization Elektrokinetic debondign Hydrogenation Hydrolysis, glycolysis Molten metal Solution Pyrolysis 22

Incineration – heat 23 Heating capacity (MJ/kg) Oli Natural gas Coal Brown coal Paper, wood

Incineration – dangerous gases HCl, dioxin 24 Plants 0.3 % PVC Acidic gases (%) Dioxin source (%) Industry Waste incineration Plants Incinerators Al industry Transportation Waste water combusion Nitrogene oxides Sulphur dioxides

Incineration – plants 25 SEPA- RATOR VENT HEAT EXCHANGER CONSUMERS WASTE WATER SLURRYLIQUID WASTE AIR FUEL WATERASH/WATER INCINERATOR

Solution – Hungary Like the ancient ages Agglomeration82% Safe deposition30% Deposited waste85% Capacity5 year Illegal depositionmany Selective agglomeration is limited (Öko-Pannon) Future ??? 26 Amount (%) Deposition Incineration Processing Biology

Solution – selective agglomeration Öko-Pannon Kht.  Accesible for more than 2 million inhabitants 27

Solution – selective agglomeration 2005, Hungary More than 3.5 million inhabitants 28

29 Biological decomposition Requirements Price – recently high Processing – same machines Properties  Flow properties  Mechanical  Aesthetics  Harmless to health  Substitution of recently applied mateials Environmental effect  Complete decomposition

Biological decomposition Meaning Contradictory term Decomposition – compostability Requirements  Physical decomposition  Chemical decomopsition  Non toxic products  Quality of compost Goals: complete decomposition  Mineralization  H 2 O, CO 2 30

Renewable raw material Starch 31

Renewable raw material Biological synthezis, bacterias Poly(hydroxi-butirate) 32

Compostable polymers Ecostar Polycaprolacton (PCL) Polylactic acid (PLA) 33

Compostable polymers Polylactic acid fork 34 Biological decomposition 0. day12. days33. days45. days

Compostable polymers Daicel PCL/cellulose derivative 35

Laws – environmental Household waste management – 1986 Dangerous waste import – 1987 Waste management – 1988 Incinerator emission – 1991 Enviromental protection (law) – 1995 Product fees (packaging) (law) – 1995 Dangerous waste – 1996 Waste management (law) – 2000 Packaging (law) – 2002 Incineration of wastes – 2002 Product fees on car tyre import – 2003 Product fees (law) –

Laws 2005 Product fees 37

Laws - Germany Product fees 38 Packaging materialFee (EUR/kg) Paper sheet0.40 Compostable polymer (Starch/plastic) Paper (liquid, pastes)1.69 Other materials2.10 Plastics Biopolymers 0

Summary All kinds of waste is dangerous to the environment The realistic exposition and exploration of environmental effects is crucuial Plastics are not better, but not worse compared to other frequently used materials The plastic waste is managable  Planing  Recycling  Incineration  Deposition (this is not the right solution) Waste management is possible only organically Protecting the environment is the responsibility for all the humanity 39