UK's First Mixed Plastics Recycling Facility Opened

Biffa Polymers - formally Greenstar WES - has opened the UK's first fully integrated plastic packaging sorting and recycling facility 

In January 2010 the facility was awarded £1.187 million in funding by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), following WRAP research which demonstrated not only the environmental benefits, but also the commercial and technological viability for mixed plastics recycling.

Commenting on the opening, Marcus Gover, Director of Market Development at WRAP said: "WRAP is delighted that the Redcar facility is now open and demonstrating that it is commercially viable to recycle mixed plastics and that there are real end markets for the high value, quality outputs."

Located in Redcar, Middlesbrough, the company claims the facility to be the first of its kind in the UK, enabling mixed plastics to be sorted, washed and processed into a reusable high grade commodity.

The facility will process 15,000 tonnes of mixed plastics per year from April 2011, building up to the full capacity of 20,000 tonnes per year by April 2012.

Plastics from Biffa's Materials Recovery Facilities, as well as local authorities and commercial customers in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland will be processed at the site.

According to the company, the plastics are sorted by polymer type and colour, and then processed to produce a high quality output which is suitable for a wide range of end uses - where the environmental benefits are unlocked by replacing virgin plastic.

Waste and Recycling Minister Lord Henley explained that the technology employed at the facility will make it easier for more people to participate in recycling schemes: "Biffa's innovative technology will make life easier for families who've puzzled over recycling their yoghurt tubs and food trays."

Examples of new products include paint trays, plant pots, storage boxes, pallets, bottles, car parts, office furniture and kitchenware.

In addition, Biffa said that some of the output will be processed through its food grade HDPE recycling facility at the same site and go back into the manufacture of new milk bottles.

Biffa Polymers managing director Martin Marron said: "Following the success of being the first company in the UK to produce food grade recycled HDPE plastic which is used to make new milk bottles, Biffa Polymers is delighted to be once again at the forefront of the recycling industry. We believe in pushing the boundaries to find the best solutions for plastic recycling in the UK."

PT_Source: waste-management-world.com

The toxic waste causing environmental degradation

The hazardous waste can pollute the immediate environment as volatile chemicals in the atmosphere or may be indirectly through pollution of air transport or surface nuoc.Van important not only depend on where discharge and conditions in the
below.

Land and water contamination:

The presence of the unsaturated zone below the surface of where the discharge is important. This is above the water surface area, in places down to the water to meet water-level. If the garbage underneath the unsaturated zone, the country operations as the is a filtering process by the chemical and biochemical activities.

Pollution of surface water:

Outer surface of the water near where the waste can get the toxic waste flowing from the surface. Moreover, the flow of land - the country also put chemicals into the water pollution. In terms of air exposure will promote decomposition of bio-chemistry of organic compounds. Evaporation at the surface is easier in the land. 

Cross contamination by:

The organic compounds can evaporate into the air, the wind can bring toxic waste into the environment, fruits and vegetables grown close to where the waste can absorb the waste toxins.

The artificial air pollution is causing the most dangerous to humans and the earth's atmosphere?

The most dangerous man-made air for human health and the Earth's atmosphere has been known to include: carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2).; Carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (N2O); Clorofluorocacbon (also known as CFC) and methane (CH4).

1. Carbon dioxide (CO2) content of 0.03% CO2 with the atmosphere is the raw material for photosynthesis process to produce the primary biological productivity in the trees. Typically, the amount of CO2 produced naturally balanced with the amount of CO2 is used for photosynthesis. Two types of human activities that burn fossil fuels and deforestation have made the process imbalance, have negative impacts on global climate.

2. Sulphur dioxide (SO2): sulfur dioxide (SO2) is the air pollutant levels low in the atmosphere, mainly in the troposphere. Sulfur dioxide produced by volcanic eruptions, from burning coal, oil, gas, plant biomass, sulfide ores. Etc. .. SO2 is toxic to human health and animals, causes lung tracheobronchitis. SO2 in air to form oxygen and water have acid concentration in rain water causing acid rain.

3. Carbon monoxide (CO): CO is formed by burning fossil fuels do not all like coal, oil and some other organic materials. Emissions from the motorcycle engine is the source of CO pollution in major cities. Every year around the globe produce about 600 million tons of CO. CO is not toxic to plants because plants can transform CO => CO2 and use it during photosynthesis. Thus, vegetation is considered a natural agent is effective in reducing CO pollution. When people in the air is about 250 ppm CO concentration will die.

4. Nitrous oxide (N2O): N2O is a greenhouse gas glass, was born in the burning of fossil fuels. Its content is growing on a global scale, every year approximately 0.2 - 3%. Small amounts of other N2O into the atmosphere as a result of nitrification of organic fertilizers and inorganic. N2O into the atmosphere will not change the format in the long run, only reaching the upper atmosphere of the new impact it slowly with oxygen atoms.

5. Clorofluorocacbon (abbreviated as CFC): CFC are chemicals synthesized by humans for use in many industries and from there into the atmosphere. CFC 11 or CFCl3 or CFCl2 or CF2Cl2 (also known as Freon 12 or F12) is the common nature of the CFC. A small amount of other CFCs CHC1F2 (or F22), CCl4 and CF4 also enters the atmosphere. Both compounds CFC 11 and CFC 12 or freon are compounds of high economic significance, the production and use has increased rapidly in the past two decades. They exist both in the form of aerosols and aerosol. Aerosol form is often damage the ozone layer, so that the alarm about the environment, these types of aerosols are not produced and continue growing in number. CFCs are highly stable and not decomposed. When CFCs reach the upper tanphan cancel. Speed ​​will decompose quickly if CFC ozone damage and ultraviolet radiation to reach the lower atmosphere.

6. Methane (CH4): Methane is a greenhouse gas. It was born from the biological process, as the men of the intestinal tract of animals with hooves, sheep and other animals, the resolution in anaerobic wetlands, rice paddies, forest fires and combustion of agar. CH4 oxidation promotes the stratospheric water vapor. The increase in water vapor causes the greenhouse effect stronger than the direct effect of CH4.

Currently the atmosphere annually received about 400 to 765x1012g CH4

(Vinathuan-VNTA)