Energy Management in Plastics Processing


Book Description

Energy Management in Plastics Processing: Strategies, Targets, Techniques, and Tools, Third Edition, addresses energy benchmarking and site surveys, how to understand energy supplies and bills, and how to measure and manage energy usage and carbon footprinting. The book's approach highlights the need to reduce the kWh/kg of materials processed and the resulting permanent reductions in consumption and costs. Every topic is covered in a 2-page spread, providing the reader with clear actions and key tips for success. This revised third edition covers new developments in energy management, power supply considerations, automation, assembly operations, water footprinting, and transport considerations, and more. Users will find a practical workbook that not only shows how to reduce energy consumption in all the major plastics shaping processes (moulding, extrusion, forming), but also provides tactics that will benefit other locations in plants (e.g. in factory services and nonmanufacturing areas). - Enables plastics processors in their desire to institute an effective energy management system, both in processing and elsewhere in the plant - Provides a holistic perspective, shining a light on areas where energy management methods may have not been previously considered - Acts as a roadmap to help companies move towards improved sustainability and cost savings




Plastics and the Environment


Book Description

Plastics offer a variety of environmental benefits. However, their production, applications, and disposal present many environmental concerns. Plastics and the Environment provides state-of-the-art technical and research information on the complex relationship between the plastic and polymer industry and the environment, focusing on the sustainability, environmental impact, and cost—benefit tradeoffs associated with different technologies. Bringing together the field’s leading researchers, Anthony Andrady’s innovative collection not only covers how plastics affect the environment, but also how environmental factors affect plastics. The relative benefits of recycling, resource recovery, and energy recovery are also discussed in detail. The first of the book’s four sections represents a basic introduction to the key subject matter of plastics and the environment; the second explores several pertinent applications of plastics with environmental implications–packaging, paints and coatings, textiles, and agricultural film use. The third section discusses the behavior of plastics in some of the environments in which they are typically used, such as the outdoors, in biotic environments, or in fires. The final section consists of chapters on recycling and thermal treatment of plastics waste. Chapters include: Commodity Polymers Plastics in Transportation Biodegradation of Common Polymers Thermal Treatment of Polymer Waste Incineration of Plastics The contributors also focus on the effectiveness of recent technologies in mitigating environmental impacts, particularly those for managing plastics in the solid waste stream. Plastic and design engineers, polymer chemists, material scientists, and ecologists will find Plastics and the Environment to be a vital resource to this critical industry.




Polymers in Energy Conversion and Storage


Book Description

The research and development activities in energy conversion and storage are playing a significant role in our daily lives owing to the rising interest in clean energy technologies to alleviate the fossil-fuel crisis. Polymers are used in energy conversion and storage technology due to their low-cost, softness, ductility and flexibility compared to carbon and inorganic materials. Polymers in Energy Conversion and Storage provides in-depth literature on the applicability of polymers in energy conversion and storage, history and progress, fabrication techniques, and potential applications. Highly accomplished experts review current and potential applications including hydrogen production, solar cells, photovoltaics, water splitting, fuel cells, supercapacitors and batteries. Chapters address the history and progress, fabrication techniques, and many applications within a framework of basic studies, novel research, and energy applications. Additional Features Include: Explores all types of energy applications based on polymers and its composites Provides an introduction and essential concepts tailored for the industrial and research community Details historical developments in the use of polymers in energy applications Discusses the advantages of polymers as electrolytes in batteries and fuel cells This book is an invaluable guide for students, professors, scientists and R&D industrial experts working in the field.




Improving Markets for Recycled Plastics Trends, Prospects and Policy Responses


Book Description

Plastics have become one of the most prolific materials on the planet: in 2015 we produced about 380 million tonnes of plastics globally, up from 2 million tonnes in the 1950s. Yet today only 15% of this plastic waste is collected and recycled into secondary plastics globally each year. This ...




Feedstock Recycling and Pyrolysis of Waste Plastics


Book Description

Pyrolysis is a recycling technique converting plastic waste into fuels, monomers, or other valuable materials by thermal and catalytic cracking processes. It allows the treatment of mixed, unwashed plastic wastes. For many years research has been carried out on thermally converting waste plastics into useful hydrocarbons liquids such as crude oil and diesel fuel. Recently the technology has matured to the point where commercial plants are now available. Pyrolysis recycling of mixed waste plastics into generator and transportation fuels is seen as the answer for recovering value from unwashed, mixed plastics and achieving their desired diversion from landfill. This book provides an overview of the science and technology of pyrolysis of waste plastics. It describes the types of plastics that are suitable for pyrolysis recycling, the mechanism of pyrolytic degradation of various plastics, characterization of the pyrolysis products and details of commercially mature pyrolysis technologies. This book also covers co-pyrolysis technology, including: waste plastic/waste oil, waste plastics/coal, and waste plastics/rubber.




Plastics to Energy


Book Description

Plastics to Energy: Fuel, Chemicals, and Sustainability Implications covers important trends in the science and technology of polymer recovery, such as the thermo-chemical treatment of plastics, the impact of environmental degradation on mechanical recycling, incineration and thermal unit design, and new options in biodegradable plastics. The book also introduces product development opportunities from waste materials and discusses the main processes and pathways of the conversion of polymeric materials to energy, fuel and chemicals. A particular focus is placed on industrial case studies and academic reviews, providing a practical emphasis that enables plastics practitioners involved in end-of-life aspects to employ these processes. Final sections examine lifecycle and cost analysis of different plastic waste management processes, exploring the potential of various techniques in modelling, optimization and simulation of waste management options. - Introduces new pathways for the end-of-life treatment of plastics and polymers, including conversion to energy, fuel and other chemicals - Compares different options to assist materials scientists, engineers and waste management practitioners to choose the most effective and sustainable option - Covers the latest trends in the science and technology of polymer energy recovery




Plastic Waste and Recycling


Book Description

Plastic Waste and Recycling: Environmental Impact, Societal Issues, Prevention, and Solutions begins with an introduction to the different types of plastic materials, their uses, and the concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle before examining plastic types, chemistry and degradation patterns that are organized by non-degradable plastic, degradable and biodegradable plastics, biopolymers and bioplastics. Other sections cover current challenges relating to plastic waste, explain the sources of waste and their routes into the environment, and provide systematic coverage of plastic waste treatment methods, including mechanical processing, monomerization, blast furnace feedstocks, gasification, thermal recycling, and conversion to fuel. This is an essential guide for anyone involved in plastic waste or recycling, including researchers and advanced students across plastics engineering, polymer science, polymer chemistry, environmental science, and sustainable materials. - Presents actionable solutions for reducing plastic waste, with a focus on the concepts of collection, re-use, recycling and replacement - Considers major societal and environmental issues, providing the reader with a broader understanding and supporting effective implementation - Includes detailed case studies from across the globe, offering unique insights into different solutions and approaches




Waste


Book Description

Waste: A Handbook for Management gives the broadest, most complete coverage of waste in our society. The book examines a wide range of waste streams, including: - Household waste (compostable material, paper, glass, textiles, household chemicals, plastic, water, and e-waste) - Industrial waste (metals, building materials, tires, medical, batteries, hazardous mining, and nuclear) - Societal waste (ocean, military, and space) - The future of landfills and incinerators Covering all the issues related to waste in one volume helps lead to comparisons, synergistic solutions, and a more informed society. In addition, the book offers the best ways of managing waste problems through recycling, incineration, landfill and other processes. - Co-author Daniel Vallero interviewed on NBC's Today show for a segment on recycling - Scientific and non-biased overviews will assist scientists, technicians, engineers, and government leaders - Covers all main types of waste, including household, industrial, and societal - Strong focus on management and recycling provides solutions




Well-being, Sustainability and Social Development


Book Description

This open access book examines more than two centuries of societal development using novel historical and statistical approaches. It applies the well-being monitor developed by Statistics Netherlands that has been endorsed by a significant part of the international, statistical community. It features The Netherlands as a case study, which is an especially interesting example; although it was one of the world’s richest countries around 1850, extreme poverty and inequality were significant problems of well-being at the time. Monitors of 1850, 1910, 1970 and 2015 depict the changes in three dimensions of well-being: the quality of life 'here and now', 'later' and 'elsewhere'. The analysis of two centuries shows the solutions to the extreme poverty problem and the appearance of new sustainability problems, especially in domestic and foreign ecological systems. The study also reveals the importance of natural capital: soil, air, water and subsoil resources, showing their relation with the social structure of the ‘here and now ́. Treatment and trade of natural resources also impacted on the quality of life ‘later’ and ‘elsewhere.’ Further, the book illustrates the role of natural capital by dividing the capital into three types of raw materials and concomitant material flows: bio-raw materials, mineral and fossil subsoil resources. Additionally, the analysis of the institutional context identifies the key roles of social groups in well-being development. The book ends with an assessment of the solutions and barriers offered by the historical anchoring of the well-being and sustainability issues. This unique analysis of well-being and sustainability and its institutional analysis appeals to historians, statisticians and policy makers.




Global Plastics Outlook Economic Drivers, Environmental Impacts and Policy Options


Book Description

While plastics are extremely useful materials for modern society, plastics production and waste generation continue to increase with worsening environmental impacts despite international, national and local policy responses, as well as industry commitments. The first of two reports, this Outlook intends to inform and support policy efforts to combat plastic leakage.