ABSTRACT
Plastics typically constitute between 4 and 15% of post-consumer and municipal solid waste on the basis of weight, but often require up to 30% of the volume needed for landfilling because of their low density and widespread use in the manufacture of containers for many consumer products. Post-consumer plastics are typically classified into seven standard numerically designated categories for purposes of recycling, based on resin type. The resin type for given plastic refers to its polymer chemical composition and structure. There are large markets for plastic resin in the packaging industry which represent great potential for recycled plastic flake, provided that the overall recycling process can compete on a quality and total cost basis (including trans-portation). There are three basic levels of recycling for plastics denoted as primary, secondary and tertiary. Cooperative efforts involving industry, local and federal governmental agencies, and universities should be promoted in dealing with the many technical and economic issues involved in plastics recycling.
