Plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental challenges facing our planet today. Each year, millions of tonnes of plastic waste end up in landfills or oceans due to improper waste management. Plastic, being a non-biodegradable material, takes hundreds of years to decompose. This has resulted in micro plastic contamination of soil and water bodies. Recycling plastic waste into useful products is a viable solution to tackle the plastic pollution problem. One such recycled plastic product gaining popularity is recycled plastic granules.
What are recycled plastic granules?
Recycled plastic granules are small plastic pellets obtained by shredding, grinding and melting used plastic materials like plastic bottles, packaging films etc. The melted plastic is forced through spinnerets to produce fine plastic strands which are cut into small granular pieces. These granules resemble the raw material pellets or nurdles used in plastic manufacturing but are obtained from post-consumer or post-industrial plastic waste. The granules retain the properties of the original plastic and can be reused to make new plastic products.
Factors driving demand for recycled plastic granules
The rising demand for recycled plastic granules can be attributed to the following factors:
Growing plastic waste volumes: As plastic usage increases worldwide, so does plastic waste generation with devastating effects on the environment. Recycling plastic waste into granules provides an effective solution for this growing waste problem.
Sustainability efforts: With sustainability and circular economy gaining prominence globally, companies are under increasing pressure to use recycled raw materials and reduce virgin plastic consumption. Recycled plastic granules help achieve this goal of sustainability.
Cost benefits: Producing recycled plastic granules involves lower production costs compared to virgin plastic since recycled plastic waste is used as the raw material instead of crude oil. The lower costs make recycled granules an attractive option for plastic manufacturers.
Government policies: Many countries have implemented plastic waste management rules and extended producer responsibility guidelines that encourage the use of recycled plastics. Subsidies and tax benefits are provided for products incorporating post-consumer recycled plastic content.
Varied end-use applications: recycled plastic granules can be used to manufacture a variety of products like plastic furniture, pipes, automobile components, packaging films, containers etc. replacing virgin plastic usage. This wide range of applications boosts market demand.
Production and quality of recycled plastic granules
The quality of recycled plastic granules depends greatly on the production process. Strict protocols are followed right from plastic waste collection and sorting to recycling:
Collection: Source-segregated plastic waste of similar resin types (PET, HDPE, PVC etc.) is collected from waste generators.
Sorting and shredding: The plastic waste undergoes manual and automated sorting to remove any contaminants before being shredded into small flakes.
Washing and drying: The plastic flakes are washed, sometimes with chemical treatments, to remove dirt, labels and other impurities before being dried.
Melt filtration: The flakes are melted and forced through screens to remove any remaining contaminants forming uniform plastic melt.
Pelletization: The clean plastic melt is extruded and cut into granular pellets of uniform size and shape.
Inspection and packaging: The granules undergo quality tests for purity, color consistency and mechanical properties before packaging for supply.
Adopting technologically advanced and automated processes ensures production of high-quality recycled plastic granules with properties comparable to virgin plastic pellets. Proper quality control protocols are a must.
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