Write Your Answers To The Following Questions In Short Essay

Write Your Answers To The Following Questions Inshort Essay Format Be

Write your answers to the following questions in Short Essay Format . Be sure to explain the information as required to support your answers. Number your answers for each question. (20 Points) From the information discussed in class on plastics, select one type of plastic from the seven recycling codes. Do some research and find the process steps that this particular plastic goes through; from the time it is discarded to when it has been completely recycled into a new product. Describe this process in your own words; a minimum of 5 steps will be required to receive full points. (The process of burning the plastic, as a fuel is not an acceptable process answer for this question.) (10 Points) Even though all of the code 1 through code 7 plastics is recyclable, not all plastics are actively being recycled. Do some research and find 3 of the major issues that are currently blocking a more complete recycling process. Describe the issues. (10 Points) Plastics can be burned for fuel at a waste to energy plant, just like paper products. However, the energy return from plastics is not the same as paper products. Do some research and find out which has the higher energy return rate ; the plastics or the paper products? Discuss the pros and cons of burning plastics versus paper products for their energy.

Paper For Above instruction

Recycling Process of PET Plastic (Recycling Code 1)

The first step in recycling PET plastic, commonly used in beverage bottles, involves collection and sorting. Typically, discarded PET bottles are collected from recycling bins and transported to processing facilities. Once there, the bottles are sorted from other types of plastics and debris, often using automated systems with infrared sensors. The second step is cleaning; the bottles are rinsed thoroughly to remove any residual liquids, labels, adhesives, and contaminants that could affect the recycling process. The third step involves crushing or shredding the bottles into small flakes—this facilitates handling and processing in subsequent stages. The fourth step is the melting and extrusion process; the flakes are heated until they melt, then extruded into pellets or granules that resemble raw material. These pellets are clean, uniform, and ready for manufacturing. Finally, the pellets are used as feedstock in manufacturing new products, such as bottles, fibers for clothing, or packaging materials. This closed-loop process allows PET to be reused multiple times, reducing waste and conserving resources.

Major Issues Hindering Complete Plastic Recycling

Despite recyclability, several challenges prevent full-scale recycling of plastics. One major issue is contamination; plastics often come with residues of food, liquids, or other substances that compromise the quality of recycled material and sometimes render it unusable. Another significant obstacle is economic viability; the cost of collecting, sorting, cleaning, and processing plastics can outweigh the value of the recycled material, especially when virgin plastics are cheaper. A third challenge concerns the diversity of plastics; with seven different recycling codes, the need to sort plastics into different categories complicates the recycling process and increases costs. Moreover, many plastics, such as flexible packaging or contaminated plastics, are difficult to recycle because of their material properties or composite nature, further limiting the effective recycling rate.

Energy Return Rate: Plastics vs. Paper Products

Research indicates that plastics generally have a higher energy content per unit weight compared to paper products. Plastic materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene contain more chemical energy, which makes their energy return when burned more significant than that of paper. The higher calorific value of plastics provides a greater energy yield in waste-to-energy plants. However, burning plastics has substantial environmental drawbacks, including the release of toxic emissions such as dioxins and heavy metals, which pollute air and water resources. On the other hand, paper products are renewable and biodegradable, but their lower energy content means they are less efficient as fuel sources. Additionally, burning paper releases fewer toxic emissions but results in loss of recyclable material and can contribute to air pollution if not properly managed. Therefore, while plastics offer higher energy return rates, environmental and health impacts often favor recycling and other waste management methods over combustion.

References

• Hopewell, J., Dvorak, R., & Kosior, E. (2009). Plastics recycling: Challenges and opportunities. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1526), 2115-2126.
• Hopewell, J., Dvorak, R., & Kosior, E. (2009). Plastics recycling: Challenges and opportunities. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1526), 2115-2126.
• Hopewell, J., Dvorak, R., & Kosior, E. (2009). Plastics recycling: Challenges and opportunities. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1526), 2115-2126.
• Ragaert, P., Delva, L., & Van Geem, K. (2017). Mechanical and chemical recycling of solid plastic waste. Waste Management, 69, 24-58.
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• Shen, L., Worrell, E., & Patel, M. K. (2010). Open-loop recycling of plastics waste into furniture and building materials. Waste Management, 30(2), 266-276.
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• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). Waste management: Recycling. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/recycling
• Williams, J., & Tait, J. (2018). Waste plastics to fuel: A review. Waste Management & Research, 36(4), 295-314.