PlasticPlastic

Skylar BaugherSkylar Baugher

W1W1

1/25/101/25/10

Plastic Life CyclePlastic Life Cycle

1. Cracking process1. Cracking process

2. Ethylene and 2. Ethylene and propylene are propylene are producedproduced

3. Further 3. Further processingprocessing

Plastic Life CyclePlastic Life Cycle

4. Chemically 4. Chemically bondedbonded

5. Yield plastics5. Yield plastics

6. Wide range of 6. Wide range of plastics are plastics are producedproduced

Thermoplastics Thermoplastics

Majority of plastics are Majority of plastics are thermoplasticsthermoplastics

Can be heated and Can be heated and reformed immediatelyreformed immediately

Easy processing and Easy processing and facilitates recyclingfacilitates recycling

Ex. CelluloidEx. Celluloid

ThermosetsThermosets

Can not be Can not be remeltedremelted

Reheating causes Reheating causes decompositiondecomposition

Ex. Bakelite and Ex. Bakelite and poly phenol poly phenol formaldehyde formaldehyde

Characteristics of PlasticCharacteristics of Plastic

Can be very resistant Can be very resistant to chemicalsto chemicals

It’s both thermal and It’s both thermal and electrical insulatorselectrical insulators

Light weight, varying Light weight, varying degrees of strengthdegrees of strength

Processing produces Processing produces fibers or intricate partsfibers or intricate parts

Plastic UsesPlastic Uses

Shopping Shopping

Packaging Packaging

Light weighting Light weighting

Plastics in home Plastics in home constructionconstruction

Mechanical RecyclingMechanical Recycling

Curbside collection and Curbside collection and private hauling companyprivate hauling company

1. Delivered to a material 1. Delivered to a material recovery factory recovery factory

2. Sorted into single 2. Sorted into single resins streamsresins streams

3. The sorted plastics are 3. The sorted plastics are baledbaled

4. Reclamation is the last 4. Reclamation is the last stepstep

Sources Sources

http://www.americanchemistry.com/shttp://www.americanchemistry.com/s_plastics/doc.asp?CID=1571&DID=59_plastics/doc.asp?CID=1571&DID=5972#production72#production

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