Plastics

What are they?

Plastic
What is it?
A synthetic or semi-synthetic material made of organic polymers.
A polymer is a molecule of many monomers bonded together.
• Organic means containing carbon.
• Monomer means likes to bond with others like it.
• Polymer means a chain of monomers.
• Plastic becomes many chains together, some linked together
and some not linked together.
Plastics
Classification
Plastics consist of molecules called monomers that like to form long
chains. These long chains can be connected to one another to varying
degrees. The connections between chains are called cross-links. The
fewer cross links, the more likely the plastic can be recycled.

Thermoplastics Elastomers Thermosets

Little to no Cross-Linking Some cross-linking Extensive cross-linking
 Plastics
Basic Classification
Thermoplastics
Little to no Cross-Linking

• Become pliable and moldable when heated.

• Solidify when cooled.
• Have a wide range of applications (e.g. food packaging, bumpers, credit cards).
• Can be recycled.
• Can be reused as filler material for lightweight concrete, composite deck boards, etc.
 Plastics
Basic Classification
Elastomers
Some cross-linking

• Are composed of long polymer chains that reconfigure under applied stress.
• Become non-rigid solids above their “glass transition temperatures”.
• Can be stretched repeatedly and returned to their original shape.
• Are also referred to as rubber.
• Are predominantly thermoset plastics and cannot be recycled.
Plastics In 1988, the Society of the Plastics
Industry (SPI) developed a coding
of Many Types scheme for the many different types of
plastic: Numbers 1 through 7

Polyethylene Terephthalate
(PETE or PET)

High-Density Polyethylene Polypropylene

(HDPE or PEHD) (PP)

Polyvinyl Chloride Polystyrene

(PVC) (PS or Styrofoam)

Low-Density Polyethylene Miscellaneous plastics

(LDPE) (That's a lot!)
Plastics Polyethylene Terephthalate
(PETE or PET)
of Many Types
56 million tons of PET produced
every year are commonly used
as synthetic fibers and in plastic
water/beverage bottles

Did you know? PET is a thermoplastic and a member of the polyester family. It tends
to absorb odors and flavors from what is stored inside of containers

These plastics are COMMONLY recycled: > 30% in the United States
Plastics High-Density Polyethylene
(HDPE or PEHD)

of Many Types
30 million tons of HDPE
produced every year are
commonly used in plastic
containers, including bottles

Did you know?

HDPE is a thermoplastic with high strength to density ratio. HDPE containers do not
leach chemicals into food or drink BUT can become contaminated from what is
stored inside of them.

These plastics are COMMONLY recycled: > 30% in the United States
Plastics Polyvinyl Chloride
(PVC)
of Many Types

40 million tons of PVC produced every year are

commonly used in doors, plumbing, pipes, electrical
cable insulation, flooring, car interiors, and non-food
containers

Did you know?

PVC is a thermoplastic which is often softened with
phthalates. Phthalates leach easily and are known to
cause harm to people.

PVC is not often recycled, but can be readily ground up and reformed into other
products and materials
Plastics Low-Density Polyethylene
(LDPE)
of Many Types
40 million tons of PVC
produced every year are
commonly used in doors,
plumbing, pipes, electrical
cable insulation, flooring,
car interiors, and non-food
containers.

Did you know?

PVC is a thermoplastic
which is often
softened with
phthalates. Phthalates
leach easily and are
known to cause harm
to people.

These plastics are poorly recycled at rates less than 6% in the United States
Plastics Polypropylene
PP
of Many Types
59 million tons of PP (25%
of global plastics volume)
are produced every year
and is commonly used in
Tupperware, bottle caps,
prescription bottles, yogurt
containers, carpets, and
plastic diapers.

Did you know?

PP is another thermoplastic but is typically stronger
and can withstand higher temperatures than PE
plastics. It is also resistant to fatigue and is used in
many “living hinges” such as those found on flip top
bottles and similar products.

Although PP CAN be recycled, it is typically NOT recycled

Plastics Polystyrene
Styrofoam
of Many Types
Over 17 million tons of Polystyrene are
produced every year. PS is attractive for its
light weight and ability to be molded into
almost any shape. It is used for plastic cups,
plates, cutlery, and many other types of food
Did you know? boxes as well as license plates and insulation.
Polystyrene takes hundreds of years
to biodegrade and ”looks” like food
to animals, making it a major threat
to wildlife as it enters the world’s
oceans in massive quantities.
Threats to land-based wildlife are
similar but less well understood than
the harm posed to marine life.

Although PS can be recycled,

it cannot be efficiently recycled and more often than not, is discarded
Plastics Miscellaneous
Plastics
of Many Types
Category 7 contains miscellaneous forms of plastic, including polycarbonate, acrylic,
nylon, and polylactic acid (PLA) which are used in a broad range of products.

Although many Code 7 plastics are difficult to recycle because they are thermosets,
some, like PLA, are used to make compostable products
Plastics
and More --- Additives
In practice, there is more to plastic than just plastic....
Most Plastic Products = Plastic + Additives

Stabilizers Plasticizers
Did you know?
While many plastics, in
Anti static Impact their unadulterated form,
agents Modifiers
can be readily recycled,
Additives
Additives
once additives are included
Anti block Anti-
microbials in the plastic, they are
agents
often no longer amenable
Blowing Anti- to recycling
agents oxidants
Plastics Stabilizers:
Prevent a plastic product from
Additives breaking down from heat or
ultraviolet light.

In practice, there is more to plastic than just plastic....

Most Plastic Products = Plastic + Additives

Stabilizers Did you know?

Heat stabilizers are most common in
construction products (e.g. windows
and doors exposed to outdoor heat)
Additives
Additives while light stabilizers are most
common in polypropylene and
polyethylene. Many stabilizers
contain metals such as lead.
Plastics Plasticizers:
Increase the flexibility and
Additives decrease brittleness in plastics.

In practice, there is more to plastic than just plastic....

Most Plastic Products = Plastic + Additives

Plasticizers Did you know?

Over 8 million tons of plasticizers are
produced every year. Most are used to
soften PVC (polyvinyl chloride) in
Additives
Additives cables and film applications. A
common group of plasticizers, the
phthalates, are thought to be
endocrine disrupters and bear serious
harm to human health.
Plastics Impact Modifiers:
Make plastics tougher,
Additives and increase durability.

In practice, there is more to plastic than just plastic....

Most Plastic Products = Plastic + Additives

Did you know?

Impact Impact modifiers are used with
Modifiers
extruded plastics and are very
Additives attractive to products that are subject
to high impact forces or that operate
in cold weather.
Plastics Antimicrobials:
Kill micro-organisms,
Additives or stop their growth.

In practice, there is more to plastic than just plastic....

Most Plastic Products = Plastic + Additives

Did you know?

Antimicrobial additives to plastics can
kill mold, mildew, yeast, and algae,
Additives stopping discoloration and odor as
Anti-
microbials
well as preventing premature
degradation of the plastic.
Plastics Antioxidants
Reduce degradation in plastics
Additives from both light and heat.

In practice, there is more to plastic than just plastic....

Most Plastic Products = Plastic + Additives

Did you know?

Antioxidants reduce degradation by
limiting the production of free
Additives
Additives radicals.

Anti-
oxidants
Plastics Blowing Agents
Decrease density, reduce
Additives weight, and increase stiffness.

In practice, there is more to plastic than just plastic....

Most Plastic Products = Plastic + Additives

Did you know?

Blowing agents work by creating a
foam-like or cellular structure within
Additives
Additives plastic, thereby making them less
dense. CFCs are a form of blowing
agent but have been eliminated
Blowing because of their ozone depleting
agents effects.
Plastics Anti-Block Agents
Prevent adhesion between
Additives layers of plastic films.

In practice, there is more to plastic than just plastic....

Most Plastic Products = Plastic + Additives

Did you know?

Anti-Block agents are used primarily in
polyethylene and polypropylene films
Additives
Additives to reduce the Van der Waals forces
Anti block
agents that make plastics stick together,
often to the dismay of the user.
Plastics Anti-Static Agents
Reduce the build-up of static
Additives electricity in plastics.

In practice, there is more to plastic than just plastic....

Most Plastic Products = Plastic + Additives

Did you know?

Anti static Anti-Static agents work by making the
agents surface of the plastic slightly
Additives
Additives conductive, thereby protecting
electronics and other static-sensitive
devices from harm. Military fuel uses
anti-static agents to reduce the risk of
sparking in the fuel itself.
Plastic
What is it?
Plastic is a generic term for molecules (monomers) that like
sticking together and forming large chains. How the monomers
stick to each other and how the chains stick to other chains have
a direct relationship to what a plastic can do & how it does it.

Every Year:
300 million tons are produced.
22%-43% ends up in landfills.
Only a small portion is recycled.

Plastics:
Are more than their base material and
contain a wide range of additives that often
prevent the plastic from being recycled and
in some cases, cause harm to human health.