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Sustainable Transformation of Waste Soft Plastics into High-Quality Flexible Sheets

Author

Listed:
  • Md. Shahruk Nur-A-Tomal

    (Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT@UNSW), School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia)

  • Farshid Pahlevani

    (Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT@UNSW), School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia)

  • Saroj Bhattacharyya

    (Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia)

  • Bill Joe

    (School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia)

  • Charlotte Wesley

    (Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT@UNSW), School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia)

  • Veena Sahajwalla

    (Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT@UNSW), School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia)

Abstract

Post-consumer soft plastics often face inadequate management practices, posing threats to both human life and the environment while also leading to the loss of valuable recyclable materials when not recycled. Traditional mechanical recycling methods are unsuitable for waste soft plastics due to their thin and flimsy nature. This study presents an effective, user-friendly process for converting waste soft plastics into new products, generating value, and expediting their collection and recycling without the need for pelletization. The outcome of this process was compared with products derived from traditional recycling and commercially available alternatives through various analytical techniques including tensile testing, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The findings suggest that waste soft plastics can be transformed into flexible sheets without significant alterations to their properties. In particular, the ultimate tensile strength of samples recycled using the developed process in this study and traditional recycling were found to be 25.9 ± 0.4 and 25.2 ± 0.8 MPa, respectively, surpassing commercially available products by nearly 15 MPa. Additionally, a life cycle assessment revealed that producing flexible sheets from waste soft plastics using this innovative approach, rather than virgin polymer, could reduce fossil fuel depletion and global warming by 99.4% and 94.6%, respectively. This signifies the potential of the process to mitigate environmental pollution and produce high-quality products exclusively from 100% waste plastics.

Suggested Citation

  • Md. Shahruk Nur-A-Tomal & Farshid Pahlevani & Saroj Bhattacharyya & Bill Joe & Charlotte Wesley & Veena Sahajwalla, 2023. "Sustainable Transformation of Waste Soft Plastics into High-Quality Flexible Sheets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-17, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:23:p:16462-:d:1291831
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chaukura, Nhamo & Gwenzi, Willis & Bunhu, Tavengwa & Ruziwa, Deborah T. & Pumure, Innocent, 2016. "Potential uses and value-added products derived from waste polystyrene in developing countries: A review," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 157-165.
    2. Laurent Lebreton & Anthony Andrady, 2019. "Future scenarios of global plastic waste generation and disposal," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-11, December.
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