A recently published roadmap aims to improve the recycling of plastics used in infrastructure applications and other durable goods. | Hans Engbers/Shutterstock
The American Chemistry Council developed a roadmap for improving the recovery of plastics from durable goods in the automotive, building and construction, electronics, infrastructure and medical sectors.
The American Chemistry Council (ACC), which represents plastics makers, on Dec. 5 published a roadmap with recommendations for recycling the plastics.
According to a press release, about 60% of North American plastic that’s produced and sent to domestic manufacturers is used in durable goods.
To better recover plastics from the products, the report emphasizes the need to design products with repair and recycling in mind; the value of using chemical recycling technologies to recycle the plastics; the need for standards, methods and certification programs; and the benefit of more pilot programs that bring together the value chain.
As an example of the latter, the release cited ACC’s work with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. According to the roadmap, ACC and the laboratory are working to establish a pilot-scale line for separating plastics from durable goods and recycling them via chemical recycling.