Why can’t we recycle plastic in the same way we do for metal? Melt it and remold it?
In: Technology
Two large issues:
* There is no such material as “plastic” – there are gazillion different types of plastic, just like how there are a lot of types of metal.
So you have to work recycling out for every type individually.
And not mix multiple types together.
Just like with metals mixing random stuff together makes reusing it borderline impossible.
* Plastics are FAR TOO CHEAP TO MAKE.
They are made from ludicrusly cheap fossil fuel stuff.
Due to this its simply not economical to recycle it – thats an unavoidable issue, even if you want to be enviromentally conscious with your company. As the company that uses non-recycled stuff can do its thing for cheaper, price better, and drive you into bankruptcy.
Both issues can only (realistically) be solved by legistlation.
On top of these, ther are technological hurdles.
Stuff like plastics being made out of long chain like molecules, instead of “just atoms thrown in randomly”.
And with repeated reuse, molceular chains can break and thus shorten.
Shorter molecular chain touches and connects to fewr other molecules, thus your material gets weaker.
Ofc this issue can be circumvented by grading plastic – and designing the arts for appropriate strength. And when it becomes really useless you can still reprocess it chemically.
Technological issues are – in some sense – easier to overcome than legistlative ones.
As it can be done by a relatively small hard working group.
With legistlative problems you have to fight against large mutlinatinals and various other interests groups pushing back with all their ~~bribing might~~ lobby power
Latest Answers