A review of plastics waste recycling and the flotation of plastics

This paper summarizes the importance of plastic waste recycling and plastic waste separation. Based on an analysis of the physical and chemical characteristics of plastics and plastic waste, the potentials and limitations of several technological processes are discussed. In addition, a review of the surface chemical aspects of plastic flotation is presented. It can be concluded that the flotation of plastics is a fairly flexible technique and could prove to be a useful process for the separation of mixtures of several different types of plastics. However, more research and development effort is required before this technology can be introduced to industry. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.