Recycled Materials for Construction Applications : Plastic Products and Composites

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Preface Introduction Contents List of Figures List of Tables About the Author List of Abbreviations and Acronyms Chapter 1: Environmental Aspects 1.1 Plastics as a Source of Pollution 1.2 Sustainability of Plastic Materials and Products 1.3 Sustainability of Plastics Used in Construction 1.4 Circular Economy Recycling 1.5 Life Cycle Assessment 1.5.1 Generalities 1.5.2 Life Cycle-Based Sustainability Standards 1.5.3 LCA Case Studies 1.5.3.1 Plastics 1.5.3.2 PVC 1.5.3.3 Biobased Plastics 1.5.3.4 Pipes 1.5.3.4.1 Plastic Piping Systems for Different Applications 1.5.3.4.2 Sewer Plastic Pipes 1.5.3.4.3 Wastewater Pipes of Different Class of Materials 1.5.3.5 Paint Buckets 1.5.3.6 Windows 1.5.3.7 Recycling Processes 1.6 Contribution of Regulations and Policies Chapter 2: Plastic Materials and Additives 2.1 Generalities 2.2 Thermoplastics 2.3 Thermosets 2.4 Elastomers 2.5 Polymeric Additives 2.6 Ecological Plastics 2.6.1 Generalities 2.6.2 Bioplastics 2.6.2.1 Biobased Plastics 2.6.2.2 Biodegradable Plastics 2.6.2.3 Other Degradable Plastics 2.6.2.4 Applications 2.6.2.5 Advantages and Disadvantages 2.6.2.5.1 Advantages 2.6.2.5.2 Disadvantages 2.6.3 Biocomposites 2.6.4 Recycled Plastics 2.6.4.1 Additives for Recycled Plastics Chapter 3: Use of Polymer Materials in Construction 3.1 Plastics 3.2 Fiber-Reinforced Plastics 3.2.1 Classification of Composites 3.2.2 Characteristics of Polymeric Composites 3.2.3 Application of Polymeric Composites in Construction 3.2.3.1 Generalites 3.2.3.2 FRP Waste 3.2.3.3 PRF Products 3.3 Biocomposites 3.3.1 Generalities 3.3.2 Use of Biocomposites in the Construction 3.4 Recycled Plastics Chapter 4: Recycling 4.1 Generalities 4.2 Classification of Recycling Processes 4.3 Cascading Principles for Recycling 4.4 Value Chain for Plastic Waste 4.5 Machinery for Recycling 4.6 Collection 4.7 Separation 4.7.1 Generalities 4.7.2 Wet Separating Techniques for Separating Plastics 4.7.2.1 Generalities 4.7.2.2 Froth Flotation 4.7.2.3 Sink–Float Separation 4.7.2.4 Hydrocyclonic Separation 4.7.2.5 Multidune Separation 4.7.2.6 Solvent Extraction 4.7.3 Dry Separating Techniques for Separating Plastics 4.7.3.1 Generalities 4.7.3.2 Manual Sorting with Quality Control 4.7.3.3 Dimensional Separation 4.7.3.3.1 Air Classifiers 4.7.3.3.2 Star Screens and Ballistic Separators 4.7.3.3.3 Cyclone Separators 4.7.3.4 Optical Separation 4.7.3.4.1 Raman Spectroscopy 4.7.3.4.2 Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIRS) 4.7.3.4.3 Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) 4.7.3.4.4 Visible Spectroscopy (VIS) 4.7.3.4.5 Terahertz Spectroscopy (THz 4.7.3.4.6 X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRFS) 4.7.3.4.7 Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) 4.7.3.5 Separation Based on Electrostatic and Magnetic Properties 4.7.3.5.1 Electrodynamic Separation 4.7.3.5.2 Magnetic and Eddy Current Separation 4.7.3.5.3 Triboelectrostatic Separation 4.7.3.5.4 Magnetic Levitation 4.7.3.5.5 Magnetic Projection 4.7.3.6 Thermal Treatment 4.8 Innovations Along the Separation Process of Plastics 4.9 Quality of Recycled Materials 4.9.1 Objectives 4.9.2 Constraints and Influencing Factors 4.9.3 Quality Assessment. Normalization 4.9.4 Destination of Rejected Materials 4.10 Reprocessing 4.11 Manufacture of Final Products 4.12 Impact of Different Recycling Processes 4.13 Technologies for Industrial Recycling of Plastics 4.13.1 Chemical Recycling 4.13.1.1 Generalities 4.13.1.2 Recent Examples of Chemical Recycling Applications 4.13.2 Mechanical Recycling 4.13.2.1 Generalities 4.13.2.2 Direct Recycling (Closed Circuit) 4.13.2.3 Downcycling 4.13.2.4 Processes for Recycling of Mixtures of Plastics 4.13.2.4.1 Solid State Shear Pulverization 4.13.2.4.2 Powder Impression Molding Process 4.13.3 Optimization of Recycling and Separation Technologies Chapter 5: Plastics Statistics: Production, Recycling, and Market Data 5.1 Generalities 5.2 Production Capacity and Application Market for Plastics 5.3 Production Capacity and Market for Biobased Polymers 5.4 Quantities of Recycled Plastic 5.5 Costs of Recycling 5.6 Prices of Recycled Plastics 5.7 Competitiveness of the Waste Management Sector Chapter 6: Constraints to the Application of Recycled Plastics 6.1 Generalities 6.2 Environmental Problems Associated with Recycling 6.3 Main Difficulties in the Recycling of Plastics Chapter 7: Recycling of the Main Plastics Used in Construction 7.1 PVC Recycling 7.1.1 Generalities 7.1.2 Difficulties 7.1.3 Mitigation Measures 7.1.4 Recycling Methods 7.1.5 PVC Recycling Statistics 7.1.6 Sustainability Label 7.2 Recycling of Polyurethane 7.2.1 Generalities 7.2.2 Constraints Associated with PU Recycling 7.2.3 Mitigation Measures 7.2.4 Recycling Methods 7.2.5 PU Recycling Statistics 7.3 Recycling of Polypropylene and PPolyethylene 7.3.1 Generalities 7.3.2 Recycling Methods 7.4 Recycling of Plastic Mixtures 7.4.1 Difficulties 7.4.2 Mitigation Measures 7.4.3 Recycling Methods 7.5 Recycling of Composites 7.5.1 Generalities 7.5.2 Constraints Associated with the Recycling of Composites 7.5.3 Mitigation Measures 7.5.4 Recycling Methods 7.5.5 Applications of Recycled Composites 7.6 Illustrative Cases of Success 7.6.1 Recycled PVC 7.6.2 Recycled PU 7.6.3 Recycled Polyolefins (PP and PE) 7.6.4 Recycled PS 7.6.5 Recycling of Mixtures of Plastics 7.6.6 Recycling of Composites 7.7 Relevant Projects, Programs, and Studies Chapter 8: Final Remarks 8.1 Conclusions 8.2 Challenges 8.3 Recommendations References Index This book presents the state of the art on the topic of recycling of plastic building materials, comprising a synthetic market analysis, and presenting the latest developments in plastic recycling technologies. The book also makes recommendations to optimize the success of recycling and encourage the circular economy, while acknowledging the environmental and sustainability implications of plastic recycling for building construction. The distinctive features of this book are the variety of topics covered on sustainable plastic recycling, the discussion of advances in plastic recycling technology, detailed illustrations, and summarized descriptions of separation processes. This book is a guide for both technical and non-technical readers, and for anyone involved in plastic waste or recycling, including researchers and students in plastics engineering, polymer science, polymer chemistry, environmental science, and sustainable materials.