[Plastic] The United States, China and Europe, can the global definition of plastic recyclability be unified?

Today is the annual World Environment Day.

On the eve of this year’s Environment Day, in order to further promote China’s efforts to control plastic pollution, the Plastic Recycling Branch of China Synthetic Resin Supply and Marketing Association (CPRRA), China Plastic Sustainability Association (CSPA), Shanghai Fuxin Certification Co.

In theory, all thermoplastics can be recycled, but in actual production and life, only a part of plastic products are effectively recycled.

How to define the "recyclability" of plastic products?

The American Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR--The Association of Plastic Recyclers) defines the "recyclability" of plastic packaging and products in its design guidelines for plastic recyclability:

Meet the following three conditions at the same time:

? At least 60% of consumers or communities use this recycling system to deliver recyclable items.

?Through the recycling system, these items can be correctly classified and made into plastic market pre-bundles in accordance with the requirements of industry standards and regulations.

? The classified items can be economically and efficiently made into plastic recycled raw materials suitable for identifying new products through typical processing techniques.

At least 60% of consumers or communities have access to a collection system that accepts the item.

The item is most likely sorted correctly into a market-ready bale of a particular plastic meeting industry standard specifications, through commonly used material recovery systems, including single-stream and dual stream MRFs, PRF's, systems that handle deposit system containers, grocery store rigid plastic and film collection systems.

The item can be further processed through a typical recycling process cost effectively into a postconsumer plastic feedstock suitable for use in identifiable new products.

In the United States, the recyclables are collected through the Curbside recycling system (Curbside recycling), and then transported to the MRF (Materials Recovery Facility), including single-stream (paper, plastic, glass, metal and other recyclables are all input The recyclable trash can by the side of the road) and Shuangliu (paper is separated separately, and plastic, glass, metal, etc.

In addition to the roadside recycling system, it also includes a deposit recycling system and a commercial super hard plastic and film recycling system.

In July 2018, the European Plastics Recycling Association (PRE-Plastics Recycling Europe) and the American Plastics Recycling Association (APR) jointly released the definition of "recyclable" for plastic packaging and products:

A plastic product must meet 4 conditions to be considered "recyclable":

1.

2.

4.

1.

Currently, the RecyClass program developed by PRE uses the above definition.

In November 2019, CSPA (China Plastics Sustainable Development Association, formerly known as China Waste Plastics Association) signed a memorandum of cooperation with APR to introduce APR's plastic recyclability design guidelines into China and carry out a series of localization work.
We plan that China and the United States will fully cooperate to jointly develop global standards for plastic recyclability design.

(Keyword: Plastic Recycling)