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A second life for plastic
Plasback works with partner recyclers in Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney to reprocess the plastic collected and give it a second life. Reprocessing involves shredding, washing, drying, extruding and pelletising the plastic.

The plastic pellets are then remoulded into products like Tuffboard and Tuffdeck.

 

Are these plastics worth recycling?

In addition to being a responsible disposal method, recycling plastic has several other advantages:

  • Conservation of non-renewable fossil fuels - Plastic production uses 8% of the world's oil production, 4% as feedstock and 4% during manufacture.
  • Reduced consumption of energy.
  • Reduced amounts of solid waste going to landfill.
  • Reduced emissions of carbon-dioxide (CO2), nitrogen-oxide (NO) and sulphur-dioxide (SO2).

What does recycled plastic save?

Using recycled polyethylene as opposed to new products saves:

  • 67 % less energy consumption
  • 90 % water usage
  • 67 % less sulphur dioxide production
  • 50 % less nitrous oxide
  • 60 % less CO2 emissions
  • 1.8 tonnes less of oil for every tonne recycled plastic used

The collection of farm waste plastics from regional areas does consume energy and generates emissions to air, however there is a net energy saving if recycled plastics are used to replace more energy-intensive virgin plastics.*

The plastics we collect are all thermoplastics which can be reheated and remoulded numerous times - which means they can be recycled several times (so conceivably a 3rd, 4th & 5th life!). There is normally some degradation of thermoplastics during recycling due to contamination with other materials and additives, which is why we ask that you segregate the plastics into the appropriate liner - to keep the raw material stream as pure as possible. The plastic products we produce - such as Tuffboard, are pure polymer - so they can be recycled again.

Recycled plastics can replace virgin polymers in many applications where performance requirements such as food safety or colour are not critical.

 

 

PACIA 2010, Qucikstart, Plastics and the Environment