Sustainable Plastics Recovery

Plastics are too valuable to waste.

PACIA, as part of the global plastics industry, has created a new guidance document to improve not only how used plastic products are recovered, but preserving precious resources and energy in the process.

PACIA has a policy position of working to eliminate plastic waste to landfill. After serving out a useful purpose as a product, plastics are able to be converted into a range of material or energy types. Plastic products can be mechanically recycled and re-manufactured into a variety of new products. Compostable plastics are able to become compost in commercial facilities. Plastics can also be used as an alternative fuel or energy source with a calorific value at least equal to coal and with lower CO2 emissions.

Generally, all of these options are better than plastic’s resources being locked up and wasted in landfills. Importantly, the different recovery methods each have an environmental contribution in reducing both materials and energies needed to make new products. The waste hierarchy provides a valuable guide to selecting suitable methods.

The Sustainable Plastics Recovery document provides the fundamental principles to be used by governments, industry and communities in best recovering plastics. It also contains a clear picture of consumer demand for plastic products in Australia, markets for recycled plastic products and a broad range of programs and information to help create greater improvements.

• Sustainable Plastics Recovery: Guidance Document.