20-03-2014, 02:12 PM
Recycling of Plastics
Recycling of Plastics[.pdf (Size: 214.75 KB / Downloads: 14)
INTRODUCTION
In the coming years and into the 21st century, plastics gained further importance in life. Both
consumers and industrial users expand their demand for plastics, both in terms of quantity
and quality. The coming decade is a crucial period for the plastics industry in meeting this
demand. At the same time, the rapidly increasing waste burden of plastics has to be
minimized. At present, around 50 to 60 percent of waste plastics is left uncollected or is
dumped in an uncontrolled manner on land, in rivers or in the sea. This requires intense
efforts on the part of the waste management sectors as well as the plastics recycling industry.
The recycling sector can reduce the burden of solid waste by creating a market for recovered
materials and simultaneously narrowing the gap between the demand and supply of plastic
resources.
LITERATURE REVIEW
A variety of strategy books provide useful information needed to develop a business plan
strategy for an entrant in a mature market. Robert Grant, in his book published in 2005,
“Contemporary Strategy Analysis”, believes that “strategy is about winning”. Creating a
strategy is a key factor to a business’ success. His book, through a theoretical and practical
approach, offers tools for identifying factors that determine the success of a business. It
provides a useful framework for an industry analysis and 8 competitive advantage analyses.
Grant also offers a valuable insight into diversification strategies and organizational models.
Case Study:
Mumbai’s Experience with the Recycled Plastic Manufacture and Usage Rules, 1999
The Recycled Plastic Manufacture and Usage Rule of 1999 was the first central government
rule on plastic waste in India. It was passed to control the packaging of food products in
recycled plastics and to manage the littering problem. The objective of the Rule was
supposedly to protect human health from the risk of coloured plastic bags and to minimize
the littering problem by encouraging reuse and recycling of polybags. The Rule was based on
the recommendations of the Plastic Waste Management Task Force [3].
BACKGROUND READING
Plastics are significant and make a positive contribution with regards to packaging in various
ways. Plastic bottles, plastic tubs, and plastic bags all have the potential to be recycled;
however, what can or cannot be recycled depends on the municipalities. There are people,
who are of the belief that recycling uses more energy than it saves. This was stated by a
columnist, John Tierney, who had posted in a New York Times Magazine an article stating
that “recycling is garbage.” “Mandatory recycling programs,” he wrote, “...offer mainly
short-term benefits to a few groups - politicians, environmental organizations and waste
handling corporations - while diverting money from genuine social and environmental
problems. Recycling may be the most wasteful activity in modern America...”
CONCLUSION
The use of plastic today is widespread and it minimizes the use of wood, metals etc., thus
reducing the stress on natural resources. If plastics are not used with carefulness, it causes
considerable environmental problems such as pollution and impacts on health and aesthetics.
The management of plastic waste is difficult but an achievable possibility provided we
simplify the collection and separation of plastics from other waste materials and subject it to
recycling as far as possible. Along with this, considerable awareness has to be created to
reuse the plastic materials as far as possible, reduce its use wherever possible and replace it
with alternative materials such as clothes, jutes, paper etc.