Cited by 3,276Polymer crystallization and propertiesWaste Management and RecyclingRecycling and Waste Management Techniques

Mechanical and chemical recycling of solid plastic waste

Ragaert, Kim, Delva, Laurens, Van Geem, Kevin·2017·Waste Management

Abstract

This review presents a comprehensive description of the current pathways for recycling of polymers, via both mechanical and chemical recycling. The principles of these recycling pathways are framed against current-day industrial reality, by discussing predominant industrial technologies, design strategies and recycling examples of specific waste streams. Starting with an overview on types of solid plastic waste (SPW) and their origins, the manuscript continues with a discussion on the different valorisation options for SPW. The section on mechanical recycling contains an overview of current sorting technologies, specific challenges for mechanical recycling such as thermo-mechanical or lifetime degradation and the immiscibility of polymer blends. It also includes some industrial examples such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling, and SPW from post-consumer packaging, end-of-life vehicles or electr(on)ic devices. A separate section is dedicated to the relationship between design and recycling, emphasizing the role of concepts such as Design from Recycling. The section on chemical recycling collects a state-of-the-art on techniques such as chemolysis, pyrolysis, fluid catalytic cracking, hydrogen techniques and gasification. Additionally, this review discusses the main challenges (and some potential remedies) to these recycling strategies and ground them in the relevant polymer science, thus providing an academic angle as well as an applied one.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.wasman.2017.07.044

Cites

187 of 187 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • In real-life sorting of mixed plastic waste streams, separation occurs physically by sink-flow density separation or mechanical sorting after NIR analysis.

    “In a real-life sorting of mixed plastic waste streams, separation occurs physically by sink-flow density separation or mechanical sorting after NIR analysis. 10”

    From Closed-loop recycling of polyethylene-like materials (2021) · cites this paper as [10]

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

4 of the 191 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Al-Salem, S., Lettieri, P., Baeyens, J., 2009b. Thermal treatment of different grades and types of Polyethylene (PE) wasted articles. In: Proceedings of 8th World Congress of Chemical Engineering Montreal (Quebec), pp. 1–4.
  2. Beyler, 2002, Thermal decomposition of polymers, SFPE Handb. Fire Protect. Eng., 2, 110

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Authors
Ragaert, K., Delva, L., & Van Geem, K.
Affiliations
Ghent University (BE)
Corresponding author
Ragaert, Kim
Venue
Waste Management
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2017-11
Volume
69
Pages
24-58
ISSN
0956-053X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2749550903
Cited by
3,276
References
191
Citations by year
2026: 531 · 2025: 598 · 2024: 505 · 2023: 486 · 2022: 397 · 2021: 347 · 2020: 235 · 2019: 111 · 2018: 61 · 2017: 5
FWCI
8.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Waste Management (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Polymer crystallization and properties
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Waste Management and Recycling
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
Keywords
mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, polymer recycling, thermomechanical degradation, PET recycling, post-consumer packaging, end-of-life vehicles, electronic waste, design for recycling, chemolysis, pyrolysis, fluid catalytic cracking, hydrogen-induced cracking, gasification, waste valorization
MeSH terms
Plastics, Polyethylene Terephthalates, Polymers, Product Packaging, Recycling, Solid Waste

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