There are different solutions for end-of-life of biodegradable plastic.
Mechanical recycling
If a separate recycling stream for a certain plastic/bioplastic type exists, the bioplastic can be easily recycled alongside its conventional counterparts (e.g. biobased PE in the PE-stream or biobased PET in the PET stream). The post consumer recycling of bioplastics for which no separate stream yet exists, will be feasible, as soon as the commercial volumes and sales increase sufficiently to cover the investments required. New separate streams (PLA) will be introduced in the short to medium term. Numerous research projects and tests e.g. for PLA are currently underway.
At the moment mechanical recycling is working for post-industrial or closed-loop scrap of biodegradable plastic.
Gianeco s.r.l. provides an excellent service to collect and increase value of industrial scrap of biodegradable plastic. Gianeco collects and recycle biodegradable plastic from thermoforming process, flexible film, fiber in all forms (lumps, regrinds, flakes, bales, rolls), film from bags production. Biodegradable plastic scrap is recycled into pellets and used for further applications in industrial production. For further information about our recycled PLA, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Chemical recycling
Chemical recycling, also known as feedstock recovery or tertiary recycling, is a process where plastics are converted into monomers, oligomers or hydrocarbons that can be used again to produce virgin polymers. There are two different forms of chemical recycling being investigated thermal depolymerization and chemical depolymerization.
Chemical recycling is technically possible, but not in commercial stage yet for post-consumer plastics.- Organic recycling: Organic recycling is defined by the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94/62/EC (amended in 2005/20/EC) as the
- aerobic treatment (composting) or
- anaerobic treatment (biogasification) of packaging waste.
