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........ published in NEWSLETTER # 69
FRONTIERS IN THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF POLYMER RECYCLING
by Professor G. Akovali, Middle East Technical University, Ankara (Turkey)
The twentieth century has been known as the century of plastics. On the volume basis, the plastics production is about three times as large as that of steel, amounting to more than 160 mtons/year globally.
The notoriety of plastics is enhanced by their dominant role in disposable items, e.g. in packaging. Light in weight, high in rigidity and transparency; inexpensive plastic packaging is designed to be discarded after a single use. Environmentalists have given the highest priority to re-use and recycle plastics after their projected service time and these activities are only a part of the broader concept of recovery that includes mechanical and chemical feedstock recycling as well as energy recuperation. Many fields of expertise are certainly necessary for the understanding of problems involved in the value recovery from plastics waste, either as materials, chemicals or energy. Hence contributions are required from chemists, physicists, engineers as well as polymer and materials scientists. Due to the dimension of the subject, the participation of environmental, legal and economic experts is also of paramount importance. It was therefore opportune for the workers in the forefront of these different areas to meet, to discuss and to exchange ideas.
This, indeed, was achieved effectively during the ASI meeting in Antalya and all information collected in the hard bound book prepared. The book (NATO ASI SERIES E351) with its six chapters, is a potential source-book for all involved in the area as well as a text book covering the basics for beginners. In the book, in addition to the fundamental and special issues pertinent to polymer recycling; some very valuable up-to-date information such as sections on "regulations and practices of polymer recycling in Nato countries", "economic aspects of recycling" and "future perspectives and strategies of recycling" are included.
Reference books: C94, C123, C182, C215, C292, C293, C326, C405, C506, E89, E106, E133, E182, E186, E206, E230, E246, E327, E335, E346, E351