Additives:
A diverse group of specialty chemicals incorporated into plastic
formulations before or during processing, or to the surfaces of finished
products after processing. Their primary purpose is to modify the behavior
of plastics during processing or to impart useful properties to fabricated
plastic articles. (Modern Plastics Encyclopedia 1995).
Advanced Recycling Technologies (ART):
Processes that yield a
variety of versatile and marketable end-products that are the building
blocks from which new plastics and a variety of other products can be
manufactured. This is achieved by converting or recycling plastics back into
the raw materials from which they were made. ART includes such processes as
methanolysis, glycolysis, hydrolysis, and thermal depolymerization. These
technologies augment existing mechanical systems as part of an integrated
approach to plastics recycling designed to increase the volume of
post-consumer plastic plastics diverted from the waste stream and expand the
variety of plastics that are recycled into new and useful products. (The
Evolution of Plastics Recycling Technology, APC, 1994).
The American Plastics Council (APC):
A national organization whose
mission is to actively demonstrate that plastics are a preferred material
and a responsible choice in a more environmentally conscious world.
Ammonolysis:
A complete depolymerization process that breaks nylon
into its building blocks or monomers that can then be repolymerized to make
nylon in any form and for any market. (Modern Plastics Encyclopedia 1995).
Automatic Plastics Sorting:
The separation of mixed plastics by
resin type and/or color via a mechanical system. A system detects the
plastic type (or types) to be segregated and removes those materials from
the stream. Common systems utilize conveyors, resin/color detectors,
computer analysis and tracking and air jet ejectors. For plastic packaging,
the separation may be on a macro (whole container) or micro (chopped/ground
particles) basis. ("Automatic Sorting for Mixed Plastics," Peter
Dinger, BioCycle, March 1992; "Automatic Microsorting for Mixed
Plastics," Peter Dinger, BioCycle, April 1992)
Glossary - B
Bale:
The end product of a compaction process that is used to
decrease the volume that material occupies by increasing the density and
weight. Bales are typically 3' x 4' x 5' and must be bound with plastic
stripping or wire to keep from falling apart. (Waste Reduction Strategies
for Rural Communities, prepared by the MaCC Group, with support from
Tennessee Valley Authority, March 1994).
Bisphenol-A (4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol):
An intermediate used
in the production of epoxy, polycarbonate and phenolic resins. The name was
coined after the condensation reaction by which it may be formed--two (bis)
molecules of phenol with one of acetone (A). (Whittington's Dictionary of
Plastics, published by Technomic Publishing).
Blow Molding:
A widely used process for the production of hollow
thermoplastic shapes. The process is divided into two general categories:
extrusion blow molding and injection blow molding. These processes are
typically used to manufacture plastic bottles and containers. (Modern
Plastics Encyclopedia 1995)
- Extrusion Blow Molding: A parison or tube of plastic material is
dropped or lowered from an extruder. Mold halves close around the
parison, which is then expanded against the cavity wall by the injection
of air. (Modern Plastics Encyclopedia 1995)
- Injection Blow Molding: A two-stage process where plastic is first
injection molded into a preform. The preform is then transferred to a
blow mold where it is expanded. (Modern Plastics Encyclopedia 1995).
British Thermal Unit (Btu):
The quantity of heat required to
increase the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. (The
Recycler's Lexicon: A Glossary of Contemporary Terms and Acronyms, Resource
Recycling Inc., 1995).
Buy-Back Recycling Centers:
A commercially located, staffed
recycling facility that purchases small amounts of post-consumer plastic
secondary materials from the public. Buy-back centers typically purchase
aluminum cans and may also handle glass containers and newspaper. Typically,
little processing of materials occurs at buy-back centers. (The Recycler's
Lexicon: A Glossary of Contemporary Terms and Acronyms, Resource Recycling
Inc., 1995).
