RECYCLING of PLASTIC WASTE: Practices

SUPPORT TO THE ARMENIA-TURKEY NORMALISATION PROCESS European Union Initiative àôð´²Ü Ï ³ Û á õ Ý ½ ³ ñ · ³ ó Ù ³ Ý ÐÆØÜ²¸ð²Ø RECYCLING OF PLASTIC WASTE: Practices www.urbanfoundation.am 1 This information booklet is prepared for waste practitioners and general public. It contains historical overview of waste management practices, speaks about necessity of separation and recycling of plastic waste in the modern world. The booklet tells about the first attempts of separating plastic waste in Armenia, about achievements and lessons learnt. The booklet also provides plastic waste separation and recycling practices in Diyarbakir, Turkey. 2 ABOUT “URBAN” FOUNDATION This initiative was launched by “Urban” Foundation. Since 2008, the organization has been continuously working with communities throughout Armenia, to encourage and educate community members and waste disposal staff to sort and recycle plastic waste, by means of providing relevant capacities and infrastructure. Starting from Alaverdi, today this practice is spread or being spread in more than 20 communities in Armenia, and the first plastic recycling plant will soon be launched in Kapan community of Syunik Marz. àôð´²Ü Ï ³ Û á õ Ý ½ ³ ñ · ³ ó Ù ³ Ý ÐÆØÜ²¸ð²Ø 3 A clean place is not the one which is cleaned, “ “ but the one which is not littered 4 ABOUT THE INITIATIVE goods and create economic opportunities for businesses and population. This initiative of “Urban” Foundation aims to Success stories of plastic waste promote cooperation in the field of management in both countries have been management of plastic waste among the included into this booklet. Dissemination of civil society organizations in Armenia and the booklet among interested public, private Turkey, waste management specialists, and governmental organizations of two responsible authorities, and business countries may contribute to the persons. improvement of skills and expertise of the field. Turkey has made considerable progress in plastic waste recycling with well-established waste recycling companies operating in the “Urban” Foundation extends their gratitude country. Armenia is still making its first to the Eurasia Partnership Foundation, the steps toward separation of plastic from European Union and the Ministry of Foreign household waste and recycling thereof. Affairs of Sweden for their support for the Since this issue was in the focus of interest initiative. of stakeholders of both countries, this initiative enabled discussions on solutions or mitigations, and exchange of best practices of their countries. Along with the discussions, participants of the initiative visited waste recycling plants and were introduced to the manufacturing process. In addition to reduction of waste, recycling of plastic waste will not only prevent its spreading, but also transform it into public 5 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF WASTE authorities of Athens. Citizens of the MANAGEMENT polis were required to dispose waste at least 1.5 km away from the city. In the 11th century, Japan was the first The harmful impact of waste on the Ÿ to experience waste recycling by means environment and human health is largely of collecting pieces of used paper and touched upon these days; numerous recycling them into new ones. informative materials are published and studies conducted on this topic. Waste may Ÿ In the 14th century, England and France be spread through the wind, by animals started imposing fines for the pollution penetrating landfills, people and of city streets. businesses. Uncontrolled waste is full of adverse consequences; most of landfill Ÿ In many cities of England and Germany, sites is constantly burnt. waste disposal near water basins was banned. The issue of waste disposal traces back to prehistoric times. In various periods of Ÿ In the 16th century, the Queen of history, people tried to find solutions to England granted special tax privileges for waste management, which are at the core waste collection and disposal. of current international experience. Ÿ In the 18th century, the collection and Ÿ Even 3,000 years ago, on the Island of storage of recyclable metal waste was a Crete, people used to dispose waste into patriotic duty of every person during the specially drilled pits and cover is with US Independence War, due to the lack of soil. raw materials for ammunition. Ÿ The first known law on waste disposal, Ÿ In the 19th century, the large-scale which set forth rules for waste disposal, development of urbanization in the was adopted 2,500 years ago by the United States resulted in significant 6 increases of volume of waste, making city officials create the first municipal waste management services. Ÿ In the same century, New York population was assigned to store waste separated (food, paper, metal). Waste was thrown into special trash bins placed on the street. The first waste recycling plant was built in the city. Ÿ In the 19th century, the British Parliament enacted a law on waste sorting and recycling. In Nottingham, waste-to- energy practice was initiated. 7 CAPABILITIES OF RECYCLING 63 billion plastic bottles are thrown into PLASTIC WASTE landfills or the ocean. Annually, companies producing plastic bottles generate 2.5 million tons of dioxin. All this affects the Efficient and comprehensive management global climate change and global warming. of waste assumes sorting and recycling. In Plastic waste does not undergo the modern world, composition of biodegradation in the nature; however, it is household waste has changed. exposed to decay under the light, which Environmental pollution has increased, and means that with time it splits into small household waste has been multiplying with particles that absorb organic pollutants the domestic use of plastic bags and (bisphenol A (BPA) and polychlorinated polyethylene packages. Since the 1970s, biphenyl (PCB)). Water and soil the use of plastic bottles became a contaminated with these pollutants, infect common thing in everyday life of the US animals and birds, and penetrate into the population. food chain thus affecting human health, The use of plastic bottles (Polyethylene causing infertility, cancer, and other harmful Terephthalate/PET) is particularly needed in impacts on the human immune, the industry; as they say, plastic bottles are reproductive and nervous systems. as beautiful as crystal and as light as soap Therefore, recycling of plastic items bubble; they are unbreakable and as steady becomes a necessity to mitigate those as steel. Plastic bottles are completely harmful impacts. As it was mentioned, recyclable. recycling of waste is also beneficial from Despite of their economic advantages, economic perspectives. Today, plastic plastic bottles have serious harmful impact waste is sorted with 28% in the US, 78% in on the environment when instead of being Japan and 98% in Germany. recycled they are thrown into the environment. Different estimates show, that 8 The most commonly used modern Burning and generation of energy in the approach of recycling is the mechanical form of heat is another alternative of waste processing, which proceeds through the recycling. Burning is suitable for recycling following main stages: removal of organic of mixed waste, as it does not require remains by washing, milling, melting and sorting. At the same time, re-use of the producing outcomes with required features. original material becomes impossible after However, mechanical processing burning. In addition, this technology is not technologies represent some restriction, energy efficient. and it is not possible to recycle all types of plastic through that mode, due to their different chemical and thermal features. Thus, there are only two types of plastic that can be processed mechanically, including PET and PE (polyethylene), which make up 9 and 37 percent of the annual production of plastic, respectively. The rest of solid plastic household waste is almost impossible to process through this way. Processing of that type of waste is done using other modern technologies, such as chemical processing, conducted through pyrolysis (thermolysis) and the use of catalysts, which allows selective production of gas, oil and wax. However, chemical processing is not widely common mainly due to large consumptions of energy resources. 9 CAPABILITIES OF RECYCLING First attempts of waste recycling have PLASTIC WASTE IN ARMENIA already initiated in Armenia. The initiators represent the private sector who started from collecting plastic bottles in A study of the composition of waste was collaboration with various communities in conducted in six pilot communities of Armenia. However, those attempts revealed different sizes and lifestyle of Armenia. The that the annual amount of plastic produced study showed, that plastic bottles in Armenia is not sufficient to establish a constituted about 30% of the overall waste profitable business of waste recycling. (in terms of volume). Consequently, the interest of the private sector has dropped down and is limited to Various estimates claim, that 6,000 tons of milling of plastic waste and exporting of plastic bottles (PET) are produced in flakes thereof. Armenia annually. Sorting of the plastic waste is common only a few communities. In this situation, it is important to seek new Moreover, in different communities sorting approaches to recycling of plastic waste. It takes place in different ways. For example, is recommended to solve the issue of sorting of waste in Vedi community and 15 insufficient amount of plastic by means of villages is done mainly from mixed waste adding other materials, such as sand, to the being transported or already disposed to processed stuff. At the same time, instead the landfill. Within the completed and of establishing a recycling business, the ongoing projects implemented by “Urban” processed outcome could be used for the Foundation in the regions of Lori, Tavush, improvement of infrastructures in various Shirak, Gegharkunik, Kotayk, Vayots Dzor, communities. In this regard, the first Syunik, waste is sorted at the trash bins attempts are done in the city of Kapan. with the help of waste producers. They plan to establish a workshop of construction materials from plastic wastes.

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