ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS ON PLASTICS

SARATH K NAIR

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OVERVIEWWASTE MANAGEMENT

WHAT ARE WASTES

KINDS OF WASTES

DEFINITION CLASSIFICATION OF WASTES ACCORDING TO TEIR PROPERTIES

SOURCES OF WASTES

DESIGN AND DISADVANTAGES OF PLASTICS

BIODEGRADABILITY OF PLASTICS

ORGANIC WASTES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT

RECYCLING,DEGRADATION,LANDFILLS AND REGENERATION PROCESSES

ARE U A SCIENTIST?

FUTURE

THANKS

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Waste Management:ORANIC AND PLASTICS

PLASTIC

The word plastics is from the Greek word Plastikos, meaning “able to be shaped and molded”

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What are Wastes?

Basel Convention Definition of Wastes

“substances or objects which are disposed of or are intended to be disposed of or are required to be disposed of by the provisions of the law”

Disposal means

“any operation which may lead to resource recovery, recycling, reclamation, direct re-use or alternative uses (Annex IVB of the Basel convention)”

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Kinds of Wastes

Solid wastes: domestic, commercial and industrial wastes especially common as co-disposal of wastes

Examples: plastics, styrofoam containers, bottles, cans, papers, scrap iron, and

other trash

Liquid Wastes: wastes in liquid form

Examples: domestic washings, chemicals, oils, waste water from ponds, manufacturing industries and other sources

DEFINITIONS

Biodegradable waste

Biodegradable industrial waste

Biodegradable municipal waste

Waste from agriculture

Waste from forestry

Manure

Sewage sludge

Paper and cardboard

Bio-waste

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Classification of Wastes according to their Properties

Bio-degradable

can be degraded (paper, wood, fruits and others)

Non-biodegradable

cannot be degraded (plastics, bottles, old machines,

cans, styrofoam containers and others)

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Sources of Wastes

Households

Commerce and Industry

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Sources of Wastes

Agriculture

Fisheries

Why Design with Plastics?

Corrosion resistance

Low electrical and thermal conductivity, insulator

Easily formed into complex shapes, can be formed, casted and joined.

Wide choice of appearance, colors and transparencies

Light weight, high weight to strength ratio, particularly when reinforced

Relatively low cost compared to metals and composites

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Disadvantages of using Plastics

Low strength

Low useful temperature range (up to 600 oF)

Less dimensional stability over period of time (creep effect)

Aging effect, hardens and become brittle over time

Sensitive to environment, moisture and chemicals

Poor machinability

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IS IT BIODEGRADABLE?

Plastics are non biodegradable because of the ingredients used to manufacture them.

Polymer is the major part of the plastics.

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Poly Lactic Acid (PLA)

ORGANIC WASTES

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Organic wastes originate from plant or animal sources.

Food scraps, garden waste, sewage, paper and wood are

examples of organic waste .

Organic waste can be recycled. Compost, biochar, soil

conditioners and biogas are some of the products that can

be produced from recovered organic waste.

Biochar is a type of charcoal which is produced when

natural organic materials, such as crop waste, wood chips or

manure, are heated in an oxygen-limited environment. This

process is referred to as pyrolysis.

Biogas is the gas produced when organic matter

decomposes in the absence of oxygen.17

MUST AWARE THESE…..

the expansion of energy production from

Organic wastes

taking action to address greenhouse gas

emissions from organic wastes, and

standards and guidance for organic waste

products such as mulch, compost and soil

conditioners to increase their uptake in

consumermarkets.

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RecyclingReprocessing and refabrication of a material that has been used and discarded by a consumer

Postcunsumer recycle (PCR)

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RecyclingCollection

Handling/Sorting

Reclamation/Cleaning

End uses

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DegradationPlastics that can break down into smaller molecules by natural means are degradable

Degraded byproducts are sometimes more dangerous than original product

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Landfills

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RegenerationBreaking down the polymer molecules in the plastic in the basic chemicals

The chemicals are then used to create new polymers

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ARE U A SCIENTIST?Take two beaker A and B.

Put moist soil in the both.

Put organic waste in the beaker A and Plastic in beaker B.

After a week or two you will find that the organic waste are decomposed while the plastics are not.

This proves that organic waste is biodegredabe and plastic is not.

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[Jeanne Gallagher] photographer, Cynthia Vanderlip

[Jeanne Gallagher] unknown--Courtesy of Algalita Marine Research Foundation

The detrimental effects of macro-plastics

on wildlife are well documented,

particularly in aquatic environments.

Seal entangled in plastic Photographer unknown

Snapping turtle deformed by plastic

Albatross chick ingesting plastic

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“Plastic debris is accumulating in terrestrial and aquatic habitats worldwide. This debris is progressively fragmenting into smaller

pieces…The abundance in the water column has increased considerably over the last 40 years, and this trend mirrors the global rise in plastic

production.” (Browne, Galloway & Thompson, 2009)

[Jeanne Gallagher] Courtesy of Algalita Marine Research Foundation

Microscopic plastic particles30

“…filter-feeding animals, such as mucous webfeeding jellies and salps, were…heavily

impacted by plastic fragments... Filter feeders are at the lower end of the food chain, …fifty species of fish and many turtles are known to

eat them… accumulating plastic in their stomachs.” (Tamanaha & Moore, 2007)

[Jeanne Gallagher] Courtesy of Algalita Marine Research Foundation

Microplastic in the

digestive tract of an

amphipod

Salp ingestion of plastic

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Micro-plastics translocated from the gut to the hemolymph of a species of mussel (Mytilus edulis) persisted for over 48 days

Predators of mussels:

• birds

• crabs

• starfish

• predatory whelks

• humans

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“…medical studies on both rodents and humans have also shown that particles of polyvinylchloride and polystyrene less than

150 µm can translocate from the gut cavity to their lymph and circulatory systems.” (Browne et. al., 2008)

Micro-particles of plastic

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FutureRational analysis of each product type and its own particular use

Be open to suggestions from environmental lobbyists

Put aside emotional issues in favor of reasoned positions based on scientific principles

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FRIENDS ..EARTH IS NOW IN YOUR HANDS…MAKE IT A HEAVEN....

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