The latest trends and challenges in research and development of plastic recycling: Feedstock recycling

Wit the increased production of plastic products worldwide, plastic recycling technology has assumed increasing importance in recent years from the standpoints of efficient use of resources and energy saving. This paper focuses on the role of feedstock recycling within the plastic recycling sector. One benefit of feedstock recycling is that it allows the collection of high concentrations of monomers, which can be used again as raw fuel. Feedstock recycling also involves techniques that use generated gas and residue. This paper chiefly discusses new technological trends and the problems in feedstock recycling. The current state of plastic recycling research and technology development are also examined from an international perspective. Results revealed an increase in technical problems associated with plastic recycling due to the increasing complexity of industrial and household plastic waste composition. On the other hand, further challenges with feedstock recycling were found to be rooted in policy and social systems, although results varied across the different countries that were analyzed.