Chemical-safe recycling of post consumer plastics

In a circular economy recycling of plastics needs to increase dramatically.

Plastics contain additives (plasticizers, stabilizers, biocides, flame retardants, accelerators, colorants, degradation products etc).

Plastics chemicals with even more complex composition may be present in recycled plastics since additives from original production remain in the plastics, and recycled plastics can have diverse origin and may be contaminated during use or during recycling.

This situation is a goal conflict and constitutes a monumental challenge, because hazardous chemicals must be kept away from recycled plastics in order to protect humans and the environment.

In order to achieve a chemical-safe circulation of plastics more information is needed on hazardous chemicals in recycled plastics and practical solutions need to be developed.

This project will address this challenge by:increasing knowledge about sources of and potential hazards for humans and the environment of chemicals in recycled plastics and,providing state-of-the art analytical (effect based monitoring, non-target/target analysis and effect-directed analysis) and web-based solutions with updated information on hazardous chemicals in recycled plastics of different type and in different regions that will help industry and authorities to promote actions to reduce or eliminate the flow of hazardous chemicals in recylced plastics.The project is a collaboration between H&M Group and MTM Research Centre at Örebro University.