Post-consumer mixed-plastics recycling: Characterization, collection, costs, and markets

Recycling of plastic discards is one method of reducing municipal solid waste. Because of its heterogeneous nature and the amount of contaminants present, separation of post-consumer mixed plastic waste is the most difficult. The purpose of the report is to identify the compositions of plastics in municipal solid waste (MSW) and in recycling programs, the post-consumer plastics contributions to recycling programs, the cost of plastics collection and some of the end uses for reprocessed post-consumer plastics. Attention is given to curbside collection of recyclables because of its high recovery rate (60-90%) in comparison to other recycling methods (10-30%).