oEPA
United States Office of Solid Waste and Office of Water
Environmental Protection Emergency Response
Agency
OS-300
WH-556
EPA/530-SW-89-051A
February 1990
Office of Solid Waste / Office of Marine & Estuarine Protection
Methods to Manage and
Control Plastic Wastes
Report to Congress
Executive Summary
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EPA/530-SW-89-051a
REPORT TO CONGRESS
Methods to Manage and Control Plastic Wastes
February-: 1990
United States Environmental Protection Agency
; - V ' Office-of ;Solid;Wasted
;: Office of Water
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V
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
This report was developed in .response to Section 2202 of the 1987 Plastic,Pollution Research ,
and Control; Act, which directs EPArto develop a report to Congress on various issues
concerning plastic waste in,the environment, Specifically^ EPA is required to:, ,
Identity plastic articles of concern in the marine environjtient, ... ,
'Describe impacts of plastic waste on solid waste .management, and ,
Evaluate methods for reducing impacts of plastic wastes, including recycling,
substitution away from plastics, ~and the use of degradable plastics. - ~
In this report, EPA has examined .two other methods for reducing impacts associated with
plastic wastes in addition to those specified in the statute. These are: (1) source reduction of
plastic waste (this is broader than substitution away from plastics) and .(2) methods for . ,
controlling, the sources of plastic marine debris. , . . ./..-. ..
SCOPE OF THE REPORT .,-.",",. '." . Y_'V. .'': .'.-''-'.'.'. Y .:.'«-.' .'-.' \-,.i.^.:. ..'..-Y: \^-'
. The report focuses primarily on plastic .waste in the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream, that
is, post-consumer plastic waste. The only exception to this focus is' the consideration of plastic
pellets, which are the; raw, materials ,used in the processing and manufacture of plastic products..
Pellets are included.in the report because they have been,found in high concentrations .in.the
marine environment and they pose" irigestionBrisks to some £ormspf marine life. '
SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS AND ACTION ITEMS
PRODUCTION AND USE OF PLASTICS
Plastics: are resins/or polymers, that havebeensynthesized from petroleum or natural gas.
derivatives. The term "plastics" encompasses a wide variety of resins each Coffering unique
propei-ties and functions. In addition, the properties of each resin, can be modified by additives.
Different .combinations of resins: and additives have allowed the creation of a wide array of '
products meeting a wide variety of specifications.. / , ' . . x''?
U.S. production of plastics- has grown significantly in the last 30 years, averaging an, annual growth
rate of 10%. , Continued growth is expected. The "largest single market sector is plastics
packaging, capturing one-third of .all U.S. plastics sales. ^Building an'd construction (25% of,U.S.
, sales), and consumer products (11%) follow. . . .'.-:-.,
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Plastics production and use has grown because of the many advantages plastics offer over other
more traditional materials. A few of the desirable intrinsic properties of plastics include: (1)
design flexibility plastics can be modified for,a wide variety of end uses, (2) high resistance to
corrosion, (3) low weight, and (4) shatter resistance. Table ES-1 provides information on some
of the major classes of plastic resins, their characteristics, and examples of product applications.
PLASTICS IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT
EPA has identified several articles of concern in the marine environment due to the risks they
pose to marine life or human health or to the aesthetic (and related economic) damage they
cause. These articles of concern are: plastic pellets, polystyrene spheres,, syringes, beverage
ring carrier devices, uncut plastic strapping, plastic bags and sheeting, plastic tampon applicators,
condoms, fishing nets and traps,, and monofilament lines and rope. ,
Many other items of marine debris (made from plastic as well as other materials) have been
identified during the development of this report. Taken as a whole, all components of marine
debris are unsightly and offensive to many people. .
Specific sources for each debris item are not well known; however, the major land-based
sources appear to be:
Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and sewage treatment plants '
M Stormwater runoff and other non-specific sources .
Plastic manufacturing and fabrication and related transportation activities (for pellets)
The major marine-based sources appear to be:
Commercial fishing vessels -
Offshore oil and gas platforms /
Recreational littering (on land and from vessels) also contributes to marine debris.
The following are EPA's major action items for reducing and controlling the sources of marine
debris:
COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS -
EPA will ensure that all permits for CSO discharges include technology-based
limitations for the control of floatable discharges.
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Table ES-1
PLASTIC RESIN CHARACTERISTICS/MARKETS, AND PRODUCTS
Resin Name
Characteristics
Primary Product Markets Product Examples
Low-Density Polyethylene
(LDPE) . ,.
Moisture-proof; inert
Packaging
Garbage bags; coated
papers
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Polyvinyl Chloride
(PVC)
.High-Density Polyethylene-.
:(HDPE) >
Clear; "brittle unless
modified with plasticizers
Flexible; translucent
Building arid construction;
packaging '"",'
Packaging
Construction pipe; meat wrap;
cooking oil bottles
Milk and detergent bottles;
boil-in-bag pouches
Polypropylene .
(PP) . .
Stiff; heat- and chemical-
resistant
Furniture; packaging
Syrup bottles; yogurt tubs;
office furniture
Polystyrene
(PS). ,
Brittle; clear; good thermal..
v "'-.,, . : ""
properties
Packaging; consumer products < Disposable foam dishes and
] cups; cassette tape cases
' .Polyethylene Terephthalata ' Tough; shatterproof '
';..; (PET).' / ; / ""-..'.: ; , .".--.'
Packaging; consumer products Soft drink bottles; food and
. mediefne containers
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EPA is developing guidance for States and local communities on effective operation
and control of a combined sewer system. Information on low-cost control mechanisms,
which may be helpful in reducing releases of floatable debris, will be included.
EPA will sample a limited number of CSO discharges to pinpoint which articles are
frequently released from CSOs.
STORMWATER DISCHARGES -
m EPA is developing a Report to Congress on stormwater discharges. Floatable
discharges will be considered in this report. The report'is expected to be completed by
mid-1990.
A subsequent report will be prepared on control mechanisms necessary to mitigate the
water quality impacts of discharges examined in the initial Report to Congress. A final
report is targeted for the end of 1991.
EPA will sample and study a limited number of .stormwater discharges to better .
pinpoint which articles are released from these sources. '
VESSELS -
m EPA recommends that Federal and State agencies should enter .into agreements with
the U.S. Coast Guard to enforce Annex V of MARPOL, which prohibits the discharge
of plastic waste at sea. ' -
EPA recommends that port facilities, local communities, industry, and interested
Federal agencies should coordinate efforts to develop recycling programs for plastic
waste that is brought to shore in compliance with Annex V of MARPOL.
EPA will support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA)
investigation of methods to reduce the loss and impacts of fishing nets and gear by
providing related information, such as information on degradable plastics.
LITTER PREVENTION AND RETRIEVAL -
m EPA will continue to support and conduct a limited number of harbor and beach
surveys and cleanup operations. ... ,
EPA will continue to work with NOAA and other Federal Agencies to distribute
educational materials to consumers on marine debris. ,:
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EPA is developing an educational program for consumers that describes the proper.
method for disposing of household medical waste. ;: "
. . MANAGEMENT OF PIASTIG WASTES '/". .'.,.-' '. .. .', '".;.'/ -. .'].', ~.
Most post-consumer plastic waste 'islandfilled along with, municipal solid waste, A small ; ,
percentage '(approximately 10%)' of municipal solid waste is incinerated, and; 10% is recycled.
"Only 1% .of post-consumer,plastic waste is recycled. . . ,. "'_ ,- - /
Plastic waste accounts for, a large and growing portion: of the municipal solid, waste stream.
'Plastics are about 7% (by weight) of municipal solid waste and a larger percentage by volume.
, Current/waste volume estimates range; from 14 to 21 percent of the waste stream..,! The amount
of plastic waste .is predicted to increase by 50%, (by'weight) by the.year 2000. '. . .
.Half of the plastic waste stream is packaging waste. The rest -of; the plastic -waste stream includes
honourable consumer goods such as pens arid disposable razors and durable goods such as
furniture and appliance casings.; ... ' ' ; : " ; \ : , ""'.'"_..__ ;',.: ';;. ''. .,-...
Management of plastics in a kmdfill - , ' . .
Plastic wastes have not been shown to create' difficulties for landfill operations. The structural
integrity,of a landfill is not affected by plastic, waste,s. , . . ,- ,. , ,' .
Plastics wastes affect landfill 'capacity because 'of the large and growing amount of plastic waste. v ,
produced, not because the wastes are not deg)-adable. Some have claimed that plastic waste
1 affe'ct landfill capacity even more than Bother larger volume wastes (e.g., paper) because plastics,
do not degrade in a landfill. While.it is true.that plastic wastes are very slow to degrade in
landfills^ recent data indicate that other wastes, such as,paper and food waste, are also slow to.',
degrade. Degradation ;of waste,, therefore,', has: little effect .on landfill ..capacity,-'-;.
Data are-too limited to determine whether, plastic additives contribute significantly toleachate I
produced in municipal solid. Waste landfills. Only certain additives have the potential for causing
a problem; however, their contribution,to Jeachate. volume or toxicity is, unknown..
Management of plastics in an incinerator /. . , '
Plastics.* contribute significantly to the heating value of municipal solid waste, with a heating value
of three times that of\typical municipal wdste. ' : , '
Controversy'exists regarding whether halogenated plastics (e.g., pplyvinyl-chloride)' contribute, to .
emissions from, municipal waste incinerators. Emissions of particular concern are acid gas
emissions and .dioxin/furan emissioils. EPA and the Food, and Drug Administration are ,
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Technologies exist for recycling either single homogeneous resins or a mixture of plastic resins;
Recycling of relatively homogeneous resins (e.g., PET, frpm soft drink bottles) may
yield products that compete with virgin resins. Such recycling offers the greatest
potential to reduce long-term requirements for plastics disposal. However, a system to
capture and recycle the products of such recycling must be established.
Recycling of a mixture of plastic resins often yields products that compete with low-
cost commodities such as wood or concrete. This approach may capture a large
percentage of the plastic waste stream because separation of resins is, not a barrier to
this approach. However, because the products of this type of recycling, may eventually
require disposal, mixed plastics recycling may delay, but may not ultimately reduce, the
long-term requirements for plastic waste disposal. '.-,..
The major factors currently limiting plastics recycling are:
Collection and supply. This appears to be the greatest limitation facing recycling of
both single resins and a mixture of resins; however, the recycling, of single resins is
more severely limited by the lack of ability to separate a complex mixture of plastic
wastes (such as would be collected through a curbside program). There are several
methods of collection including curbside collection, drop-off centers, buy-back centers,
and container deposit legislation (i.e., "bottle bills"). Curbside collection and bottle bills
have received the most attention: ,
Curbside collection of plastics (and other recyclables) can capture a great
variety and amount of plastic waste. However, this strategy imposes relatively
high costs for collection and is not universally applicable (e.g., not all areas
offer curbside collection of municipal solid waste).
Container deposit legislation, which was enacted primarily to control litter, not
increase recycling, has proven effective at diverting plastic soft drink containers
from disposal; however, soft drink bottles represent only a small percentage
(approximately 3%) of plastic wastes. Thus, this method, as currently
implemented, will not divert significant amounts of plastic wastes. In addition',
recycling officials have raised concerns that container deposit systems remove
the most valuable, revenue-generating material from the recycling stream. This
may impair local efforts to recycle other materials (e.g., newspaper, cans, etc.)
in curbside collection programs.
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These two collection strategies are interrelated. Waste management officials need to
carefully weigh the costs and benefits related to each strategy (described in Section 5
of this report) and, very importantly, the relationship between the, two choices before
selecting a collection mechanism. ,
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Markets. The markets for the products of mixed plastics recycling still face serious
questions., particularly regarding cost-competitiveness: Marjcets for the products of
single resins such as PET and HDPE appear, to be large. Recycling of other single
''' resins! (e.g., PS)'is only just-beginning; therefore, market evaluations are difficult to ,
make.:' ' " .'_ '" .;..-.; .' .-;..- -_ /..;/'. '':"'. ":'./:": "<,'--. "' ':'. - '-/ ."
The following are EPA's major action items regarding plastics recycling:
EPA is providing technical assistance and general information to the public on plastics
recycling through a municipal solid waste clearinghouse and a peer match program.
Both of these efforts offer information and assistance oh recycling of all municipal solid
waste components, not just plastics. .. ....
EPA is examining potential incentives and disincentives to recycling of municipal solid
iwaste components. ,- .';...''-. ' . - ..',_ ,:;,: ''.' ' '
EPA calls on the plastics industry to continue^ to._ research and provide technical and
financial assistance to communities on plastics collection, separation, processing, and
marketing. : . . . '". , " . '" ' ;' ., ..''
Degradable Plastics... f _ ; ;
There are various mechanisms that are technically viable.for enhancing the degradability of
plastic. .Biodegradatioh-andphotodegradation are the principal mechanisms currently-being..
explored and commercially developed. The most common method for enhancing the -v . .
biodegradability of plastics has. involved the- incorporation of starch additives. Production- of
photodegradable plastics involves the incorporation of photo-sensitive carbonyl groups or the
addition of other photo-sensitive additives.. ,. r , - - :
Before the-application} of these: technologies can be promoted, the Uncertainties surrounding
degi-adable plastics must be addressed. First, the'.effect .of different enyirpnmental settings on ;
the!performance (e.g.,.degradation rate) of degradables is not well understood. Second, the.
environmental products or. residues of degrading plastics and the environmental impacts of those
residues have hot been fully identified or evaluated. Finally,, the impact of degradables, on . ;
plastic recycling is. unclear.-." . - - : " , . .
EPA does not believe that degradable plasticswill "help[solve[thelandfill' .capacity problems facing
many communities in the U.S. However; there may be potentially useful applications of this
technology, including agricultural mulch film, bags for holding materials destined for composting,
and certain articles of concern in the marine environment (.e.g, beverage container rings).. .
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The following are EPA's major action items regarding degradable plastics:
EPA has initiated two major research efforts on degradable plastics. The first project
will evaluate degradable plastics in different environmental settings and examine the
byproducts of degradation. The second project will evaluate the effects of degradable
plastics on post-consumer plastics recycling. Interim results are expected by mid-1990.
EPA calls on the manufacturers of,degradable plastics to generate,and make available
basic information on the performance and potential environmental impacts of their
products in different environmental settings. '. . '
m Title I of the 1988 Plastic Pollution Control Act directs EPA to require that beverage
container ring carrier devices be made of degradable material unless such production is
not technically feasible or EPA determines that degradable rings are more harmful to
marine life than non-degradable rings. The uncertainties.regarding degradable plastics
(discussed above) pose some difficulties for EPA's implementation of this Act;
however, some specific information is known regarding ring carrier devices:
EPA has not identified any plastic recycling programs that currently accept or
are considering accepting' ring carriers. Therefore, degradable rings should not
impair recycling efforts: .' , ' *.
-- Ring carriers are usually not colored and therefore do not include metal-based
pigments. Thus, concerns regarding leaching of pigments appear to be minimal
for these devices. . '
The research on degradable plastics (see above) now underway at EPA will help .
resolve remaining issues. EPA will initiate a rulemaking to implement the above ,
legislation in 1990. A final rule is expected by late 1991.
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