Document zdr7jmyaKZparjw5dn6OzkpEn

VINYL PLASTICS AND SOLID WASTE :OW\E BASIC "ACTS Municipalities across tne cuumrv ire mov ing to estarhsh comprehensive solid wm management programs. la the process, :nanv questions anse as to how to handle mdividuai components ot the waste stream. This material lias been produced to provide information on one oi those components: vinvi plastics - otherwise known as I'VC, or polvvinvi chloride. ABOUT VINYL Vinvi is the world's second most widelv-used plastic material, found m everything from house siding and water pipe to business machine parts and wall coverings. Despite the large amount of vinvi produced, rela tively little (about tiro and a half percent) it round in the waste stream. ''hat'1' because most vinvi applications are long-term uses that are not disposed ot quicklv. Most vinvi found in the waste stream consists ot \ invl packaging- bottles. Mister packamng ana dexible nim, i.ven mis amount is retain en -'inall, equaling apout m e percent oi all plastic packaging found in the waste stream, or less than 0.5 percent ot the total waste system. Experience has shown that vinvi wastes can be handled bv all conventional processes: recycling, incineration and landfilling. No special handling r or special precautions are eoturea to induce vmvt m the tvpicai soiid caste management procram. Here are some ..uditionni tacts: Vinyl is Highly Recyclable and Is Being Recycled mvl packaging can be eastiv bandied in post curbside and recycling center collection 'rograms ov including it in a mixed plastics dream or a mixed container dream. Col lected vinvi can then tv processed with other plastics to create 'commingied" products, or separated out tor individual processing. Visual identification and hand sorting ot vinvi containers can be made via The Society ot the Plastics industry s voluntary coding mark < V-'} molded into many containers, or ov the distinctive snub.!1 '-lash" mold mark unique lo \ invi tauiki on tne bottom or containers. Work also is underway to ieveioo systems that \\ ni mechanicailv separate \ mvl packaging -ram a stream or 'u\eo Piastie containers, ''Ms, tecnnoiogv. under development at the Center tt'r Plastics Recycling Research. Rutgers University, and at National Recovery Technologies. Inc.. Nashville. Tennessee, involves special -canning euuipment that will identity and -eparate vinvi packaging based on its unique poivmer composition Unce separated, routine wastung. chopping and drying is all that is reuuircd to prepare vinvi for reuse. Currently, the industry is R&S 150278