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Implementation of the European Directive on Packaging and
Waste will mean that by 2001 the UK will have to recycle an extra
225,000 tonnes/annum of plastic waste. This represents virtually
a three-fold 1996 levels.
Previous studies by PRA have shown that part of the inorganic
pigment in paint can be replaced by powdered plastic and this can
result in paints with improved durability.
The objective of this project was to determine the feasibility
of using significant amounts of recycled plastic as a raw
material in paint manufacture. Even if such modification was
limited to a proportion of UK decorative paints, the quantity of
recycled plastic used could be of the order of 6000 tonnes/annum.
The project had the potential of leading to a novel recycling
route for plastic waste and of aiding the development of building
paints with enhanced durability. It was primarily an information
gathering exercise with laboratory work limited to evaluating
selected plastic potential raw materials for paint manufacture.
Further Information
If you are interested in this, or any other project, please contact Richard Holman.
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