New Plastic Grading Specifications Announced by the ISRI
New grading specifications for three types of recyclable plastic are coming in 2024. The new specs were recently announced by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) in conjunction with the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR). If all goes well, the new specifications should enhance ongoing efforts to better recycle certain kinds of plastics.
According to Recycling Today’s Brian Taylor, the new specs apply to three types of recycled polypropylene (PP):
- Small rigid plastic.
- Mixed small rigid plastic.
- Mixed bulky rigid plastic.
An ISRI representative told Taylor that the “specification updates are intended to more accurately reflect the recycled polypropylene (PP) and mixed rigid plastics currently being traded in the marketplace.”
Recycling Technology Is Evolving
At the heart of the new specifications is an understanding that plastic recycling technology is evolving. Among the most revolutionary aspects of modern recycling is the use of robots for sorting purposes. Recyclers now have technological capabilities that allow them to recycle plastics that would have previously been discarded due to sorting and cleaning issues.
With these new technologies come new opportunities to capture more plastic waste. But there are also more opportunities to contaminate loads by introducing plastics and other materials that automated sorting facilities cannot handle. Thus, the new specifications.
When officially adopted, the specifications will encourage manufacturers to update their designs and methods so as to facilitate plastic products that are easier to sort and reclaim. The hope is that updated specifications will keep more plastic scrap out of the waste stream while simultaneously bringing the plastics industry closer to a circular process.
We Buy Scrap Plastic
It will take some time to fully understand the implications of the new specifications. We expect manufacturers and recyclers to spend the next several months learning what it all means. In the meantime, Seraphim Plastics will continue doing what we have always done: buying industrial scrap plastic and recycling it using mechanical methods.
We buy a variety of scrap plastic products from industrial companies, plastics manufactures, logistics providers, and just about any other kind of company that has a type of plastic we are interested in. Also note that we are a multi-state operation based in Tennessee. We would be happy to take a look at the scrap plastic you are hoping to unload as long as it’s within our pickup radius.
Reclaiming as Much as Possible
Our main goal at Seraphim Plastics is to reclaim as much industrial scrap plastic as possible. We believe in both the power and possibility of recycling. We are also firmly committed to keeping as much scrap out of the waste stream as we can. From our point of view, turning waste into reusable products is a far better option than simply throwing it away.
Our recycling process is as simple and straightforward as can be. When we agree to purchase scrap plastic from a client, the client makes the effort to ensure the load is clean and sorted before we arrive. We send a truck to the client’s location to pick up the load. We then transport the scrap to a processing facility where it is run through a series of grinders and magnets.
Grinders reduce the plastic to pellets that are packaged and sold as regrind. Meanwhile, magnets pull out any metal contaminants that could otherwise be problematic. What comes out the other end is ready to be packaged.
The new specifications announced by the ISRI should not put any undue burdens on recyclers or manufacturers. Hopefully, they will achieve the goal of enhancing plastic recycling for a more sustainable and circular industry. Time will tell how effective the new specifications actually are.