Short description:

This Springer Handbook assembles the existing knowledge concerning plastic materials and identifies obstacles and objectives of innovations and technologies that will bring human society closer to the goal of a fully circular economy of plastic materials. Consumers profit everyday from the versatile functionalities of plastic materials, but this diversity also brings a range of challenges: recycling may be costly and laborious, and too many plastic products still end up as waste in the environment.

The handbook offers a source of information, a knowledge base, and inspiration for those aiming to create an economy that paves the road for future generations. The editorial board and invited authors represent international key figures from a broad range of disciplines, including chemistry, engineering, material sciences, logistics, data and information sciences, systems engineering, economy and sustainability as well as disciplines related to culture, art, and design. With its diversity, the book aims to fulfil the huge demand for information on novel technologies and legal approaches in politics, industry and society.

Key topics include:

• Development of biodegradable plastics


• Advanced recycling strategies


• Design for recyclability


• Legal and economic perspectives


• Role of startups and innovative technologies


• Novel business models and business strategies

By allowing the reader to learn and apply the measures needed for the implementation of a Circular Plastics Economy, the book will be of particular interest to innovators, decision-makers, planners, designers, producers in industry, politics, and society as well as consumers, students, teachers, communicators, journalists, and cultural workers.

Long description:

This Springer Handbook assembles the existing knowledge concerning plastic materials and identifies obstacles and objectives of innovations and technologies that will bring human society closer to the goal of a fully circular economy of plastic materials. Consumers profit everyday from the versatile functionalities of plastic materials, but this diversity also brings a range of challenges: recycling may be costly and laborious, and too many plastic products still end up as waste in the environment.

The handbook offers a source of information, a knowledge base, and inspiration for those aiming to create an economy that paves the road for future generations. The editorial board and invited authors represent international key figures from a broad range of disciplines, including chemistry, engineering, material sciences, logistics, data and information sciences, systems engineering, economy and sustainability as well as disciplines related to culture, art, and design. With its diversity, the book aims to fulfil the huge demand for information on novel technologies and legal approaches in politics, industry and society.

Key topics include:

• Development of biodegradable plastics


• Advanced recycling strategies


• Design for recyclability


• Legal and economic perspectives


• Role of startups and innovative technologies


• Novel business models and business strategies

By allowing the reader to learn and apply the measures needed for the implementation of a Circular Plastics Economy, the book will be of particular interest to innovators, decision-makers, planners, designers, producers in industry, politics, and society as well as consumers, students, teachers, communicators, journalists, and cultural workers.

Table of Contents:

1 Circular economy: Technical, environmental and social aspects.- 2 The chemical basis and potential for renewable carbon.- 3 Sustainable Plastics Processing and Recycling Technologies.- 4 Product Development in a Plastics Circular Economy.- 5 Secondary components and hazardous substances: Decontamination, purification and utilization of recovered substances.- 6 Plastics in the environment: Abiotic aspects and biological implications.- 7 Regulatory aspects and legislation: Policies of circular economies and their social implications.- 8 The industrial perspective: Time for a plastics change.- 9 Transformation of plastics: Art and secondary applications.