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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1992 Feb 1;89(3):835–838. doi: 10.1073/pnas.89.3.835

Polymer recycling: opportunities and limitations.

R S Stein 1
PMCID: PMC48336  PMID: 11607263

Abstract

The disposal of polymer solid waste by means other than landfilling is necessary. The various approaches-source reduction, incineration, degradation, composting, and recycling-all have their roles and must be employed in an integrated manner. Where appropriate, recycling has ecological advantages, but its application is dependent upon the feasibility of collection, sorting, and/or compatibilization of resulting mixtures to produce economically viable products. The practice should be encouraged by societal or legislative pressure which recognizes that the cost of disposal should be a factor in determining the cost of a product.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Brandl H., Gross R. A., Lenz R. W., Fuller R. C. Pseudomonas oleovorans as a Source of Poly(beta-Hydroxyalkanoates) for Potential Applications as Biodegradable Polyesters. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Aug;54(8):1977–1982. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.8.1977-1982.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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