With Technology, Plastics Have Amazing Benefits
Source: Commercial Content | Editor: beautiful sulistyorini
Never underestimate plastic. Even though they are often accused of being harmful to the environment, in fact plastic has been shown to improve the quality of life. With an appropriate technology approach, plastic has tremendous benefits. Starting to be used as fuel, fertilizer, until it can be used as an asphalt mixture.
No wonder, for those who think visionary, who are also able to see the positive side, plastic can be processed into rupiah. There have been many examples, as long as plastic waste is properly managed, it can be turned into a business with lucrative profits.
Indonesian Plastic Recylers Ahmad Nuzuluddin explained that so far many industries consider plastic that has been wasted, no longer as a raw material. This is very reasonable, because it is not separated so that the process of making finished goods becomes more difficult. Moreover, there are more costs in the process.
“As a result, many large industries are not interested in building a recycling industry,” he said when contacted, Thursday (14/2/2019).
Even though now many communities manage plastic waste, and have succeeded in making many goods of economic value. However, it all differs between the handicraft and recycling industries. The most significant difference is the absorption capacity of the plastic.
For handicrafts, for example, people need to know that there is a difference between recycling and making items from used plastic for handicrafts.
Example upcycle and recycle , said Ahmad, now it is quite ambiguous. Many thought upcycle it’s the same as recycle. Even though, recycle plastic, he said, was completely transformed so that it was different from the initial form.
In developed countries, he said, recycling the rate is above 60 percent. Because it uses technology. For example, America and Europe, every week send thousands of plastic waste containers to China for recycling. But now China is closing its doors, too overwhelmed. China is also aware that it is starting to process domestic plastic waste so that it has economic value.
“So the big country is just sorting it out, then press and exports, “he said.
In fact, in Indonesia, the downstream products from plastic waste are also more diverse. For example, there is a foot ball product made from dup material.
According to him, a country that is already very good at managing plastic waste is just Japan. In Indonesia, the city of Surabaya is relatively developed. That, too, because of cooperation with Japan. Indonesia, he said, could follow Japan’s steps as long as its governance was improved first. In this case an integrated sorting process. If the government is not ready, in terms of infrastructure, then the sorted waste will enter TPA again.
“Japan has a private sector, everyone who takes waste to manage plastic waste,” he said.
Surabaya also needs to be emulated because it is still able to achieve Adipura without scapegoating plastic. Indonesian Plastic Recylers assess that, currently, there is an impression that plastic products are being targeted by their inability to manage waste. Yet if it is managed properly, applying appropriate management, plastic can produce various benefits to improve the quality of life.
“For example, in the future the world will use cars with cleaner power and reduce fossil fuels. Then it will definitely require something that is strong and light weight and affordable. Now only plastic can be used to reduce the load so that it can run longer, “said Ahmad.
Friends with plastic
Almost all daily activities, as well as objects used, contain plastic material. Starting from electronics, automotive, agriculture, fashion, household appliances. Clothes made from polyester are actually also made of plastic. Then vehicles, many components that use plastic. Even tires with synthetic rubber labels also use a plastic mixture.
Therefore, Ahmad invites the public to see plastic as not only one side. No longer just blaming, but acting together, to reduce the bad effects.
Of course no less important, the government also understands because the existence of plastics, especially packaging, also supports the domestic industry. Because along with economic growth, increasing purchasing power, demand for plastics remains high. Both for industrial raw materials, as well as for various packaging products.
Plastic waste can also be made in various crafts. One of the plastic handicrafts such as bracelets, necklaces and others that can currently be exported abroad.
These handicrafts can be made from recycled materials that are no longer used into works of art. Another benefit, plastic waste can also be turned into concrete blocks. Brick made from plastic waste can be applied to houses that are minimalist and not large.
The Indonesian Olefin, Aromatic and Plastics Industry Association (Inaplas) said that plastic waste can also be processed into a source of electricity. Therefore, the steps taken by a number of regions to implement waste-based power plants are appropriate and the central government needs to provide incentives to local governments that are creative in solving waste problems, one of which is by building PLTSa (Waste Power Plant).
This initiative also supports the national electricity program. A number of local governments that have committed to build power plants made from solid waste include Semarang, Denpasar, Tangerang, South Tangerang, and a number of other big cities.
There are several types of plastics, which can be recycled and have good quality. For example, the type of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic waste. This type of waste has a melting temperature of 70 ° C – 80 ° C.
The way to process it is also simple. If you want to change it into a new product, first it is separated and cleaned until dry. After that, the process is grated and pulverized to further refine the HDPE polymer. Then cooled into pellets.
Well, one of the widely recognized HDPE recycling technologies is owned by Sorema, an Italian company. Its recycling technology has been installed in a number of countries, such as America, Italy, because the recycled plastic it produces is equal to the quality of the original plastic.
Apart from HDPE, another type of plastic that can be recycled is Polypropylene (PP). It has its own uniqueness because if it is only buried it will not be damaged. However, if it is processed further, using machines, it has benefits such as being converted into fuel oil. One of the capable PP processing machines, Greenmax Poseidon, is capable of drying plastics, bottles, aluminum cans, beverage cartons, etc.
Well, if handled properly, using the right technology, plastic waste is proven to improve the quality of life. With technology, plastic is a friend to the earth.
