Packaging materials: Industrial possibilities for resource recovery

If industry is going to invest in material and/or energy recovery schemes, they must be economically attractive. This may either be measured directly when recovery is on a sound commercial basis, or there has to be some sort of fiscal incentive to make the schemes appear attractive.

The types of packaging material considered are plastics, paper, glass and metal. These may be directly recycled, converted into another useful product, or the combustible portion converted to a fuel. The problem is introduced, its size and variabilities are presented, and this is followed by consideration of each material in turn so as to identify the size and scope of the problem.