Plastic pollution not only directly threatens the survival of plants and animals, but also poses a great danger to the economic, health and social well-being of human beings. According to statistics, the cost of combating plastic pollution is as high as 300 billion to 600 billion dollars a year. Disposable plastics in plastic waste, such as plastic bags, food packaging, plastic bottles, etc., take up a large share and become the main force of environmental pollution. More seriously, these single-use plastics are not only discarded after use, but also persist in the form of microplastics, entering water sources, soil and affecting ecosystems.

Main types of plastic waste

There are many different types of plastic waste, but the most common major types include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and others. Every year, about 500 billion PET beverage bottles are sold globally, most of which end up being discarded and entering the oceans. 

Other items such as plastic bags, cutlery and food containers are also important sources of plastic waste. Microplastics, on the other hand, are made up of tiny pieces of plastic from a variety of sources, including tire wear, microbeads from cosmetics, and plastic particles from artificial lawns. As these plastics are extremely difficult to degrade in the natural environment, their negative impact on the ecosystem is increasing every year.

Mechanical recovery methods

Mechanical recycling is the process of converting waste plastics into reusable raw materials through a series of processes such as sorting, washing, crushing, screening, drying and repelletizing. The process effectively recovers plastic waste without altering its chemical structure, thus preserving the properties of the plastic and allowing it to be reused over and over again. 

The advantages of mechanical recycling are its low energy consumption, economy and simplicity of operation, which makes it the dominant method of plastics recycling today. By recycling plastics and converting them into new post-consumer resins (PCR), the resource consumption and carbon emissions required for the production of new plastics can be significantly reduced. Compared to conventional plastics production, recycled plastics consume about 79% less energy and emit more than 67% less greenhouse gases to make new products. 

Harden Machinery's Recycling Pretreatment Technology

In the mechanical recycling process, the pretreatment phase is a crucial step that determines the effectiveness of recycling. Waste plastics must undergo fine crushing, washing, and separation to eliminate impurities and produce clean, high-quality recycled raw materials. 

With over a decade of expertise in solid waste resource processing, Harden Machinery has developed a highly efficient industrial plastics shredder that can process up to 200,000 tons of waste plastics per hour. The company's shredders are equipped with several patented technologies, including intelligent built-in circular compression, gap shearing, and close-row knife shaft design, which ensure equipment stability, uniform crushing results, and high output capacity.

In addition, Harden Machinery also provides customized solutions for different types of waste plastics and the needs of different industries. Its equipment is capable of adjusting the torque, speed and knife configurations according to the characteristics of different materials, so as to ensure that the final recycled raw materials can meet the requirements of the industries for subsequent resource processing. This has resulted in Harden Machinery's recycling equipment being widely used in the global market and becoming an important player in the plastics recycling industry.

Plastic pollution is a pressing global issue that demands urgent action. Despite recycling challenges, progress has been made through methods like mechanical recycling, and companies like Harden Machinery are enhancing recycling efficiency with innovative solutions. Effective recycling of plastic waste relies on cooperation and technological innovation to protect the global environment.