Polymers, The Environment & Sustainable Development

"…an accessible treatment of this crucial area…" (Materials World, May 2003)

In light of new regulations in the EU, America, and Japan, polymer producers have been forced to recycle. This book provides discussion on the impact of reusing polymers such as plastic and rubber on the environment.

• Timely information on the environmental impact of polymer recycling
• Each chapter contains relevant sample questions and answers
• Contains chapters on the economics and legislation of recycling, and on LCA
• Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of polymer recycling

Essential reading for students, as well as an invaluable reference guide for technologists and industrialists, in the vast arena of environmental and polymer sciences.

Adisa Azapagic is Professor of Sustainable Engineering. Her research interests and expertise include life cycle modeling and optimization, life cycle assessment, industrial ecology, sustainability indicators, multiple criteria decision analysis and corporate social responsibility. Azapagic is the author of over 130 publications in these areas, including a book on Polymers, the Environment and Sustainable Development also published by Wiley. She is also interested in sustainability education and is a member of the European Federation of Chemical engineering (EFCE) Working Party on Education. She is a UNESCO/TWAIS/ICSU Visiting Scientist at the Instituto Technologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM), Mexico City.

The Environment and Sustainable Development: An Integrated Strategy for Polymers.

Polymers in Everyday Use: Principles, Properties and Environmental.

Feeding the Waste Streams: Sources of Polymers in the Environment.

Managing Polymer Waste: Technologies for Separation and Recycling.

Drives and Barriers for Polymer Recycling: Social, Legal and Economic Factors.

Design for the Environment: The Life Cycle Approach.

Environmental Impacts of Recycling.

Future Directions: Towards Sustainable Technology.