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Classification of Recyclable Plastic Waste by Near-Infrared Spectrometer
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Researchers evaluated handheld near-infrared (NIR) spectrometers for classifying plastic waste in recycling shops in Khulna, Bangladesh, achieving an overall accuracy of 87.6% in identifying eight polymer types, with polypropylene and PET comprising 65% of total plastic handled. The study concludes that NIR technology could meaningfully enhance the efficiency of existing manual plastic sorting systems.
This study addresses the pressing issue of plastic waste management in Khulna City, Bangladesh, highlighting its direct impact on health and the environment.The conventional methods of sorting plastic waste in the existing Recycling Shops (RSs) in Khulna City are time-consuming and rely on visual inspection.The research proposes the application of handheld Near-InfraRed (NIR) spectrometers in RSs for efficient plastic waste identification.This spectrometer provides cloud-based computing and a centralised database for material classification based on their chemical composition.A survey conducted in three selected RSs over six months reveals an average monthly input of 15 tons of plastic waste per RS, with a 75% recycling rate.The NIR analysis classifies plastics into eight distinct types, including Polyamide (PA), Polyethylene (PE), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and Styrene Acrylonitrile Resin (SAN).Notably, PP and PET emerge as the most abundant materials, consisting of 65% of the total plastic handled.The study detailed the monthly input and output data, indicating the percentages of various plastics handled in the RS.The performance evaluation of the handheld NIR spectrometer for five known plastic types demonstrated an overall accuracy rate of 87.6%.The existing manual sorting process of plastic waste in RS of Khulna was found to be convenient and accurate.However, incorporating the NIR spectrometer into Khulna City's plastic waste management system for automatically sorting plastic waste can further improve the efficiency of recycling practices.The proposed solution holds the potential to address environmental concerns, promote sustainability, and contribute to a healthier future in waste management practices in Bangladesh.
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