Mechanical and Spectro-Radiometrical Properties of the Recycled Agricultural Plastic Films

Abstract

Intensive use of plastic in horticulture around Europe is causing the creation of the large amount of plastic waste that need to be dealt with. One possible way to control the amount of this waste is its proper management and recycling. In this paper the results of a survey investigating the possibilities to producing new regenerated films through mechanical recycling, from post-consume agricultural plastic films are analyzed. Four recycled films, different in composition, have been extruded and subsequently characterized by mechanical tests and spectro-radiometric analysis. Tensile tests were done in order to define the maximum strength and percentage elongation at break of these new materials while spectro-radiometric analysis allowed the definition of the optical properties, specifically with regard to the transmittance of radiation in the PAR and long IR radiation. The results allow the definition of the main engineering properties of these materials, and the possibilities for further investigation in order to have new products as an economic efficient and environmentally friendly alternative.

Savremena i intenzivna poljoprivredna proizvodnja u kontrolisanim i delimično kontrolisanim uslovima ima za posledicu velike količine plastičnog otpada koji predstavlja ekološki i ekonomski balast poljoprivrednoj proizvodnji. Jedan od načina da se kontroliše količina plastičnog otpada je njegova reciklaža. U radu su dati rezultati ispitivanja četiri tipa recikliranih folija nastalih od folija korišćenih za plastenike, niske tunele i mulčiranje zemljišta kao i od plastike od plastičnih bočica korišćenih u poljoprivredi. Nakon ekstrudiranja reciklirane folije su analizirane sa aspekta mehaničkih i spektro-radiometrijskih osobina. Dobijeni rezultati se mogu iskoristiti za definisanje osnovnih inžinjerskih karakteristika novodobijenih materijala i mogu ukazati na mogućnosti njihovog daljeg korišćenja.