A Review: An Unintended Consequence of Nitrocellulose (NC) Resin During Recycling – A Transformative Darker Side of Sustainability
Nitrocellulose (NC)-based inks present significant challenges to recycling processes, especially when applied to polyolefin laminated substrates. Flexible plastic products are notably difficult to recycle due to the presence of printing inks and laminating adhesives, which act as contaminants during mechanical recycling of post-consumer waste. These contaminants degrade the quality and usability of recycled materials.
Impact of Nitrocellulose on Recycling
Nitrocellulose, used as a binder in printing inks, decomposes during reprocessing. This degradation causes film discoloration and the release of potentially odorous compounds, complicating the recycling efforts further.
Mechanical Recycling Challenges
The mechanical recycling of flexible plastics faces difficulties not only because of polymer chain degradation but also due to contamination from other polymers and additives. These factors reduce the quality and limit the application of recycled materials.
Focus on Decomposition Mechanisms
This review examines the decomposition mechanisms of printing ink binder resins, specifically nitrocellulose. It highlights NC’s behavior under extrusion conditions during the mechanical recycling of polyolefin-based plastic packaging.
"Nitrocellulose (NC)-based inks create significant recycling challenges, especially when used on polyolefin laminated substrates."
"Nitrocellulose, used as a binder, degrades during reprocessing, resulting in film discoloration and the emission of potentially odorous compounds."
Author's summary: Nitrocellulose-based inks severely hinder the recycling of flexible plastics by degrading material quality and causing odor issues during mechanical recycling of polyolefin packaging.