Electronic Parts/Guidelines - infoHouse

4.7.9 Recycling Specification
IBM Engineering Specification 5897661 should be used to promote the use of materials which are
recyclable and/or recycled. In addition to environmental concerns, consideration is given to material
and container performance. The specification is available by contacting:
Worldwide Distribution Engineering Services
Department W29
P.O. BOX 12195
Research Triangle Park, NC, USA 27709
The specification should be referenced on engineering drawings and on IBM purchase orders for
cellulosic packaging materials which do not require specialized materials or certain performance
requirements (Le. Cobb Test ratings). The document can also be used as an additional technical refer-
ence for information about recycling and considerations affecting performance.
4.8 Polymeric (Plastic) Materials
4.8.1 Reclamation
The recycling of post-consumer plastics is complicated by the great number of resin types and their
incompatibility with one another. Most polymers do not mix, bond or adhere well to one another.
MiXing of resin types can result in a product that has inferior physical properties including strength and
durability.
Scrap (Pre-Consumer) Reclamation: Plastic processors are in the best position to recycle plastics
because they are assured of a source that is relatively clean, homogeneous and continuous.
Post Consumer Reclamation: Postconsumer recycling of plastic materials is just beginning to occur in
most countries. It is inhibited by:
the need to separate plastics by resin type,
- contamination,
high collection costs due to low material density,
insufficient and variable volume source for recyclable material.
the use of heterogeneous resins in a single package
4.8.2 Commingled Plastics
Plastic material that have not been separated by resin type is referred to as "C0n"ngled." Plastic
recyclers receive the greatest amount for their waste material when it has been separated into its
various plastic components (resins). When separation is deemed too costly, the mixture can be proc-
essed in its commingled state in one of two ways:
I. cm"ngled plastics may be used for incineration.
The most popular market for commingled plastics is waste-to-energy incineration as plastic mate-
rials contain a large BTU or fuel value.
2. Commingled plastics may be further processed in rudimentary applications where the second generation
product is noncritical in nature.
For molding applications, commingling between plastics is permitted only amongst specific
polymers. For example, polyethylene and polypropylene can safely be substituted for one another
in amounts as great as 15%. Polystyrene, conversely, is a very sensitive polymer and almost no
commingling can be permitted.
34 Environmental Packaoino Guidelines