The development of industry and the widespread use of polymer products in everyday life lead to a significant increase in the volume of waste that requires effective disposal. A significant part of this waste accumulates, which leads to the occupation of vacant territories, limits the possibilities for construction and infrastructure development. Polymers, resistant to corrosion and rotting, decompose over thousands of years.
In modern Ukraine, only a small part of plastic waste is recycled, and this share is only 10–15% of the total. The main sources of secondary polymers are industrial and household waste. Industrial waste from the production of large-tonnage polymers is the cleanest and most suitable for recycling, and up to 80% of it is reused. However, most of it is used at the place of formation.
The main part of the secondary polymer raw materials market is formed by solid household waste (SWW). In 2020 alone, more than 54 million cubic meters of household waste were generated in Ukraine, which occupy significant territories. The largest amount of waste is generated by the residential sector (about 60% by mass), which complicates its collection and sorting. The commercial sector generates about 34% of industrial SWW, of which 24% is packaging waste.
The most common types of plastic waste are various packaging, films and PET containers. Ukraine lags behind developed countries in sorting and recycling of plastic waste, in particular PET bottles. However, positive developments are taking place, in particular, the share of manual collection and sorting is increasing, and the processing of industrial waste is also developing.
A significant contribution to PET recycling has been made by Ukrainian companies specializing in the production of granulate, fibers and nonwovens. The most famous processors are located near large cities. Currently, Ukrainian companies are actively developing the polymer recycling market, contributing to the economy of waste recycling enterprises.
