1.2 Classification of plastics
Although many different types of plastic are produced worldwide, the market is mostly dominated by 6 classes of plastics which include: Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polystyrene (PS), Poly-Urethane (PUR), and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) (Gesamp, 2015). Plastics originate from fossil fuels but biomass can also be used as feedback. Some of the known complete biodegradable plastics in the marine environment include aliphatic polyesters and biopolymers (Kershaw and Rochman, 2016) . Table 2 shows their general properties and their common applications:
Table 2 Different types of plastics and their classification, Source: tropical commons
Plastic type | General properties | Common household uses |
Polyethylene terepthalate(pet) | Tough, and High heat resistance | Beer bottles and Fibre for clothing and carpets |
High density polyethylene (hdpe) | Excellent chemical resistance and Permeable to gas | Toys and Compost containers |
Polyvinyl chloride (v) | Long-term permeability and Good chemical resistance | Credit cards and Pipes fittings |
Low density polyethylene (ldpe) | Waxy surface and Low melting point | Films, fertilizer bags, refuse sacks.Some bottle tops |