C13

Question 1

Disposing of waste polymers

Answer 1

• Polymers are readily available, cheap to purchase and more convenient than alternatives e.g. glass bottles
• reactivity does not make polymers suitable to store food + chemicals
• many alkene - based polymers are non biodegradable
• growing amount of polymer waste has serious environmental effects e.g. kills marine life

Question 2

Recycling polymers

Answer 2

reduces environmental impact by conserving finite fossil fuels as well as decreasing amount of waste going into landfill

Question 3

PVC recycling

Answer 3

• hazarous due to high chlorine content in Cl and additives in the polymer
• dump PVC in landfill - not sustainable - when burnt, PVC releases hydrogen chloride which is a corrosive gas and other pollutants like toxic dioxins

Question 4

Using waste polymers as a fuel

Answer 4

Some polymers are difficult to recycle

- Waste polymers can be incinerated to produce heat, generating steam to drive turbines to produce electricity

Question 5

Feedstock recycling

Answer 5

Describes chemical and thermal processes that can reclaim monomers, gases OR oil from waste polymers - can be reused for production of new polymers

• major advantage - able to handle unsorted and unwashed polymers

Question 6

Biodegradable polymer

Answer 6

Polymer than is broken down by microorganisms into water, carbon dioxide and biological compounds
Polymers usually made from starch / cellulose, or contain additives to alter polymer structure so that microorganisms can break them down

Question 7

Benefits of biodegradable polymer

Answer 7

They decompose naturally - mores sustainable as they WILL EVENTUALLY break down

Question 8

Photodegradable polymer

Answer 8

oil based polymers

contain bonds weakened by absorbing light to start degradation