* Timely information on the environmental impact of polymer recycling. * Ample sample questions and answers in chapters. * Provides material on the economics and legislation of recycling, and on LCA. * Examines the advantages and disadvantages of polymer recycling. “This book is a very useful and up-to-date account of the role of polymers in modern society, considering relevant implications of their use, production and disposal throughout their life cycle. The book is clear and well organized following a logical evolution according to the life cycle of polymers. The remarkable characteristic of this book is that it is almost written as a tale, concise and precise, without lacking detail and providing reliable scientific data.” ( International Journal of Environmental Studies , 10 January 2011) "...this book provides a study-aid, yet also a comprehensive and current reference tool." ( Rapra Abstracts ) "...an accessible treatment of this crucial area..." ( Materials World , May 2003) "...Comprising eight very comprehensible chapters...." ( Chemistry & Industry , 16 June 2003) "...Strikingly designed and conceived..." ( Industry & Environment , Jan-March 2003) "...an interesting read and a book I would have loved to have as a student...a book that is difficult to put down, does justice to the history of environmental management, and would make as good a Christmas present as a text. Top marks to the authors for a highly recommended purchase for every personal polymer, materials, and environmental engineering library." ( Polymer News , Vol. 28, No. 10, October 2003) "...essential reading for students, as well as a invaluable guide for technologists and industrialists, in the vast arena of environmental and polymer sciences." ( International Journal for Applied Sciences , Vol.130, No.10, 2004) "This book is a valuable reference...very illustrative..." (Cellulose Chemistry & Technology, Vol 39 (1/2) May 2005) An accessible treatment of this crucial area of environmental chemistry, Polymers, the Environment and Sustainable Development employs an interdisciplinary approach to tackle the problem of polymeric materials' inherent durability and subsequent persistence in the environment. In a format ideally suited as a study-aid, yet also a comprehensive and current reference tool, the book covers such areas as: * Waste management issues * Environmental impact * Waste streams * LCA * Recycling techniques * Socio-economic implications * Future directions Each chapter provides a complete coverage of the main themes with directed further reading and revision exercises with sample questions and answers to consolidate the main issues addressed. Essential reading for both advanced undergraduates and postgraduate students of the vast arena of environmental and polymer sciences. An accessible treatment of this crucial area of environmental chemistry, Polymers, the Environment and Sustainable Development employs an interdisciplinary approach to tackle the problem of polymeric materials' inherent durability and subsequent persistence in the environment. In a format ideally suited as a study-aid, yet also a comprehensive and current reference tool, the book covers such areas as: * Waste management issues * Environmental impact * Waste streams * LCA * Recycling techniques * Socio-economic implications * Future directions Each chapter provides a complete coverage of the main themes with directed further reading and revision exercises with sample questions and answers to consolidate the main issues addressed. Essential reading for both advanced undergraduates and postgraduate students of the vast arena of environmental and polymer sciences. Adisa Azapagic is Professor of Sustainable Engineering. Her research interests and expertise include life cycle modeling and optimization, life cycle assessment, industrial ecology, sustainability indicators, multiple criteria decision analysis and corporate social responsibility. Azapagic is the author of over 130 publications in these areas, including a book on Polymers, the Environment and Sustainable Development also published by Wiley. She is also interested in sustainability education and is a member of the European Federation of Chemical engineering (EFCE) Working Party on Education. She is a UNESCO/TWAIS/ICSU Visiting Scientist at the Instituto Technológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), Mexico City.