**3. Recycling PTFE scrap material**

Use of plastics has the capability to cause danger to both environment and human life. PTFE scrap can be neither incinerated nor dumped! In the waste incineration processes which have been usual up to now, highly-corrosive vapors are released which also damage the incineration plant itself. Dumping of waste will in future be restricted due to nationwide regulations. In order to avoid this, Environmental Protection Agencies have taken up an action to recycle all the PTFE materials.

Recycling PTFE involves two different processes with two different end results. One involves irradiation of the PTFE scrap to heavy dose of ionizing irradiation which will reduce its molecular weight. On pulverizing, the irradiated PTFE scrap turns into *micro powder* which finds certain applications. The second method involves pulverizing the PTFE scrap without irradiation so that it becomes reusable like virgin PTFE itself.
