There were two aspects to this study: To develop a descriptive model of the plastics cycle; and, To develop complete strategies for promoting the recycling and reuse of plastics. The study is reported in five parts. Part I contains a discussion of the technology of plastics, which provides the basis for understanding the technical problems of recycling. Part II describes the economics of the plastics industry needed to develop and assess the strategies for recycling plastics and discusses the market for both virgin and secondary materials. Part III describes in detail the entire plastics cycle as they are manufactured, starting from petrochemicals until they become a plastic end product in the hands of the consumer. Part IV provides an analysis of the existing state of the art of methods for isolating plastics from the solid waste stream and of applications for the scrap material. In Part V the strategies for promoting the recycling and reuse of plastics are developed and described in detail.