Product category:
Moulding materials
News Release from: Axion Recycling | Subject: Polymer separation and analysis technologies
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 01 June 2007
Why export waste plastics materials?
A novel polymer separation and analysis technologies for waste plastics materials research project has identified a number of processes capable of being commercialised.
Pioneering research into novel polymer separation and analysis technologies for waste plastics from Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) could boost much-needed re-processing capacity for the material within the UK and reduce its export abroad, claims Axion Recycling A two-year research project conducted by the Manchester-based plastics recycler and funded by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has identified various processing technologies that could be implemented on a commercial scale
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 25 Jun 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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Recycling process handles the polymer waste stream
Axion Recycling has developed a recycling process to handle the polymer waste stream produced by the primary treatment of WEEE.
Such technologies would help to meet rising demand from UK-based manufacturers for high quality plastics recyclate.
Axion's technical director, Keith Freegard, will present the project's findings to re-processing machine manufacturers and recycling companies from all over Europe at a special Exhibition and Networking Event.
The UK event will be held at Newark Showground on July 11.
Further reading
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Plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment should be recycled only in the UK where higher grade polymers can be produced for re-use for the European market.
Shredding unit disposes of plastics waste
Businesses in the bakery and beverage sectors can cut disposal costs of end-of-life and damaged rigid plastics distribution containers with an innovative, mobile recycling unit.
Plastics items shredded on site in seconds
The mobile shredder provides a cost-effective solution for the recycling of bulky plastics items in seconds that are difficult and uneconomical to recycle due to high transportation costs.
Anyone interested in attending can contact Axion for more information.
The different technologies investigated during the trials include: shredding; granulating; metal, wood and brominated flame retardant (BTR) removal and polymer colour sorting.
Also analysed during the project were various polymer separation methods included gravity and electrostatic separation, as well as wet or dry separation techniques.
Freegard said that the knowledge and know-how gained throughout the trials will be of value to companies interested in setting up their own WEEE treatment plants.
* WEEE plastics recycling potential - Freegard commented: "There's a great potential for WEEE plastics recycling, and this is going to grow.
However, there is currently not enough capacity in the UK to handle the predicted volumes of this type of waste.
He said: "Installed capacity is currently below 50,000 tonnes, yet with an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 tonnes of plastics/year from the domestic market alone, there is still plenty to go at." Continuing Freegard added: "Our research takes forward the knowledge on how to process a complicated waste stream that is mostly being exported to China at present.
The implementation of the UK's WEEE legislation creates a need for good evidence of recycling rates and the compliance schemes favour a traceable, high quality manufacturing system which can easily be visited for audit purposes.
This creates further opportunities for design, planning and investment in new secondary material processing plants in the UK, such as our own at Salford." Recently published figures for registered producers and importers show that at least 1.48 million tonnes of new electrical items were put on the UK domestic market alone in 2006.
There could be a further 50% generated by the business and commercial sector.
The majority of this equipment is destined to become WEEE over the next decade, some of it will have short working lifetimes in the range of two to five years.
Plastics continue to be used for a major proportion of the components in these goods, at over 30% of the mass for the small household category.
Freegard concluded: "There is no definite process to suit all applications, as specific processes have to be developed depending on what the waste stream is.
If you like, the 'big sea' of WEEE waste has several 'rivers' of different coloured water running into it - it's all water, but with very diverse properties requiring individual treatment." He said that Axion's research has advanced current knowledge and thinking that can be shared with those willing to invest in recycling this valuable, and rapidly growing, waste 'stream'.
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