RECYCLING | PVC
equipment already used to manage electric and electronic waste. In one study, Phoenix RTO is developing a handheld scanner that detects the presence of lead in PVC cables. In another study it is looking to detect legacy additives that are banned. Through testing, it found the NIR technol- ogy was most promising in detecting and sorting PVC waste containing legacy additives like LMW orthophthalates while X-ray fluorescence spectros- copy (XRF) was most promising to detect and sort waste PVC containing lead. The study showed that an industrial in-line pilot system able to select and recognise PVC with the presence of lead should be pursued based on the results of its testing. VinylPlus will finance the design of a pilot plant to be installed at a partner company of VinylPlus Italia to detect the additives and traces of other substances not allowed under EU regulation, such as Di 2-ethylhexl phthalate (DEHP) and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCP).
Below: As part of the Revinyl- floor initiative, Aktion PVC-Recycling processed
post-consumer flooring materi- als at its recycling plant in Troisdorf, Germany
ERFMI in Germany launched a pilot project within the Revinylfloor initiative in 2022 seeking to increase the collection of PVC floor coverings from scraps and end-of-life products. Two German wholesale companies involved in the project, Lotter + Liebherr and Laminat Depot set up collection centres, capturing 65 tonnes of post-consumer flooring by the end of 2023. Lotter + Liebherr is extending the service to additional locations in Germany, while ERMFI’s has broadened its objec- tive to gather additional insights, perform a comprehensive cost analysis and evaluate the branch infrastructure of the current wholesalers. Compatriot PVC flooring recycling company Aktion PVC-Recycling processed the collected materials into a fine regrind at its recycling plant in Troisdorf. Aktion PVC formed the Association for the Recycling of PVC Floor Coverings (AgPR) as an initiative with several major PVC flooring
makers, with the rPVC processed into powder and used in the production of new PVC construction products, where suitable. AktionPVC says its recycling process first sorts the post-consumer floor coverings, which are then mechanically size-reduced into chips no larger than 30mm. A magnet removes metals while a hammer mill and a sieving machine separates concrete and glue residues from the chips. A final grinding process occurs and the PVC material is cooled by liquid nitrogen to -40C, where the material be- comes temporarily brittle, at which time it is further downsized into particles no larger than 0.4mm by a fine grinding mill. The material is shipped in big bags to PVC converters for the production of new PVC building products, said Jochen Zimmermann, Managing Director.
ERFMI also commissioned additional tests in 2023 to sort flooring containing legacy low-molec- ular weight plasticisers from flooring without it, using NIR sensor sorting technology from Steinert. Preliminary tests showed a near zero concentration of orthophthalate content after sorting. Further tests were planned to confirm the results. Recofloor, said to be the leading takeback scheme in the UK, reported 475 tonnes of commer- cial waste vinyl flooring was collected in 2023, saving 557 tonnes in carbon emissions compared to the processing of virgin material, said scheme manager Carla Eslava. Since the inception of Recofloor in 2009, the scheme has collected 7,060 tonnes of vinyl flooring that has been recycled back into new flooring and traffic management products. The total, which Recofloor said is a milestone, generated 8,282 tonnes of carbon savings, the equivalent of 2,161 cars being taken off the road for a year, and equal to 2,353,000 m2
of vinyl flooring being recycled,
said Eslava. Larger volumes of recycled material from
contractors, helped by the deployment of the scheme on more major projects along with increased engagement with main contractors, helped push the scheme to collection and recy- cling volume highs. In 2023, Recofloor was de- ployed on nine substantial projects, with six of those continuing their collections in 2024. Collecting acceptable commercial vinyl flooring also saves up to 70% on waste disposal costs, such as skip hire and gate fees, as well as landfill tax. A new pilot programme to collect and recycle
post-patient PVC medical devices by establishing a dedicated collection system was launched in the US in October by Westlake Global Compounds, a global flexible and rigid PVC compounder and
34 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | January/February 2025
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
IMAGE: AGPR
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