WASHING | TECHNOLOGY
New developments in washing technologies are increasing the scope for wider re-use of recycled plastics in the circular economy. Mark Holmes finds out more
PHOTO: HYDRODYN
Cleaning up in plastics recycling
The washing process is vital for the success of a plastics recycling operation. With increasing demands for a circular economy in plastics from regulators and consumers, improved washing technologies are required to deliver the higher quality recycled materials that are needed for re-use. Manufacturers of washing technologies are now designing and developing new systems to meet these requirements. There are a number of important trends under- way in the development of washing technologies that will move plastics recycling to a higher quality level, according to German manufacturer Krones. “Existing washing technology does not deliver a quality standard that is required for the circular economy – recycling into the original application,” says Bernd Esmarch, Product Specialist – PET Recycling. “Another current trend is the focus on secondary products from side streams in recycling plants. Materials that were recently only used for refuse derived fuel (RDF) are now being processed into products. Other important issues in plastics recycling include eliminating odour, as well as
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meeting the market need for plastics to be returned as colour-sorted fractions. In order to meet these requirements, we have now developed a washing technology for polyolefin recycling, using our know-how from PET recycling. One of the key quality drivers is the combination of hot washing and rinsing technology. The total market is currently in a development phase. We see a lot of opportu- nity to close the gap of existing quality standards and customer needs. Almost every week we process materials that have not been collected and recycled before, that need solutions in recycling. This is what we will focus on in the near future.” Krones has developed the MetaPure W-PO for polyolefins, based on the washing performance of its recycling process for PET containers. The sturdy and compact-sized washing module has been designed for continuous operation in plastics recycling lines. The company says that the washing process is fundamentally the process step that determines the recyclate’s quality. Poor washing performance cannot be compensated for during downstream processing of the washed flakes, it says.
Main image: The Hydro- Cleaner from Hydrodyn
� July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 25
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