TECHNOLOGY | POST-INDUSTRIAL RECYCLING


Right: Erema Group’s Pure Loop business makes an integrated shredder- extruder system that is used for recycling bulky and large- volume waste


Dirnberger says the processing of roll stock and loose, large quantities of waste are also part of the job. “The customer’s choice of extrusion system depends primarily on the plastic used, the throughput requirements and the on-site logistics,” he says. The recycling of biaxially oriented film


production waste made of PP, PET, PA and increasingly also PE, is another growing area of interest. “Here, too, the trend is towards larger recycling systems processing up to 2 tonnes per hour because highly specialised film plants operate at increasingly higher output rates,” he says. “Additional production waste categories for which the Erema Group offers customised recy- cling solutions include hygiene films, foamed materials, fibres, nonwovens, parts for the automo- tive industry and even fibreglass reinforced components.” The trend for multilayer films to switch to


monomaterial construction is in order to make post-consumer recycling easier. But this presents new challenges for film processors wanting to recycle production waste. Dirnberger says: “In order for recycled pellets from such materials to be fed back into production, recycling plants must process the material gently, be easy to use, and offer a high level of automation.” Particular difficulties arise with in-house recycling


film products that have gone through secondary processes, such as printing, laminating and metallis- ing. Dirnberger says: “Erema has developed the Intarema TVEplus extruder system especially for this purpose, with triple degassing and melt filtration upstream of extruder degassing.” Erema Group has subsidiaries that have devel- oped integrated technologies specifically for in-house recycling. Its Pure Loop business makes an integrated shredder-extruder (ISEC) that is used especially for bulky and large-volume waste that


needs to be pre-shredded. Plasmac offers its Alpha direct extrusion system and Omega shredder- extruder system for lower throughput volumes. They are used, for example, in applications where they can increase efficiency in combination with production lines for blown or cast films. Customer requirements for recycling technol-


ogy, according to Erema, include compact design, low energy consumption, simple operation, high system uptime, and the availability of spare parts and technical support. It also highlights the potential of digitalisation in collecting and analys- ing machine data to improve processes and product quality. Erema’s BluPort customer portal is designed to facilitate access to these tools. Starlinger Recycling Technology says film


extrusion companies have faced ever-growing technical expectations in packaging. Now they must also consider recyclability and the incorporation of recycled polymers in their products. “Choosing the right technology helps plastic film producers and recyclers to get the most out of film production scrap or post-consumer film waste,” it says. Film producers usually recycle their in-house


production scrap, but they are now widening their sources to include post-industrial waste (following secondary or conversion stages), as well as post-consumer waste. Starlinger says: “The [film production] technol- ogy has to be flexible to be able to process different and varying input streams, but also due to unpredictable future developments. High automa- tion and optimised maintenance procedures are needed to fulfil high uptime rates. Upcycling through adding additives also plays an increasingly important role.” Film producers must deal with production scrap


Above: Starlinger Recycling Technology offers machines for process scrap and post-industrial material, for example the RecoSTAR universal recycling line


42 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | May/June 2022


throughout the production chain, no matter if the production process is for blown film or cast film, or the film structure is either mono-material or a mixture of polymers. Starlinger says the scrap can occur continuously as edge trim, or discontinu- ously as solid start-up lumps, loose film, off-spec reels and cut-outs. Secondary processes mean that


www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com


IMAGE: STARLINGER


IMAGE: EREMA


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