POST-INDUSTRIAL RECYCLING | TECHNOLOGY


IMAGE: ENGEL


private partnerships designed to scale up recycling infrastructure, these collaborative endeavours are driving innovation and accelerating the adoption of sustainable practices. A prime example of this in practice is a cross industry collaboration between Neste, Uponor, Wastewise and Borealis, which successfully produced cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipes using chemically recycled post-industrial plastic waste feedstock from PEX pipe production. PEX pipes are important in energy-efficient heating and safe plumbing due to their robustness, tempera- ture resistance and longevity, but the interconnected polymer chains make them almost impossible to recycle using conventional recycling technologies. The collaboration will see Wastewise use its


Polystar’s Repro-One recycling system is a combined shredder, extruder, and pelletiser, which enables producers to reuse pellets in PP extrusion lines. In India, where demand for more advanced recycling machinery is rising, more than 105 Repro-One recycling machines have been installed. A critical aspect of moving toward a circular economy in plastics is ensuring that recycled materials are free from contaminants. Austrian injection moulding machine manufacturer Engel contributes to this trend with technology to handle variability in input quality. Adapting the injection moulding process to the varying properties of recycled materials is a cornerstone of this effort, and the company says it uses innovative process controls to broaden the processing window. The role of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) in this transformation process is important. Engel says it utilises these technologies to allow precise control and monitoring of the processing process, leading to improved efficiency. An example is the company’s intelligent assistance system, iQ weight control, which maintains consistent component quality despite fluctuations in material properties. By automatically adjusting processing parameters in real time, the system can reduce waste and enhance process stability. The processing of recycled PET (rPET) for


applications such as thin-wall packaging is another area where Engel has devoted a lot of time and resources, knowing that it plays a crucial role in the sustainability drive and highlights the potential for recycled materials in high-quality products. With the recycling package or the two-stage process adopted by Engel, regrind can be processed more easily, safely, and consistently. In recent years, there have been a growing number of partnerships and initiatives aimed at advancing PIR in plastics. From industry consortia focused on research and development to public-


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pyrolysis-based technology in what is believed to be one of the first implementations of chemical recycling of PEX to liquefy industrial waste from Uponor’s PEX pipe production, breaking down the polymers back into their building blocks to create an oil-like intermediate. This liquid is then co-pro- cessed at Neste’s oil refinery in Porvoo, Finland, and upgraded into recycled Neste RE. Borealis then feeds it into its steam cracker, where it is polymerised into PE. Finally, Uponor uses the PE to make new PEX pipe systems. German recycled compound maker MKV


Kunststoffgranulat, in collaboration with Toray Resin Europe, has developed a 40% glass-fibre reinforced PPS compound grade containing 50% PIR material. The Ecouse Torelina compound, which uses PPS waste from injection moulding, retains at least 90% of the mechanical strength that injection grades from original materials deliver, says Toray. SKZ Plastics Centre calculated that PPS made with this recycling process can deliver a carbon footprint that is around 45% lower than that of original PPS.


CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.sirmax.com � www.ensingerplastics.com � www.eurotec-ep.com � www.erema-group.com � www.polykar.com � https://repeats-group.com (Anviplas) � www.syncro-group.com � www.amcor.com � www.polystarco.com � www.engelglobal.com � www.neste.com � www.uponor.com � www.wastewise.co.uk � www.borealisgroup.com � www.mkv-kunststoff.com � www.toray.com


May/June 2024 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 21


Left: Engel has demonstrated the use of recycled PET for applications such as thin-wall packaging


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