EXHIBITION REVIEW | K2019


Fishing gear recycler in Chile develops PP-PE compound


A project to recycle waste fishing ropes and nets in Chile was showcased at K2019 by ExxonMobil, which provided its expertise and Vistamaxx material to the project. Atando Cabos (meaning “tie ropes”) is the name of the project set up by plastics industry execu- tives Francisco Cruz and Julio Compagnon, who are directors at Chilean recy- cling and injection mould- ing company Comberplast. “We have a philosophy that we don’t see plastic as waste,” said Cruz at Exxon- Mobil’s K2019 pavilion. Atando Cabos began in


2017 through forming a collection system for the ropes run by local commu- nities in the Chilean Patago- nia region, on the southern tip of South America. With the region’s many small islands and extensive coastline, it was essential to involve local people in collecting the waste ropes. These communities see the collection work positively,


Above: The PP-PE compound can be used to produce robust items such as crates


said Cruz, and he is confi- dent there will continue to be a steady supply of the used fishing gear. The reprocessing obstacle that needed to be addressed was that the waste is a mix of PE and PP. ExxonMobil became involved and enabled the project to produce a good recyclate by incorporating Vistamaxx as a compatibilis- ing additive. Atando Cabos has now reached the stage where it is successfully producing a recycled PE-PP compound and with this is


moulding a robust 1.3kg crate for transit packaging. Since the project began, 1,200 tonnes of the PE-PP compound have been produced. Cruz said the company is targeting an annual production rate of 2,000 tonnes. With this growth in quantity, Cruz said the next step is to sell the compound into the interna- tional market. He said the compound will be aimed at similar robust applications as the crate. Beth Galvin, ExxonMobil’s Global Marketing Manager


for Solution Performance Plastics, said the PE-PP compound made using Vistamaxx is suitable for many durable goods, including outdoor bins and garden furniture. There are performance benefits with Vistamaxx, in addition to its role as a compatibilizer. Impact strength of the Atando Cabos material is 45% better through using Vistamaxx. Gertrud Masure, Vis- tamaxx Market Develop- ment Manager for the EMEAF region, highlighted another benefit. The use of Vistamaxx improved melt flow by 40% for the recycled compound. This is important due to the fluctuations in melt flow that are typical of processing with recyclate. Cruz said there is more development work to do, in continuing partnership with ExxonMobil and machinery companies including Erema and Lindner. � www.atandocabos.cl � www.exxonmobil.com


Fimic shows largest melt filter at K2019


Fimic introduced its latest and largest melt filter at K2019. The GEM model uses two 600mm diameter screens to provide 5,500cm2


of filter surface and


is intended for use in high volume and highly contaminated recycling applica- tions. “All customers are increasing capacity and output and are handling more and more different materials with more contamination,” said Fimic Sales Director Erica Canaia, who explained


24


that the unit can process up to 3 tph. The new machine, which can be equipped with laser screens from 80-300 microns and mesh screens from 400 to 2,000 microns, combines the twin filters with two scrapers and two independent discharge valves that function automati- cally. For maximum flexibility in opera- tion, the unit can be set to scrape and discharge at a predetermined pressure or, where high levels of contamination are being handled, to scrape continu-


PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | November/December 2019


ously and discharge. Main applications for the GEM are envisaged for LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE and PP processing but the units can also handle resins such as PS and ABS, as well as EPS. Canaia said the company is cur-


rently putting the GEM model through its paces at an extrusion machinery producer’s site with a full market launch expected next year. � www.fimic.it


www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com


PHOTO: EXXONMOBIL


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52