JULY/AUGUST 2019
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RECYCLING ADDITIVES: A NEW MARKET CLEANING UP WITH WASHING TECHNOLOGIES AUTOMOTIVE: BUMPERS CAN FIND A SECOND LIFE
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CONTENTS
PAGE 15
4 News Global industry news, including: Werner & Mertz boosts recycling in Germany, Borealis steps up recycling with Borcycle, new PS chemical recycling project planned, RePETitio project starts in Austria
PAGE 21
15 New market for recycling additives Additives producers have become active showing how their products can restore or enhance recyclate and expand recycled plastics applications. By David Eldridge
21 Getting smart with packaging In the run up to AMI’s fourth Smart Packaging conference in September, Pranita Nangia speaks to two of its expert speakers to learn more about current trends and future opportunities
25 Cleaning up in plastics recycling 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
PAGE 25
31 ELV bumpers can find a second life A major US project has demonstrated the economic and technical viability of recycling polyolefins from bumpers in the country’s end-of-life vehicles sector
35 K2019 Visitor Guide Plastics Recycling World starts its coverage of the K2019 show in October with information about the fair and tips for making the most of your time in Düsseldorf PAGE 31
40 Diary
COMING NEXT ISSUE � K2019
Show Issue � Sorting � Recycling and Compounding Lines
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July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD
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NEWS
The multi-partner Decoat project has been started in Europe, targeting coated and painted textiles and plastic materials which are not currently recyclable. The project will investigate triggerable smart polymer material systems and appropriate recycling processes. Smart additives such as microcapsules or microwave triggered additives will be explored to develop coating formulations that will be activated by a specific trigger (heat, humidity, microwave, chemical). The project consortium, consisting of 17 partners, is led by Belgian R&D centre Centexbel and includes Aimplas and other research bodies. � http://decoat.eu
Werner & Mertz boosts recycling in Germany Home cleaning products company Werner & Mertz has invested €30m in a new production building in Mainz, Germany, which will enhance its use of recycled PET in its packaging. The group said that from 2016 to 2018, revenue for its Frosch brand products grew by 21% and its market share by 14%. The investment in the new production centre will allow Werner & Mertz to keep up with the growing demand. When all stages of the expansion are completed, Frosch production can be doubled. Rigid packaging manufacturer Alpla has for years produced the transparent Frosch bottles made of 100% recycled plastic on the Werner & Mertz premises, and is also moving into the new building. Up to May 2019, 266 million PET bottles of 100% recycled
PHOTO: WERNER & MERTZ
Coated plastics project
Recycled PET is used in Frosch brand bottles
post-consumer plastic had been manufactured and filled in Mainz. “With the construction of the new production centre, we are creating the world’s largest recyclate bottle production,” said Werner & Mertz owner Reinhard Schneider. Gunther Lehner, owner of Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner,
said: “We are very pleased about the many years of close cooperation with Werner & Mertz. For ultra-modern and efficient packaging manufacturing in the new production centre, we have invested €13m.” The new building has many sustainability features. � www.werner-mertz.de � www.alpla.com
Colgate to make HDPE toothpaste tubes
PHOTO: COLGATE
Colgate has developed a The recyclable tube will toothpaste tube in HDPE first be sold in the company’s materials, replacing multimaTom’s of Maine brand in the terial versions, to make the US in 2020. Colgate plans to tube recyclable. fully convert all of its toothHDPE’s rigidity makes it paste packaging to recyclable unsuitable for soft, squeeztubes by 2025. able tubes, said Colgate, but Justin Skala, Executive Vice this was overcome in a President, Chief Growth & development project that Strategy Officer for Colgatelasted for more than five Palmolive, said: “Once we’ve years. The company’s Replacing laminates will make tootpaste tubes easier to recycle proven the new tube with packaging team tested a consumers, we intend to offer dozen different combinations – using out all the toothpaste, protects the the technology to the makers of plastic from six to 20 layers – to find a combiintegrity of the product, and meets the tubes for all kinds of products.” nation that allows people to squeeze demands of high-speed production. � www.colgatepalmolive.com 4
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NEWS
Borealis is introducing a new technology – Borcycle – that will be used to make compounds from recycled polyolefins (rPOs). The technology transforms polyolefin-based waste streams into quality pelletised polymer. The technology is said to be scalable and modular and is designed to help producers of products such as appliances by guaranteeing “a consistent supply of highquality recyclate” so that they can fulfil pledges to increase the amount of recycled plastics in their goods.
PHOTO: BOREALIS
Borealis steps up recycling with Borcycle technology platform
Borealis plans to introduce a full line of Borcycle recycled POs
The Borcycle MF1981SY grade will be the first of several upcoming introductions under the brand, Borealis said. It is a 10% talc-filled compound that contains more than 80%
recycled material. It provides a good balance of stiffness and impact and is said to be suitable for use in visible black parts in small appliances. n Separately, Borealis has
signed a letter of intent to step up its long-standing partnership in the field of mechanical recycling with Erema. The two companies will specifically collaborate on: developing improved technologies and processes; using knowledge exchange to design new practical technical systems; standardising and harmonising input feedstock and recyclate output; and scaling up plant sizes and total production volumes. � www.borealisgroup.com � www.erema.com
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NEWS
Plan for PS chemical recycling facility in Europe is agreed
A Recyclability Evaluation Protocol for HDPE containers has been published as part of the RecyClass initiative led by Plastics Recyclers Europe. The protocol is a tool for addressing and testing specific design features with regards to recyclability of HDPE rigid packaging, which will contribute to a correct recyclability assessment of the overall package. � www.plasticsrecyclers.eu 8
S
Solutions expects more PS recycling projects to be developed in Europe
member companies INEOS Stryrolution and Trinseo now have taken it to the next phase and together with collaboration partner Agilyx will be driving the scale-up implementation in line with the EU Plastics Strategy. I am looking forward to many more projects to come to create a novel recycling infrastructure for styrenics in Europe together with key players from across
the entire value chain.” Norbert Niessner, Director Global R&D/IP, Ineos Styrolution, and Chair of the SCS Technology Working Group, said: “We are excited by the results from the work we have already completed with Agilyx, which demonstrate how robust and advanced Agilyx’s depolymerisation technology for polystyrene is and underscores PS’ excellent recyclability.” n Ineos Styrolution is working with European dairy products group Müller to develop a circular chemical recycling system for PS yoghurt pots. The companies have agreed on a phased approach with a lab-scale phase to start this year, a pilot-scale phase starting in 2020 and a commercial-scale phase in 2022. Ineos Strolution also has other recycling partnerships. � www.styrenics-circular-solutions.com � www.ineos-styrolution.com � www.trinseo.com � www.agilyx.com
Erema leaders win award Erema’s Klaus Feichtinger and Manfred Hackl were among the winners of the European Inventor Award 2019 in June. European Patent Office (EPO) recognised Hackl (Erema Group CEO) and Feichtinger (joint CEO with Hackl until April, when he stepped down to pursue other activities), for their “exceptional achievements in plastic recycling”. EPO said: “By thinking in a new direction, these Austrian inventors reshaped plastic recycling. With their approach, waste plastics of many types can be turned into high quality pellets for
PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | July/August 2019
PHOTO: EPO
Protocol for HDPE containers
Styrenics Circular PHOTO: SC
Ineos Styrolution, Trinseo, and Agilyx have announced a plan to build a commercial scale polystyrene chemical recycling plant in Europe as part of the Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS) industry initiative. The new plant will be capable of processing up to 50 tpd of post-consumer PS feedstock. This project announcement in July follows “promising results” of an SCS evaluation study in which Agilyx carried out tests with samples of post-consumer PS food packaging waste. Agilyx evaluated the composition of the waste feedstock and successfully recycled it back into its original monomer, using its proprietary depolymerisation technology. US-based Agilyx opened a PS chemical recycling plant in Tigard, Oregon in April 2018 and is involved with partners including Ineos Styrolution and Americas Styrenics in other US projects. Jens Kathmann, Secretary General of SCS, said: “I am very happy that our
Klaus Feichtinger (left) and Manfred Hackl at the awards ceremony in June
new products. Today, more than 6 000 of their machines in operation worldwide produce over 14.5 million tonnes of plastic pellets annually.” EPO President António Campinos praised all the winners at the award
ceremony: “These inventors’ stories show how patent protection can help turn innovation into market success. What’s more, intellectual property rights are fuelling the European economy.” � www.erema.com www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
NEWS
The RePETitio project started in Austria in June focusing on recycling of PET household waste other than PET bottles. The project was initiated by recycling machinery group NGR with partner groups in Austria. It receives funding support from the Upper Austrian government. PET household waste such as blister packaging, thermoformed trays and films will be collected and sorted into six material types by Lavu and Altstoff Recycling Austria. The production of high quality rPET
PHOTO: NGR
RePETitio project aims to recycle non-bottle PET in Austria
The project is tackling mixed PET waste recycling
flake will be done by Kruschitz. The PET flakes will then be re-processed and decontaminated using NGR’s liquid state polycon-
densation process in Feldkirchen, where both rPET granulate and rPET sheets will be produced. During the LSP process, the rPET is decontaminated at
the molecular level and the polymer chains are extended to increase the intrinsic viscosity. Teufelberger will use the rPET to produce strapping with high mechanical strength requirements and Greiner Packaging will produce bottles and thermoformed trays for food and non-food applications. The products made of rPET will be compared with ones made of virgin PET. � www.ngr-world.com � www.lavu.at � www.ara.at � www.teufelberger.com
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NEWS
Trex offers to test film recyclability for firms
PRE’s new sorting guidelines
US-based Trex, a leading manufacturer of wood-plastic composite decking, is offering free recyclability testing to users of plastic packaging. By doing this, it hopes to sign up more partners to its NexTrex recycling programme – which sources used plastic film to use in its decking products. Each year, the company says it uses more than 400 million lbs (around 180,000 tonnes) of used plastic film in its products – which is made from 95% recycled material. Its main sources of raw material are retailers
New guidance from Plastics Recyclers Europe shows best practices for plastics packaging sorting facilities. The trade organisation said: “To optimise the output quality, in a sorting facility plastic packaging should be automatically sorted through a series of consecutive steps, increasing the efficiency as well as the effectiveness of establishing highly refined waste streams.” PRE issued its sorting guidelines in June. � www.plasticsrecyclers.eu
and makers of consumer packaged goods. The testing process validates whether material is capable of being recycled in the Trex recycling stream. “Trex invented composite decking more than 25 years ago as a way to reduce waste generated from plastic bags,” said Dave Heglas, senior director of material management at Trex. “We are one of the largest recyclers of plastic film in North America.” Packaging designers, producers, and brand owners submit a packaged
product sample, and Trex will test it for free – and provide a report assessing three areas for acceptance: package/ film recyclability; affect/risk of product contamination; and affect/ risk of non-recyclable ‘lookalike’ package contamination. This will allow adjustments to be made, in order to meet recyclability standards. Trex says that it additionally works with its recycling partners to make the collection and transportation of materials as easy as possible for them. � www.trex.com
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NEWS
New group backs PET monomer recycling
Durakerb reaches milestone
A PET Monomer Recycling special industry group has been set up by Petcore Europe, the PET recycling organisation. Recycling of PET back to monomers will improve the circularity of PET, says the group, as colours, additives and other polymers in multi-layer constructions can be fully recyclable. “PET Monomer Recycling has the potential to increase the quantity of available recycled PET and complement the existing mechanical recycling capacities,” said Wim Hoenderdaal,
The 400,000th kerb made from recycled plastics has been installed in the UK. Made from 88% recycled polymer, Durakerb units (kerbs, kerbside and surface drainage) deliver a 73% reduction in carbon emissions per full load when compared to concrete, said the company. Durakerb, part of the Econpro group, said this has saved the country 12m kg of CO² in the last decade, compared with a concrete counterpart. � www.durakerb.co.uk
Chairman of the new industry group. The group will use the networking and outreach of the Petcore organisation to interact with legislators, regulators, NGOs and other stakeholders to ensure chemical recycling of PET is
an acceptable business and fulfills the future requirements of business environment. The group will also work to ensure health and safety aspects as well as product acceptance is achieved. � www.petmonomerrecycling.org
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PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
ADDITIVES | MATERIALS
Suppliers jump into new market for recycling additives Additives are an established way to improve virgin polymers’ properties and now producers are showing how they can also restore or enhance recyclate and expand recycled plastics applications. By David Eldridge Additives producers have woken up to the growth potential for recycled polymers that is offered by the targets set by legislators and brand owners to greatly increase the recycled content of plastics packaging and other applications. The potential lies in targeting mixed waste streams – to convert, for example, post-industrial barrier film into a viable feedstock – and in the upcycling of postconsumer recyclate through restoring or enhancing properties and performance. The products on offer to plastics recyclers and recompounders improve recyclate in a wide range of functions, including stabilisation, melt flow, impact resistance, VOC reduction and compatibilisation. Exhibitors at AMI’s new focused trade fairs in Cleveland, US, in May discussed additive products that help recyclers produce pellets with improved www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
performance. BYK Additives has a wide range of additives for compounding virgin polymers and increasingly for compounding with recyclate. Tom Inch, Market Manager for Thermoplastic Additives at BYK USA, presented some of these during the Plastics Recycling World Expo’s conference sessions. Oxidation causes degradation of polymer at many stages of its life, from polymerisation to processing, and by the time it is used in the form of recyclate its properties are impaired. The answer is “restabilisation”, said Inch, as this “returns the resin back towards its original properties” and “gives maximum flexibility for re-use”. Without the addition of stabiliser, polypropylene recyclate is restricted to products that are thickwalled and which may have a short-term use. But
Main image: Additives can offer a variety of improvements to polymer recyclates
July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD
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MATERIALS | ADDITIVES
Source: BYK
restoring recyclate to perform as well as virgin polymers has benefits that include an increase in value, as they can be used in thin- or thick-walled products that have a longer life and may be recycled again. Inch said: “BYK has a toolbox of materials to improve the life of the plastics article.” BYK has developed Recyclostab additives for the purposes of restabilising recyclate in new compounds. Inch presented an example of PP car battery cases which can be reused in high end applications with the addition of Recyclostab 451. This additive improves the long-term thermal stability of PP recyclate and also minimizes the negative effect of acid residues. Inch presented other additives to restore recyclate (and often also used in compounding virgin polymers). BYK-P 4200 is a VOC stripping additive which forms micro foam in the compounding extruder and this collapses in the vacuum degassing stage and is extracted along with VOCs. PolyAd PR010 is “a very effective material” for recycling polycondensation polymers such as PET, he said. The additive acts as a stabiliser, chain extender, property modifier and melt strength enhancer. Inch also presented BYK’s Scona compatibilisers and coupling agents, showing how additives can also improve the property of polymers beyond their first use. (See Plastics Recycling World’s March-April 2019 issue for more on compatibiliser additives.) Milliken and its customer Aaron Industries gave a clear demonstration in Cleveland of how additives and recompounding can help a recycler expand its products and reach new customers. At Plastics Recycling World Expo, Aaron Industries launched Jet-Flo Polypro, a high melt flow recycled PP compound it produces using 16
PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | July/August 2019
Below: At Plastics Recycling World Expo in May, Aaron Industries launched Jet-Flo Polypro, a high melt flow recycled PP compound that uses Milliken’s DeltaMax performance modifier. The compound is suited for thin wall moulding of totes
PHOTO: MILLIKEN
Tests by BYK have found that recycled PP from battery cases can be used in high end applications when its Recyclostab 451 stabiliser is added
Milliken’s DeltaMax performance modifier. At Aaron’s exhibition stand, Robert M. Tocci, VP, said the launch of the Jet-Flo compound was part of the company’s strategy to produce higher value recycled compounds and branch out from the commodity products it has been making until now. “We’ve got to be making a compound as good as a virgin one,” said Tocci, as Aaron’s customers have been asking for recycled PP that performs better. The company is focusing on housewares manufacturers and is targeting Jet-Flo at applications such as totes and containers where the compound’s high melt flow enables injection moulding with thinner walls. As these large containers use a lot of material, making them with thinner walls reduces cost for the customer, in addition to the sustainability benefits of using recycled PP, he said. Aaron and Milliken finalised the development of the Jet-Flo PP compound in seven months. The product is regionally available in eastern parts of the US and Canada and is supplied as pellets in black and grey colors. Milliken also displayed Aaron’s PP tote on its stand in Compounding World World expo, along with the products of two other customers that use its DeltaMax additive. Exxel Polymers is using DeltaMax to make a recycled PP compound and Global Polymers’ PPC-55-BK recycled PP compound, utilising DeltaMax, was shown used for black storage boxes. Milliken, which introduced DeltaMax performance modifier masterbatches at NPE 2018, said Deltamax m100 melt flow modifier can raise melt flow by as much as five times while maintaining impact performance and stiffness in PP impact copolymer (ICP). DeltaMax i300 impact modifier increases impact strength by as much as three times by optimising rubber dispersion and domain size.
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
“A key issue facing recyclers is the large proportion of recycled content that comes from single-use applications like packaging,” Milliken said. “These material streams may lack the more robust physical properties required for typical recycled PP applications like durable goods. Recyclers must also contend with variability in their feedstocks.” Emily Blair, Business Development Manager at Milliken, said: “Our partnership with the Aaron Industries team is helping to elevate the value, performance and desirability of recycled PP resins. Advanced additives like our DeltaMax technology can play an increasingly important role in solving the enormous challenge of plastic waste. Enhancing PP with DeltaMax can drive greater demand for recycled resins, extending plastics’ useful life and strengthening the circular economy.” Blair also gave a technical talk on the development of DeltaMax at the Compounding World Expo conference in Cleveland. Struktol has three main focus areas for its additive products that can be used with recyclate: homogenisation, odour control and viscosity modification. Compatibilisers for homogenising polymers include RP 28, TR 052, TR 219 and TR
PHOTO: STRUKTOL
ADDITIVES | MATERIALS
229. Additives used for odour control include RP 17, RP 53 and RP 59 (read more about these Struktol products in Plastics Recycling World’s Odour Control feature, May-June 2019 issue). The company’s range of polypropylene viscosity modifiers includes RP 06, RP 11, RP 23 and RP 38. Struktol’s approach is to offer products that minimise changes to the customer’s process, said Mike Fulmer, VP Plastics and WPC, speaking to Plastics Recycling World from the company’s stand
Above: Struktol TR052 is a compatibiliser for PP and PE, but it also acts as a dispersing agent and flow modifier
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MATERIALS | ADDITIVES
with a PA barrier leads to a “significant reduction in defects and the ability to load a high amount of barrier material back in”, said Fulmer. GreenMantra Technologies, another exhibitor at Compounding World Expo in May, is a Canadian company that set up in the sustainable materials sector with investment from funding agencies and private finance groups. Based in Brantford, Ontario, the company has developed a thermo-catalytic system and patented process to convert waste plastics, including hard-to-recycle materials such as grocery bags and film, into high-value waxes and other specialty chemicals. These materials can be used as an additive in PP and PE compounds, and in applications in the coatings, adhesives, roofing and paving industries. The company is also pursuing Compounded at a 2% level with a frac-melt PCR HDPE resin, polystyrene recycling using patented catalytic GreenMantra A120 PE additive increases extruder throughput by 27% depolymerisation technology -- in May it signed a Source: GreenMantra joint development agreement with Ineos Styrolution. at Compounding World Expo in Cleveland. “If you GreenMantra’s Ceranovus PP and PE additives, can have a drop-in solution, that’s a seamless way derived from recycled plastics, act as melt flow to solve a problem,” he said. modifiers, performance enhancers and processing The company identified the growing plastics aids. Ceranovus A120 PE additive, for example, recycling sector as strategically important around increases melt flow rates by more than 50%, the five to six years ago. Fulmer said Struktol recogcompany says. At the same time, it maintains nised that recyclers wanted to increase the value of flexural modulus, tensile strength, IZOD perfortheir products through recompounding but were mance and density. In a trial, PCR HDPE pellets looking for a certain price-performance ratio in the were produced with Ceranovus A120 loaded 2% additives they needed to use. The company is and 4% and also without the additive, then finding success selling additives to recyclers not injection moulded into parts and blow moulded just in North America, but also countries in Europe, into bottles. Pellet melt flow rate increased by 58% and in Japan and Russia. and part melt flow by 39% for both compounds “We see a lot more acceptance of the idea of with the additive compared with the control. using additives, especially on the engineered Elongation increased by 19% for the 2% loading plastics side,” said Fulmer. The company has and 62% for the 4% loading versus the control. focused particularly on polyamide and polycarbonDrop testing of bottles demonstrated reduced ate compounds, in addition to PP compounds. breakage by more than 50%, said the company. “There are some real opportunities to make At the Plastics Recycling Technology Conference significantly improved recycled compounds.” There in Düsseldorf, Germany in June, additives for recycled polymers was the subject for a paper is a lot of work being done by companies in by Isabel Arroyo, Application Technology the automotive sector wanting to use Right: Gel Leader for Packaging Sustainabilrecyclate, he said. formation in ity at Dow – which now also Multiple performance benefits film produced owns products developed by mean that Struktol additives with recycled DuPont, following the merger can be used in various content can be of the two groups. She applications. TR 052, for reduced with presented case studies for example, is a compatibiadditives some of Dow’s broad liser for PP and PE, but it range of functional also acts as a dispersing polymers, copolymers, agent and flow modifier. It alloys and elastomers has been shown to improve that can be used for the processability and perforenhancing post-industrial and mance of mixed recycled post-consumer recyclate, including streams, the company says. The use of TR 052 for recycling PE film PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK its brands Elvaloy, Intune, Retain and 18
PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | July/August 2019
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
ADDITIVES | MATERIALS
Fusabond. These enhance functions such as impact resistance, viscosity control, stress cracking control and compatibilisation. Arroyo showed some of the work the group has been doing with film converters on recycling of PE and PP with barrier layers such as EVOH and PET. One case study looked at LDPE film with EVOH layer for packaging of cheese and other food. Without modification, this recyclate used at 30% inclusion to make new barrier film creates gels at an unacceptably high level. The addition of Retain on a 1:1 basis reduces the gel count to 23 gel/m² for 300 micron film and zero for 800 micron film. In an automotive application, Arroyo showed how the addition of Engage elastomer to a compound of PP from used battery cases and also from bumpers can enhance impact resistance and stiffness. This compound can then be used for an application under the hood. Dow worked on another study with Centexbel Institute which explored recycling of PET thermoformed trays containing an inner LDPE layer for sealability of the tray to lidding film. The study demonstrated that the addition of Elvaloy copolymer alloy improves the tenacity of fibres produced from the recyclate. Along with Dow, other major polymer producers have been promoting existing product lines that can be added to recyclate as well as to virgin polymer compounds. ExxonMobil produces a PE-PP copolymer range called Vistamaxx which can be used to compatibilise PP and PE in a mixed recyclate. Among the Vistamaxx benefits are enhancement to impact performance and modification of melt flow, says ExxonMobil (see feature on compatibiliers in Plastics Recycling World MarchApril 2019 issue). Arkema is another polymer major that is highlighting use of its products with recyclates. The group spoke of the need for improving the performance of recyclate from post-consumer mixed waste streams: “Pressure from legislation as well as consumer more and more drive the industry to increase recycling rates and green initiatives. That is why Arkema has designed a full range of compatibilisers and impact modifiers that allows mixed waste streams, targeting higher added-value applications. Lotader reactive terpolymer, Lotryl copolymer and Orevac grafted polyolefins have been widely used for example as compatibilisers for multilayer structures based on polyolefins (LDPE, PP and HDPE) and engineering plastics (EVOH, PA and PET). Mechanical properties, and in particular impact strength and elongation at break, are significantly improved, opening up recycling opportunities in various extrusion and injection www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
Riverdale Global’s new +Restore liquid additive improves impact strength Source: Riverdale Global
moulding applications.” Taking a novel approach to recyclate enhancement is Riverdale Global, which has built expertise around liquid additives and colours for virgin polymers. It has developed +Restore additive which reduces the polymer degradation that takes place during melt processing and increases physical property retention in regrind as compared with unmodified material. “+Restore enables recyclers to obtain physical properties much closer to those of virgin polymer than with unmodified regrind,” said Jared Arbeter, Technical Sales Manager. “This innovation expands end-use possibilities for recycled material, opening new applications in moulded or extruded products, including fibres.” Riverdale said that in tests, reground homopolymer PP containing +Restore additive exhibited 65% greater Izod impact strength than unmodified regrind. Improvements have also been achieved with PP copolymer and HDPE, it said. The new additive can be used alone or in a blend with Riverdale Global’s liquid colours. Typical usage rates are in the 0.1 to 0.5% range. CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.byk.com � www.milliken.com � www.aaroninc.com � www.struktol.com � www.greenmantra.com � www.dow.com � www.exxonmobilchemical.com � www.arkema.com � www.riverdaleglobal.com July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD
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SMART PACKAGING | INTERVIEW
Getting smart with packaging In the run up to AMI’s fourth Smart Packaging conference in September, Pranita Nangia speaks to two of its expert speakers to learn more about current trends and future opportunities Packaging is getting smarter. Whether that means the use of additives that extend lifetimes of packaged goods, incorporation of marker or identification technologies that prevent product counterfeiting, or integration of electronics that communicate with consumers (and feed back valuable data to brand owners), smart packaging solutions are increasingly being viewed as disruptive technologies with the power to reshape the packaging industry. And while still an emerging sector it is far from embryonic - Deloitte recently estimated that the smart packaging market is growing at around 11% annually and could be worth around $40bn by 2020 in the US alone. To find out what smart packaging holds in store for the future, we turned to two industry specialists that will be sharing their insight at AMI’s Smart Packaging conference, which takes place in Hamburg in Germany on 10-11 September. Dr www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
Shira Rosen is Chairman of the Israeli Packaging Institute and former Head of Packaging Development and Innovation at Strauss Group; Justin Creasy is Technical Director at It’s Fresh! and the Food Freshness Technology Group. Dr Shira Rosen, Chairman Israeli Packaging Institute What are the three trends shaping the future of packaging? Personalisation – the consumer is expecting to receive personalised solutions suited to their changing needs. Sustainability – consumers prefer packaging that is environmentally friendly; they are concerned about the future and want to take responsibility on the consequences of their consumption and expect the producer to act the same way. Trust – consumers July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD
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PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
INTERVIEW | SMART PACKAGING
Above: Smart packaging technology will
have lost trust in all the brain-wash of the brands and demand information transparency; they want to examine and compare before they purchase.
help brands stand out in competitive retail environments
How does consumer engagement drive packaging innovation? Packaging can be a great platform to engage the consumer. We witness a lot of innovation with interactive packaging that enables direct communication. There are a lot of technologies enabling the
connection between the physical – the packaging – and the digital world. This opens opportunities for new attributes such as: Information: Packaging has limited space to deliver information but by adding QR codes or NFC, they can provide endless information. For example, consumers can receive through the packaging detailed information about the quality and source of the ingredients and how it influences their health. Another issue that concerns them is how to be more environmentally friendly. They can read directly about the influence of the package and make an on the spot decision. This information can be live and change, creating ongoing interest and engagement. And the interaction is both ways, enabling the consumer to comment and ask questions and receive immediate response. Playfulness: The connection with the digital world and technologies such as AR has brought a lot of gaming opportunities to packaging. Packaging can turn into a playing tool enhancing the experience and strengthening the engagement. Convenience: New consumers are looking to ease their hectic life and packaging can be a very helpful tool for them. Smart packaging can remind them to
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reorder or reorder automatically. Packaging can be also a very effective tool to improve health by reminding to take pills on time and keep track of what we eat and drink, sending alerts if we ate or drank too much. What are your predictions for the future of the Smart Packaging industry? Smart packaging will grow significantly. Prices of the different aids, such as small sensors and printed electronics, will go down and enable a wider use, together with the growing engagement and awareness of consumers to the opportunities. We will see development of smarter materials that will prolong the shelf life and reduce weight of the packaging. The use of nanotechnology will grow and add new performance properties to the materials. We will also see more combinations of IoT and AI that will enable packaging to be fully integrated in an automatic chain of value. Once consumers use connected packaging, producers will get to know more about their needs and habits and will be able to offer a more personalised solution. On the other hand, consumers’ privacy could be harmed so, to maintain their trust, new regulations will come along.
These products are unique, consumer friendly and are technically and economically beneficial to the global supply chain. What are your predictions for the future of the Smart Packaging industry? For the next three to five years I hope we enter more closed loop systems where packaging is more readily recycled in an increasingly circular economy. To support this, consumers must be better educated in knowing how to recycle most effectively, and better armed with the role of packaging in reducing food waste and convenience to the supply chain. In addition, the functionality of the packaging will become more bespoke – adding greater shelf life and performance than currently. This is crucial so there is a clear justification and value associated with it, both in terms of financial value but also in the lifecycle of the product. Its Fresh! can assist this as it adds a further dimension to packaging, compared to today.
Justin Creasy, Technical Director It’s Fresh!/Food Freshness Technology Group What is the biggest challenge for the Fresh Produce Industry? For me, the biggest challenge is balancing the need for economic sustainability across the supply chain, enabling continued investment that can deliver long term returns whilst balancing and sharing the risks associated with that investment. Buyers need to understand the long-term requirements of primary production, and primary producers need to invest in value not cost. Waste is a classic example. There exist answers to extending shelf life and reducing waste, but it is not a least cost solution. Also, growers and packers need to be rewarded in investing in this and not feel they constantly must chase the race to the bottom, which is the current outcome of today’s retailer practices. Some retailers are investing in this and those that are need to educate their consumers to the difference. Most consumers, I think, would support this if only they are made more aware. What smart innovations is It’s Fresh! working on? We are currently working on a number of groundbreaking ways to extend quality and freshness. www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
Join the conference Rosen and Creasy will both be speaking at AMI’s fourth Smart Packaging conference 2019 in Hamburg, Germany on 10-11 September. Other key speakers and panel participants at this international event include senior representatives from Avery Dennison (UK), CPI (UK), Crown Technology (UK), Deloitte (Belgium), Ethelco (Belgium), Fraunhofer Electronic Nano Systems (Germany), GS1 (Germany), Insignia Technologies (UK), Inuru (Germany), ISI Pac (UK), Jones Packaging (Canada), Mimica (UK), Murata Electronics Europe (Netherlands), Parx Plastics (Netherlands), Scantrust (Switzerland), Sealed Air (Italy), Securikett Ulrich & Horn (Austria), Selig Liners (UK), StixFresh (USA) and Waterio (Israel). To learn more about Smart Packaging 2019 contact conference organiser Anna Kislingbury. Tel: +44 (0) 117 314 8111; Email: anna.kislingbury@ami.international or visit the conference website Smart Packaging
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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
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 underway 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 www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
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 opportunity 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. �
PHOTO: HYDRODYN
Main image: The HydroCleaner from Hydrodyn
July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD
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TECHNOLOGY | WASHING
There is now significant market demand to recycle polypropylene and polyethylene to render them suitable for high-grade re-use. Following extensive trials in its plant’s own washing system, Krones says it was able to demonstrate that it is possible to treat these polyolefins to create top-quality recyclates – in a process that is both ecologically and economically viable. Polymer densities vs water (g/cm³) PET: 1.38-1.40 Polyolefins: < 1 PP: 0.90-0.915 LDPE: 0.915-0.935 HDPE: 0.94-0.97
Below: Herbold Meckesheim installed this washing line for WKR Walter
PHOTO: HERBOLD MECKESHEIM
in Austria
One of the main characteristics of polyolefins is their density of lower than one, which allows them to float on the the surface of water, while PET is significantly heavier than water meaning that it sinks to the bottom (see table). Krones adds that the relatively low density of polyolefins and their resulting ability to float are particularly helpful in the washing process for PET when it comes to separating cap material from the PET itself. In the washing process for polyolefins, this material characteristic requires some procedural adjustment. However, the overall concept continues to be based on the experience gathered in the field of PET washing technology. Units were adapted to suit polyolefins and in-house trials produced good washing quality. Washing results were confirmed in external laboratories and validated in the production of test specimens. One problem encountered with polyolefins is material collection and resulting side effects. “The packaging we are talking about here is collected in household garbage or in separate bins or sacks for plastics,” says Esmarch. “Because this material is
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PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | July/August 2019
ONES
O: KR PHOT
Krones’ MetaPure W-PO washing module recycles polypropylene and polyethylene suitable for re-use
usually not cleaned before recycling, it is invariably in contact with organic residues such as ketchup, mayonnaise, oil, yoghurt, shampoo, soap, household cleaning agents and many other substances. This creates an enormous biological and chemical loading, with an unpleasant smell. That in turn renders it relatively difficult to make sure the end-product is odour-neutral. However, with the standard washing module used in the in-house pilot plant, optimum results in regard to cleanliness and odour-neutrality could indeed be achieved.” According to Daniel Zeiler, Vice President, Sales at Herbold Meckesheim, there is increasing interest in film recycling at present in the industry. “Rigid plastics are in good hands in many countries, but film scrap is often out of recycling,” he says. “In order to achieve European Union recycling targets, packaging waste, in particular, in sorting plants needs further treatment to allow higher quality recycling. Plant upgrades are required and new streams need adapted processing solutions. We also see the need to treat PET trays separately. It is brittle and therefore a more demanding product. We have run several trials to improve the washing technologies and recovery rates for this material – minimising losses in fines is the key,” he says. “As far as the end markets are concerned, there is a higher demand for improved recycling processes and quality recyclates. If plastic converters want or are forced to replace more virgin material by r-pellets, then they need r-pellets of a quality that is closer to virgin. In recycling process efficiency, the main trends are to reduce the loss of fines in the processing of hard and brittle plastics, as well as reducing energy use in size reduction and drying.” Zeiler also highlights some other areas where new solutions are required in plastics recycling and washing technologies. These include the processing of larger amounts of stretch film, with films continuing to get thinner. Bigger recycling lines are also required – for 2-5 tonnes per hour – while www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
PHOTO: HYDRODYN
maintaining quality. Solutions to process laminated materials are also needed and where possible separate them, into aluminium layers and biobased plastics for example. Rigid plastic streams coming from separate plastic waste collection is another area of potential improvement. Recovery of plastics from laminated cartons, as well as processing of pulped waste, are also streams that can contain valuable raw materials that can be returned into the cycle. Process solutions have already passed several trial rounds with very promising outcomes, he says. Herbold Meckesheim is concentrating on film lines and has recently installed one in the US and one in Europe. In addition to the standard steps of pre-washing, wet grinding, centrifugal and thermal drying, both include hot washing steps, hydrocyclone separation and agglomerators. The company adds that it optimises plant performance both by mechanical improvements and advanced process control to ease operation and maximise throughput and uptime. Recent technical developments at Herbold Meckesheim have included a larger centrifugal dryer, HVST step dryers, introduction of hot washing from PET into film, larger SB-granulators (force-fed machines), and improved label removers for PET bottle treatment. Herbold adds that future developments will include bigger films lines, more combined with NIR sorting and washing lines. There will also continue to be more integration of the different recycling technologies of sorting, separation, cleaning and granulation. Converters and virgin material producers will also continue to be looking at upgrading recyclate properties. There will also be more pre-processing for chemical recycling, predicts Herbold. Herbold Meckesheim says that its hot washing is a practical complement to existing washing technology and represents an important process
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
PHOTO: HERBOLD
WASHING | TECHNOLOGY
step for increasing quality. Herbold meets this challenge of producing high recycling quality in large quantities by integrating this process step, which originated in the recycling of PET bottles, into other areas of the plastic recycling process. Initially, this involved just pre-washing used PET bottles. However, the procedure is also used for other items, such as thermoformed foils, trays and foil used in the packaging industry, and has also been developed for polyolefin foils. With optimum temperatures, a suitable dwell time and optimum use of additives, Herbold says that its hot washing process yields excellent cleaning results. The company says that the main advantage of hot washing is the cleanliness of the flakes. Fatty impurities, for example from body lotions, cooking oil or sun cream, are dissolved and washed away, as are residues from labels and their adhesives. The clean flake material has reduced odour, is clear and does not yellow. Herbold adds that just how clean the material is can be demonstrated by the melt filter in the extrusion system. While the industry standard for filtering out foreign particles in the melt filtration process is 80-110 microns, hot washed flake material achieves just 40 microns. The origin of the material being recycled – discarded items from normal domestic waste – is no longer detectable in the end result. Different types of waste present different demands of the preparation stages. When quality is the main focus, Herbold’s customers rely on the hot washing system’s recommended process integration, in a discontinuous process. The reason for this is the recyclate’s important and more controllable dwell time in separate tanks with agitators. If using multiple tanks in alternating operation, the process step becomes more or less continuous, and can be integrated into continuously running machinery. In PET recycling, the improvements to the
Above: Jörg Schneeberger, CEO of WKR Walter, and Karlheinz Herbold, Executive Director of Herbold Meckesheim, in front of the centrifuge of the new washline
Left: Postconsumer waste input
July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD
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TECHNOLOGY | WASHING
Hydrodyn has developed a containerised solution for a compact washing line
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recyclate and the resulting large-scale industrial quantities deriving from the hot washing system form a crucial upstream stage in the production of food-safe material for preforms or thermoformed foils. Herbold says that it is also monitoring other opportunities to improve quality in plastics recycling. As well as optimal integration of hot washing systems, it is also offering solutions for water treatment, as well as for reducing operational costs. Herbold has been involved in a project with recycler Integra based in Sofia, Bulgaria. The first stage is a sorting plant where film waste is sorted by material type and colour. Input is mixed film sourced across Europe. The second stage is an extensive Herbold wash line where batches of pre-sorted film are processed including a hot wash step to take away odour and glue for example. After washing, flake sorting takes place to achieve top quality clear film flakes. The different colour batches after washing are then processed with an Erema extruder, which has a double laser filter and allows very fine melt filtration. Herbold says that the whole process produces high quality recyclates from dirty input material. Post-consumer film recycler WKR Walter Austria has also installed a Herbold film wash line. In order to extend its facility in Wels, Austria, WKR Walter chose a completely integrated solution with key components being a VWE pre-wash system, hydrocyclone separation and a twin centrifugal drying step. The infeed of the line is baled material, sourced from Germany, based on DSD 310 spec. The plant provides for the efficient cleaning of the material, with a hydrocyclone separation step as a key requirement for the production of high-grade recyclate for manufacturing thin-walled film. All of the company’s three existing wash lines have also been upgraded by Herbold with hydrocyclones in the past couple of years. WKR Walter no longer needs to operate a film wash line with a thermal drying unit, due to efficiency of the centrifuge. The new line is designed for 10,000 tonnes/year and WKR Walter is looking at further expansion. Hydrodyn also observes the trend towards post-consumer LDPE film recycling – from collection schemes, household waste sorting lines and even PHOTO: HYDRODYN
Right:
PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | July/August 2019
plans to recover material from landfill. “These materials, depending on country and sorting line, are usually heavily contaminated with stones, sand, organics, cardboard, mixed plastics such as PET and rigid materials, aluminium and labels,” says Lukas Kupczyk, Head of Project Management. “As a result they require extensive washing, post-sorting and water treatment technology. For heavy contamination, our patented HydroCleaner employs precise friction and separation of contamination in several stages. We also see a need for solutions with a small footprint due to rising cost of land – containerised solutions,” he said. “We have developed a compact, fully containerised wash and water treatment solution that can either upgrade existing lines to be able to handle heavily contaminated inputs or be used as a quickly installed and commissioned new line with a very small footprint. The containerised line includes shredder, extruder and water treatment and has a footprint of around 800m². The solution is built around the HydroCleaner, where we can remove the contamination through a precise friction technique without using a hot wash or similar system. In addition, we have developed sifting technology for washed and dried flakes, based on low energy consumption, to sort contamination such as rigid plastics or aluminium to enrich LDPE further before processing in an extruder.” AMUT has established a facility for recycling POAL – polyethylene plus aluminium composite recovered from packaging such as Tetra Pak – to produce Ecoallene, which has an Italian patent. This material is easy to colour and contains some aluminium particles that make it slightly glittered. The main applications are automotive, building, giftware and general tools. AMUT has developed this project together with the Italian start-up and Ecoallene licensee Ecoplasteam, which can recycle 7,000 tonnes of waste coming from this particular packaging, mainly from the polycomposite part (up to now only cellulose could be recovered). AMUT has developed technology for POAL treatment and washing and the extrusion line to turn the final material into pellets. The two companies say that they have been able to sort out the complex issue of disposing most of this material waste – a process that has always www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
caused problems and high management costs to landfills and incinerators. With this new plant, a fraction of material usually not recovered will be transferred to the Ecoplasteam facility to become Ecoallene after treatment. The input material, in the form of commingled bales, comes from a paper mill after undergoing a process for Tetra Pak cellulose recovery. The material is processed and treated through progressive phases and washed with a series of equipment in order to reduce the presence of paper fibres. Once the material is clean, it is mixed by a gravimetric dosing system, filtrated, granulated by the extrusion line and put into big bags. Ecoallene can be extruded or injection moulded like a standard polymer. It can be coloured and mixed with additives for different applications. AMUT has also worked with Indorama Ventures North America on a food-grade recycled PET facility. “We have been working with AMUT for a number of years to develop an excellent technological and yet economical solution to meet our high standards for r-PET flakes,” says Yash Awasthi, Vice President of Indorama Ventures North American Operations. “The new plant will process more than 100 million pounds (45.4m kg) of plastic bottles annually into clean PET flakes to produce our FuTuRe-PET. The AMUT washing section is capable of reaching 4,000 kg/h. The processed bottles are extremely dirty, being post-consumer landfill collected. These are the dirtiest bottles seen in this market and AMUT technology is able to obtain the premier value clean PET flakes from them. The cleaned PET flakes will be used to produce new resins for a variety of sustainable products which our clients now demand for their PET packaging products. Our goal is to close the loop on recycling and increase the sustainability of the PET containers.”
PHOTO: AMUT
WASHING | TECHNOLOGY
The new Indorama Ventures recycling facility will be located in Guadalajara, Mexico, at its Ecomex joint venture in close proximity to its resin production site. The new recycling plant will be operational in late 2019. AMUT will also upgrade an existing unit at the ECOMEX plant as well, making the factory capable of producing over 13,000 pounds per hour of highest quality PET flakes from postconsumer PET bottles coming from landfill. The new washing plant has been specifically developed by AMUT to cope with the necessity of processing very dirty PET post-consumer landfill collected bottles. These bottles require a wet-coldcleaning technology incorporated in the de-labeller unit. The de-labeller removes the labels, especially the full body shrink sleeves, to improve bottle quality to go through the subsequent cleaning operations. Turbo and friction washer machines perform the cleaning phase. In this case, the combined action of these two machines needs boosting – the friction force has been increased to remove not only fine pollutants, labels and glue but even soil. Pre-washing and de-labelling phases are carried out in a cold water process while the turbo and friction washer have hot water flow. The bottles are always subject to a high level of cleaning and pollutants are removed inside each machine as they undergo non-destructive high friction with a suitable residence time. AMUT adds that its technology optimises operational costs. Fresh water usage is reduced to a minimum because the water, that is continuously filtrated, can be re-used during the whole process and the consumption of energy and cleaning agents is minimised.
Above: A turbo washer is part of the technology solution for POAL recycling developed by AMUT
Left: AMUT has worked with Indorama Ventures North America on a food-grade recycled PET facility
PHOTO: AMUT
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.krones.com � www.herbold.com � www.hydrodyn.de � www.amutgroup.com www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD
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AUTOMOTIVE | INNOVATION
A major US project has demonstrated the economic and technical viability of recycling polyolefins from bumpers in the country’s end-of-life vehicles sector
ELV bumpers can find a second life in the US The End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Recycling Demonstration Project has shown there is a feasible market for recycled plastic bumpers in the US and that there is the technology to support this, according to the Plastics Industry Association. Following completion of Phases II and III of the ELV Project, the association released a report in May. The project, which was launched in 2015, was designed to study the viability of collecting and recycling plastic car parts, including car bumpers, and that recovered thermoplastic polyolefins (TPO) could be used in materials to make new products. Patty Long, Interim President and CEO of the Plastics Industry Association, said: “Finding innovative ways to recycle and reuse plastics has a direct impact on the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills. By developing lasting, sustainable end markets for these materials, even those extracted from scrap cars and trucks, [the association] is giving scrap materials a new life through recycling.” The ELV Project involved using four different sources of plastic bales which were processed by three plastics recyclers across the US. The economic and technical feasibility was the focus of Phase 1, in which the bales were evaluated and converted by www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
Geo-Tech Polymers into two forms: reprocessed and pelletised with paint removed and simply shredded with the paint remaining. From the initial work, the Plastics Industry Association was able to create a directory of automotive recyclers who specialise in using ELV materials. (See more on Phase 1 of the ELV Project in Plastics Recycling World July-August 2018 edition.) “The recycler participating in Phase I [Geo-Tech Polymers] was able to create very high-quality TPO pellets at a cost that is less than prime TPO,” said the Plastics Industry Association in its report
Main image: Waste car bumpers are a potentially large source of recycled polyolefins
Participants in ELV project ACI Plastics, Asahi Kasei, Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA), Boston Auto Wreckers, Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA), Erema North America, Fenix Parts, Gary’s U-Pull It, Geo-Tech Polymers, Innovative Injection Technologies (i2Tech), Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), John Deere, Kal Trading, Manar Inc., Metro Recycling, Midland Compounding & Consulting, Milliken, Noble Polymers, Padnos, Post Plastics, Ravago Recycling Group, Series One, Standard Auto Wreckers, Toyota, TPEI, and Ultra-Poly Corporation. July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD
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INNOVATION | AUTOMOTIVE
published in May. “While the recycled TPO could not be a direct replacement for virgin TPO in a high-demand application like bumpers, the material exhibits very good properties that could make the material appropriate for non-critical applications on vehicles or feedstock for manufacturing in other industry sectors. All results and learnings were promising in Phase I, so workgroup members agreed that further demonstration work was warranted to prove out replicability and scalability in Phases II and III.” The goal of Phase II was to replicate collection and recycling success from Phase I with more auto recyclers and more plastics recyclers, in conjunction with the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and their members, which collected used bumpers for testing. The team working on Phase II was able to affirm that the current ISRI bale specification for post-consumer TPO plastic automotive bumper covers is appropriate. If bales are prepared according to the specifications, it is possible for them to be processed and yield a high quality TPO material. A directory was compiled of ELV recyclers that are currently capable of processing ELV bumpers.
However, the report noted that opening additional collection channels for TPO bumpers through auto shredder companies would be challenging. Each of the auto shredders has a different process that makes adding the necessary step for bumper removal difficult to do. These companies are typically set up to focus on the metal stream that comes from car shredders, and they would need to make additional investments to effectively remove bumpers prior to shredding. In the report’s conclusion, it was recommended that “auto scrap yards and shredder yards consider adding this [bumper separation] activity to the work flow if either new facilities are being built, or expansions and improvements are being made. The workflow and space constraints may be overcome if this is an activity that is planned to fit within the operations process, ultimately yielding a different economic outcome for auto recyclers and shredders”. Phase III of the ELV Project involved more plastics recycling, compounding, additives and technology companies which carried out material evaluations to confirm sample consistency and data reproducibility of the good results in Phase I.
JLR and BASF explore chemical recycling
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The recycled plastic material is being tested in a Jaguar I-Pace prototype front-end carrier
ity seat material for the Range Rover Velar and Evoque SUVs combines a wool blend with a technical suede cloth that is made from 53 recycled plastic bottles per vehicle. Chris Brown, Senior Sustainability Manager at JLR, said: “At Jaguar Land Rover, we are proactively increasing recycled content in our products,
PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | July/August 2019
PHOTO: JLR
BASF has joined Jaguar Land Rover in a chemical recycling pilot project to convert domestic plastic waste into a high-quality material for use in the automotive industry. The ChemCycling project is using a technology to convert plastics to pyrolysis oil using a thermochemical process. This is then fed into BASF’s production chain leading to a “premium grade” material, said JLR, matching the performance of virgin plastics. An important feature for JLR is that the material “can be tempered and coloured, making it the ideal sustainable solution for designing the next-generation dashboards and exterior-surfaces in Jaguar and Land Rover models”. JLR and BASF are currently testing the pilot phase material in a Jaguar I-Pace prototype front-end carrier overmoulding to verify it meets the stringent safety requirements of the existing original part. JLR noted another project in which a high-qual-
removing single-use plastics across our operations and reducing excess waste across the product lifecycle. The collaboration with BASF is just one way in which we are advancing our commitment to operating in a circular economy.” � www.jaguarlandrover.com � www.basf.com www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
Recycling company ACI Plastics participated in the post-consumer paint removal trial with ELV bumpers provided by an ISRI member. Scott Melton, ACI President, reported that from the 2,513 pounds of post-consumer automotive bumpers it received, and after dismantling the parts, ACI was only able to recover 1,269 pounds. The company ground the suitable bumper parts, removed the paint and pelletised the material. ACI did not add any materials or additives to the post-consumer paint removed TPO and the finished product met the company’s specification for paint-removed TPO to be used in Class A applications. Ultra-Poly Corp, a plastics recycler-compounder, also evaluated a bumper bale sourced from a participating ISRI scrap yard. After producing recycled pellets, the company injection moulded flex and tensile bars and plaques for testing. Tensile strength, flexural modulus, notched Izod impact tests were performed. Among Ultra-Poly’s conclusions, it said: bales could be fairly easily handled and processed; the degree of contamination was manageable; mechanical and physical properties appeared to be good in spite of known contamination with low levels of ABS; the appearance of moulded parts was somewhat “pocked” due to residual paint and non-TPO contamination; the pelletised material would be useful for many potential applications where smooth, high gloss finish is not necessary; the material could potentially be used also as a compounding component to improve impact strength and stiffness of other recycled streams. Technical Process and Engineering Inc (TPEI), which manufactures continuous mixer compounding equipment, processed chipped material on a TPEI FRE Continuous Mixer. The company said: “The TPO was fed with a volumetric feed auger under an un-agitated storage hopper. Minimal manipulation was needed to maintain a consistent feed into the machine. When material enters the mixer it is conveyed, densified, and melted along the forward section of the rotors. Once the polymer is melted the paint is dispersed with the aid of a mixing dam. Volatiles and moisture are able to exit the machine through a vent port and managed by facility dust collection. Once processing is complete the material exits the mixer and is fed into a 10:1 l/d hot melt extruder and conveyed to a Gala underwater pelletising system.” Additives group Milliken received a sample of recycled bumper TPO from Geo-Tech and ran experiments in an extruder using three DeltaMax Performance Modifier masterbatches: m100 Melt Flow Modifier, a200 All Purpose Modifier and i300 www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
PHOTO: ACI PLASTICS
AUTOMOTIVE | INNOVATION
Impact Enhancer. It prepared “salt and pepper” blends, and pre-compounded these in an 18mm twin-screw extruder at standard PP processing conditions. The resulting compounds were moulded into ASTM flex bars for testing. Milliken said that using 0.5% DeltaMax m100 Melt Flow Modifier, the MFR increased by 38% while maintaining impact strength at 8 ft-lb/in. Using DeltaMax i300 Impact Modifier, it was able to improve impact resistance up to 20% while retaining similar MFR (15 vs. 16 for the control). The company concluded: “The bumper resin contains a considerable amount of rubber and though impact and melt-flow can be further improved, we suggest blending the bumper resin with other resin to create high melt flow and high impact resins that are not readily available in the market. The target markets can include housewares, lawn and garden, roofing, industrial bulk containers, and automotive.” Noble Polymers was another project participant involved in testing. “The properties of the material were very close to what we would see from a recycler,” said Meagan Marko, product line manager, speaking at the Plastics Industry Association’s ReFocus event. “We saw a lot of promise in the material and we think if the collection and the stream can be scaled up, then there will be a lot of use for it in the market.”
Above: Used bumper bales were evaluated by project members
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.plasticsindustry.org � www.isri.org � www.aciplastics.com � www.ultra-poly.com � www.tpei.com � www.milliken.com � www.noblepolymers.com July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD
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Plastics Recyclers in Europe Database
Access verified contact, source and reprocessed product data for 913 plastics recycling sites:
4 Identify suppliers of recycled polymers 4 Find recyclers of production waste 4 Analyse each recyclerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential for your business 4 Contact managerial decision makers 4 Research the industry
Find out more HERE or email evren.akfirat@ami.international for a free sample excel file of this database Bringing the plastics industry together.
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2019 | EVENT PREVIEW
Let the countdown to K2019 begin! Here, and on the following pages, we take a look ahead to the global plastics industry’s essential event – and provide useful links to help you get the most from your visit
Getting ready for K2019 The world’s largest plastics trade fair is now less than three months away; K2019 will take place at the Messe Dusseldorf show ground in Germany on 16-23 October 2019. The show will fill all 18 halls of the venue – where more than 3,000 exhibitors from more than 60 countries will promote their raw materials, additives, semi-finished products, machinery, ancillary equipment and services to the plastics industry. Regular K visitors may wonder about the 18 halls, which is one less than in 2016. The explanation is that Hall 2 has disappeared, subsumed into a new and much larger Hall 1 that now covers 12,000m2. The southern entrance is also being updated but will not be quite ready for K.
Attendance in 2016 was slightly up on the previous event in 2013 – by around 14,000 visitors to 232,053. Messe Dusseldorf will be hoping for further growth although the plastics market is certainly less buoyant than three years ago. One of the big challenges facing the sector is sustainability, so expect to see much around recycling, waste management and the Circular Economy throughout the exhibition. Other key themes will include digitalisation in the form of Industry 4.0 smart technologies and additive manufacturing. The Science Campus, designed to allow business to exchange ideas and information with academia, will also make a return to this year’s event.
Plastics Recycling World at the K2019 show Plastics Recycling World will be exhibiting at K2019 on stand C11 in Hall 7. By paying a visit, you can find out more about all of our digital plastics magazines and apps. The stand is run by our parent company AMI, which will be showcasing its latest industry directories and market reports, as well as providing information on our many conferences and the new Plastics Extrusion World Expo 2020. In the run up to the K2019 event, Plastics Recycling World will be publishing detailed previews of the innovations that will be on show.
Look out for the K Show Special in September-October. You can follow the news as it happens on our Twitter feed @Plasticsworld and we will also be reviewing the event in detail in our November/December edition. If you are exhibiting at K, then please let us know about the new products you will be showing. Send your press releases to the editor, David Eldridge at david.eldridge@ami.international. Full details of our special coverage of K can be found in our media pack.
Dates: 16-23 October 2019 Venue: Dusseldorf Fairground, Dusseldorf, Germany Hours: 10:00 to 18:30 daily Organiser: Messe Dusseldorf Website: www.k-online.de
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD
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EVENT PREVIEW |
2019
Clic for information Use our hand-picked selection of weblinks to make sure you have a productive and enjoyable visit to K2019 GET K ON YOUR SMARTPHONE Lots of useful K 2019 data is now available on your smartphone or tablet, including exhibitor and product databases, exhibition plans, travel information, hotel listings, city guides and restaurant reviews. To download the app, visit the page here, which has links to either the AppStore (for iPads and iPhones) or Google Play (for Android devices). There are also instructions for users of BlackBerry mobile devices.
BOOK YOUR HOTEL BUY YOUR TICKETS Purchasing your tickets online in advance can save you up to E47. A three-day ticket bought online costs E108 instead of E155 when purchased at the exhibition. One-day tickets are E49 in advance or E75 at the show. Order your tickets now by clicking here
Dusseldorf’s hotels quickly fill up for the eight days of K and the best options go early. Find out what’s still available and make your reservation as soon as possible at the official website
MAKE THE MOST OF DUSSELDORF After a hard day at the show you will have earned some relaxation time. Make the most of your evenings in the city by checking out the restaurants, pubs, bars, culture and entertainment on offer. This official guide has useful listings as well as guides to the sights and neighbourhoods: http://bit.ly/DusseldorfGuide Also worth a look is the Wikitravel page on the city: http://bit.ly/wikiguide And if the Altstadt and its 260 pubs get too crowded, try heading to the Media Harbour, for its modern architecture and venues, which include restaurants, bars and clubs. Find out more about the area’s attractions here: http://bit.ly/K2019mediaharbour 36
PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | July/August 2019
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
2019 | EVENT PREVIEW
CHECK OUT THE EXHIBITORS With more than 3,000 exhibitors to choose from and a total exhibition area of more than 170,000m2, it makes sense to plan your time at the show before you head off. The good news is that you can search for participating companies by name and by product using the daily-updated online K2019 database. To search by company, click here To search by products, click here You can also locate companies using the interactive floorplan which can be found here
the OUR TRAVEL ORGANISE Y connected and getting around well transport Dusseldorf is cellent public ex its t to ks an mission ticke city is easy th et that your ad rg fo t s n’ se do bu l nd ca network. A u to use the lo tion allows yo r can be fe of is th for the exhibi of ils free. Full deta e along and trains for orf travel guid ld se us D se es M e and th to in g found t travellin rmation abou fo in eful of us ts of lo with ns plenty . It also contai ty ci e th nd re arou e from he oad the guid maps. Downl
SOAK UP SOME CULTURE There is more to Dusseldorf than K – it is the capital of North RhineWestphalia, after all. The city is home to more than 100 galleries and museums but the biggest is the Museum Kunstpalast, located in the centre of the city near Königsallee. During the fair, the Kunstpalast’s special events include: a retrospective of Dortmund-born artist Norbert Tadeusz, including around 40 paintings and works on paper; and an exhibition of art created in the former East Germany. Find out more here
TRY THE RETAIL EXPERIENCE If retail is your thing – and especially designer goods – then Dusseldorf will not disappoint. Königsallee – known as ‘Kö’ to locals – includes many of Europe’s leading fashion names and is likened with Knightsbridge in London or Fifth Avenue in New York. But neither of those locations can boast a setting to match the tree-lined man-made ‘river’ that runs through this premium shopping district. Catch the flavour here: http://bit.ly/K2019konigsallee
DON’T FORG ET T
HE ALTBIER! Regular K visi tors will alread y know that D brew is the A usseldorf’s lo ltbier, a malty cal copper-colou 4.5% strength red ale of arou produced us nd in g a special to lagering met p-fermented hod. The nam e tr anslates as ‘o actually deriv ld beer’ but is ed from the La tin word ‘altu ‘high’ and refe s’, which mea rs to way the ns yeast rises du it out in one of ring brewing. the city’s on-p Try remise brew-p these and a sh ubs. Details of ort history of Altbier can be http://bit.ly/K found here: 2019altbier
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
July/August 2019 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD
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Plastics Recycling in Europe Capacity, Capabilities and Future Trends
From AMI CONSULTING
A study relevant to all those involved in the plastics industry value chain. Gain a strong understanding of: • how developments in mechanical recycling technology are changing • the increasing ability to recover more plastics in a closed-loop, helping to retain maximum value • how to take advantage of this changing and developing industry
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Bringing the Plastics Industry together.
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Follow us on... Be the first to know when we publish a new edition, plus updates on our conferences and useful links.
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Keep informed: read our latest editions AMI publishes five process-specific FREE plastics industry magazines. Simply click on the cover below to read each magazine. Or download the issue in the relevant Apple or Android app Top left: PRW May June 2019 https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A42x3p/PRWMayJun19/index.html Plastics Recycling World
May/June 2019 The May-June edition of Plastics Recycling World looks at how additives suppliers and machinery makers are tackling the issue of odours in postconsumer recyclate. Other features cover new shredder technology and processing rPET fines, plus Plastics Recycling World Expo. � CLICK HERE TO VIEW
CL: IW July August 2019 Injection World https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A1uufg/IWJulAug19/index.html
July/August 2019 The July-August issue of Injection World looks at technology enabling injection moulders to use more recyclate. Plus features on packaging and masterbatch and analysis of tethered caps regulation.
� CLICK HERE TO VIEW BL: PPE July/Aug 2019 https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A1utvq/PPEJulAug19/index.html Pipe and Profile
July/August 2019 The July-August edition of Pipe and Profile Extrusion looks at how polymer pipes are being used in the offshore oil and gas sector. Other features cover extruder innovations to be shown at K2019 and developments in PVC additives. � CLICK HERE TO VIEW
Top right: PRW March April 2019 https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A42x3p/PRWMarApr19/index.html Plastics Recycling World
March/April 2019 The March/April edition of Plastics Recycling World examines the latest developments in melt filters and details innovations in WEEE recycling and polymer compatibiliaation. Plus, we preview next month’s Plastics Recycling World Expo in the US. � CLICK HERE TO VIEW
CR: CW July 2019 Compounding World https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A1rl2p/CWJul19/html/index.html
July 2019 The July edition of Compounding World takes a look at the development and application of antimicrobial additives. It also reviews the latest innovations in melt filters, colour measurement and feeding technology.
� CLICK HERE TO VIEW BR:FSE July August 2019 https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A1uuff/FSEJulAug19/index.html Film and Sheet
July/August 2019 The July-August edition of Film and Sheet Extrusion looks at the accelerating research into bioplastics applications, plus stretch and shrink film, masterbatches, bag-making machinery and a Visitor Guide to K2019.
� CLICK HERE TO VIEW
Take out your own FREE subscriptions to any of the magazines. Click on the logos below to simply register on-line.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
GLOBAL EXHIBITION GUIDE 1-3 August
Plastics, Printing & Packaging, Nairobi, Kenya
2020
2019
2-4 September
www.expogr.com/kenyappp
Interplastics-Kazan, Kazan, Tartarstan
18-21 September
www.k-globalgate.com
T-Plas/Tiprex, Bangkok, Thailand
16-23 October
K2019, Dusseldorf, Germany
17-19 October
Plastics, Printing & Packaging, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
www.tplas.com www.k-online.com www.expogr.com/tanzania/pppexpo
25-28 November
Plastivision Arabia, Sharjah
www.plastivision.ae
27-29 November
Plastics & Rubber Vietnam
www.plasticsvietnam.com
13-16 January
Saudi Plastics & Petrochem, Riyadh
16-20 January
Plastivision India, Mumbai, India
21-23 January
Swiss Plastics, Lucerne, Switzerland
28-31 January
Interplastica, Moscow, Russia
www.interplastica.de
Plast Alger, Algiers, Algeria
www.plastalger.com
9-11 March 11-13 March
Expo Plasticos, Guadalajara, Mexico
7-13 May
www.saudipp.com www.plastivision.org www.swissplastics-expo.ch
www.expoplasticos.com.mx
Interpack, Dusseldorf, Germany
3-4 June
www.interpack.com
Plastics Recycling World Expo, Essen, Germany www.plasticsrecyclingworldexpo.com/eu
13-17 October
Fakuma, Friedrichshafen, Germany
4-5 November
Plastics Recycling World Expo, Cleveland, US
www.fakuma-messe.de www.plasticsrecyclingworldexpo.com/na
AMI CONFERENCES 4-5 September 2019
Performance Polyamides, Cologne, Germany
10-11 September 2019 Smart Packaging, Hamburg, Germany 18-19 September 2019 Polymer Testing & Analysis, Düsseldorf, Germany 18-20 November 2019 Multilayer Flexible Packaging, Vienna, Austria 2-4 December 2019
Thin Wall Packaging, Dusseldorf, Germany
3-4 December 2019
Stretch & Shrink Film, New Orleans, LA, US
10-11 December 2019
Plastic: Design for Sustainability, Berlin, Germany
4-6 February 2020
Polyethylene Films, Coral Springs, FL, US
For information on all these events and other conferences on film, sheet, pipe and packaging applications, see
www.ami.international
DON’T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE Register now for your free subscription at:
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com And don’t forget to tell your colleagues, customers and suppliers about the magazine. You can use the share button above (the symbol in the browser) to help spread the word.