POLY-SOLVE

"Development of a selective, green solvent-based recovery process for waste polystyrene and polycarbonate"

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Expanded polystyrene is widely used as packaging for foodstuffs and for shipping. Several hundred thousand tonnes of polystyrene are sent unnecessarily to landfill every year in the UK and Europe, where it does not biodegrade but persists for hundreds of years. Meanwhile, oil-derived feedstocks are being consumed in the production of new polystyrene. Recycling systems for polystyrene are underdeveloped compared to those in existence for many other plastics, owing to the unfavourable economics of collecting and recycling low density material. The proposed project will develop a new process by which an environmentally friendly and selective solvent is used to dissolve and recycle polystyrene waste into a highpurity product comparable to virgin material. A novel thermoplastic recovery system will be developed and integrated within a modular, scalable recycling process. This will facilitate: • Reduced pressure on oil feedstocks for virgin polystyrene production • High value-added product manufactured from effectively zero-value waste, to be sold by the end user The technology will build on the success already achieved under the UK TSB-funded “HiPerPol” project, whereby solvent-based systems have been developed for the selective separation of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE) from mixed plastic waste streams. The extension of the technology to polystyrene and polycarbonate will greatly increase the capability of this technology to deal with the high volumes of mixed polymer waste, whereby individual polymers can be separated and recycled at a far higher degree of purity (and consequently value) than is currently possible.

The process can also be extended to other thermoplastics.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Despite the widespread implementation of recycling programmes for many plastics, two common polymers are still typically dumped in landfills where they take hundreds of years to degrade. Novel solvent-based recycling should change that.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Scientists are solving the problem with EU support of the project http://www.polysolve.eu/ (POLY-SOLVE). Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a light-weight, rigid-foam plastic used widely for insulation and packaging materials. Polycarbonates (PCs), developed over 50 years ago, are common in electronic equipment and structural components.

Building on previously successful solvent-based systems for separating specific plastics from mixed-waste streams, the team is extending technology to include EPS and PCs. Researchers are also improving it to yield higher purity products for significantly higher value and thus appeal. A solvent selection tool developed by researchers is aiding in determination of the best potential solvents for given complex waste streams.

Although EPS from construction materials will be part of the waste stream in the near future, at this time EPS from fish boxes is the most readily available waste stream. PC composites found in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) contain glass fibres, difficult to recycle mechanically due to machine abrasion and thus particularly well-suited to solvent-based recycling. Scientists have screened various solvents of these materials for performance, safety and environmental impact.

The life-cycle assessment plan is in place and the team has consulted with experts regarding the need to decontaminate plastics from legacy additives currently banned but sure to be present in waste streams. Investigators have evaluated solvent and polymer prototype recovery processes and are currently developing the design concept for the dissolution tank.

POLY-SOLVE plans to deliver recycling solutions for two types of plastics to date typically dumped in landfills. With decentralised solvent-based recycling of low-density EPS, researchers overcome the economic disadvantage of transporting these high-volume, low-content materials.

Solvent-based recycling will also address PC materials filled with fibres such as those found in WEEE that are tough on mechanical recycling processes. Expanding recyclation will minimise use of decreasing natural resources and minimise landfill volumes. Delivering high-purity products will ensure cost benefits for manufacturers of thermoplastic components.