Enhancing the Quality of Mechanically Recycled Plastics
CHALLENGE
Mechanical recycling is a firm commitment expressed by many industries. But it comes with challenges. One of the challenges is related to the step where the plastic waste is washed before it goes into the recycling process. The optimization of this process can be challenging, especially the removal of contaminants, the proper material separation as well as foam control during the required washing steps.
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SOLUTION
Fortunately - thanks to the power of materials science - there are solutions too. We developed an innovative washing technology called EVOWASH™. It supports high-quality mechanical recycling for the production of exceptional post-consumer-recycled (PCR) plastic resins that meet the expectations of customers - mainly those in the packaging industry - while minimizing the commercial risk and investment of resources to develop a robust mechanical recycling infrastructure.
EVOWASH™ allows to advance the quality of recycled plastic by working in four dimensions:
- Surface Cleaning: up to twice as much adhesive removal compared to other technologies.
- Optical Quality: Improving their physical appearance in terms of colors, neutral tones, and luminosity: further closing the gap between recycled and virgin packaging.
- Foam Management: up to three times less dosage, which reduces product usage and thus cost efficiency.
- Odor Control: Reducing undesired odors.
EVOWASH™ helps accelerate the global transition to a circular economy for plastics
The innovation includes two fully formulated, ready-to-use process aids, enabling the reduction of surface contaminants, such as adhesives, up to 2X higher compared to industry standard. This enables a higher purity in the final resin, while optimizing foam dosage and costs.
This innovative solution is challenging the status quo in mechanical recycling washing technology to improve the quality of recycled plastic for various industries. It reinforces our commitment to develop technologies that enable the evolution and transformation of the plastics industry throughout the product life cycle, from our production process all the way through recycling and reuse.
