A study commissioned by the Singapore-based Alliance to End Plastic Waste details what researchers have determined are the nine requirements for raw materials considered suitable for pyrolysis facilities for plastic scrap.
The study, conducted by UK-based Eunomia Research & Consulting, is entitled ‘Material Quality Guidelines for Pyrolysis of Plastic Waste’. While some chemical or “advanced” recycling project backers describe their technology as being able to process various types of essentially unsorted waste plastic, Eunomia’s research typically We did not see this in the pyrolysis system.
Instead, the Alliance to End Plastic Waste’s characterization of the Eunomia study states that pyrolysis systems “generally require well-selected, clean raw materials consisting of about 85% polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). ‘ said.
The study recommends a fluid restriction of about 7%. “Indicative thresholds for contaminants should also not exceed 15% in total, with additional limits on various categories,” said the Alliance in a news release announcing the completion of the study. I am writing.
Eunomia’s research “further emphasized the need for robust collection and sorting systems to supply high-quality raw materials to both chemical and mechanical recyclers as part of a circular economy for plastics,” said the Alliance. is adding. According to Eunomia, more than 30 companies and organizations involved in the plastics sector in Asia, North America and Europe were interviewed.
Martyn Tickner, Chief Advisor of the Alliance’s Technical Solution Center, said:
Tickner continues: [scrap] We hope that the technology will complement increasingly sophisticated mechanical recycling. We hope that this white paper will serve as a starting point for discussions between pyrolysis operators and material suppliers about the recycling systems and feedstock types that need to be developed. “
Eunomia’s Sarah Edwards said: The pyrolysis specifications derived from the study are guidelines, and the technology providers and operators we consulted had slightly different requirements. “
She adds: Understanding the specifications of plastics that can be managed through other advanced recycling is important for mechanical recyclers as well as sorters, as policies can help raise recycling rate targets. “
Eunomia and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste describe pyrolysis as the decomposition of plastic scrap at high temperatures and in the absence of oxygen to produce pyrolysis oil. It can be used to produce new plastics as an alternative to fossil raw materials. This process can target flexible PE and PP to create market demand for these materials. These materials can be difficult to reprocess by mechanical recycling methods. “This is a further complement to mechanical recycling processes focused on rigid plastics,” said the alliance.
Regarding limitations, the two entities state that not all packages, especially multi-material films, are suitable for pyrolysis. “Overcoming this will require a more circular design along with a move to multi-materials or simpler films that meet the above requirements,” said the Alliance.
According to the Alliance, packaging materials such as plastic bags, films, sachets and wrappers make up 45% of household waste.
The aim of the completed study is to “clarify raw material requirements and propose model specification guidelines that can be used to enhance coordination across the recycling value chain,” said the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. I’m here. “This is especially because ingredient considerations continue to evolve, with clearer criteria for optimal ingredient quality emerging as the sector matures,” the group said.
The full report can be downloaded from this web page.
