High-speed sorting 'key' to profitable PP recycling

June 12, 2013 by Editorial Staff
United Kingdom: Finding an economically viable high-speed automatic sorting method would be 'the key to make the process of recycling polypropylene commercially attractive', according to a study commissioned by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), a UK non-profit organisation which focuses on reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
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The study, conducted by recycling consultant Nextek in collaboration with the plastics industry, looks at how to recycle, process and decontaminate post-consumer polypropylene food packaging. The researchers ran tests to determine whether the material would meet EU food-compliance regulations and its suitability for turning into new packaging, while also examining the economics of the whole process.

Food packaging made from recycled post-consumer polypropylene is possible but its uses are limited by technical barriers; one of them is manual sorting, currently the only way to ensure that the post-consumer material meets EU regulations.

WRAP is researching ways in which polypropylene packaging could be automatically sorted into food and non-food categories. Also, it will investigate problems that could be caused by in-mould labels or direct printing inks.

For more information, visit www.wrap.org.uk

Source: www.plasticsnews.com



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