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Reference project
Closing the Plastic Loop Through Efficient Washing
Introduction.
AxoPlus® technology enables closed-loop washwater system for high-quality recycled plastic production
In this project, we are collaborating with a company in the plastics industry that offers a sustainable and competitive alternative to virgin plastic through innovative technology, while upholding high commercial and environmental standards. The company operates independently, without ties to any specific industry interests. The process involves collecting plastic waste from households, breaking it down into smaller fragments, thoroughly cleaning the material, and converting it into plastic pellets, which are then used to manufacture new products.
The problem.
The societal benefits of recycling should be evident to all. In the case of plastics, recycling is particularly critical, as the alternative involves more than just the loss of material. Plastics spread in nature get fragmented rather than (bio-)chemically degraded adding to the spread of microplastics sooner or later reaching rivers, lakes and the sea. Microplastics are defined as plastic particles in the size range from 0.1 µm up to 5 mm meaning that the numbers will increase exponentially as the fragmentation proceeds.
Recycling plastics might appear straightforward: collecting used plastics, melting them down, and producing new pellets. While this method can generate plastic pellets suitable for low-grade products like garden furniture planks, it falls short of being considered true recycling. The market demand for such products is limited, and producing high-quality plastic pellets requires thorough cleaning of the used plastics. This presents a particular challenge, as plastic is naturally resistant to water. The simplest solution is to select plastic waste that is relatively clean from the outset. For the plastic recycling loop to be fully closed, it is necessary to recycle even the more contaminated fractions of plastic.
Household plastics are among the most contaminated plastic fractions and act as the raw material in our client’s mill. From the beginning, the mill selected chemical coagulation as the method for treating the used washwater. However, the washing results did not meet the required standards. In addition, the plant faced several serious issues concerning occupational health and safety. No high-grade plastic pellets could be produced unless the washing was significantly improved.
The solution.
The company sought a solution to their washwater treatment issues through our expertise. A new purification system, based on AxoPlus technology, was developed to tackle their washwater challenges. In addition to the system design, comprehensive expert guidance on various operational aspects of the mill was provided throughout the duration of the project.
The AxoPlus system was designed with two parallel reactors to provide redundancy. The system was set to operate in a near to closed loop where the purified washwater was reused as new washwater. The contaminants were removed in a compact floc to be incinerated at a local waste incineration combining heat and power plant. When newly collected household plastic waste was used as feedstock the mill proved able to produce high-grade recycled plastic pellets.
Delivery:
AxoPlus system including AxoPur reactors with hydraulic capacity 20 m³/h each, partly for redundancy and a flotation unit
Capacity
40 m³/h
Performence:
Reduction of Suspended solids 90 %, Phosphorus 75%, Chemical oxygen demand (CODCr) 50 %
Evaluation.
The AxoPlus system was capable of treating 40 m³/h of washwater, achieving a significant reduction in suspended solids (90%), phosphorus (75%), and chemical oxygen demand (50%). This solution not only improved the quality of the recycled pellets but also addressed health and safety concerns while ensuring a more sustainable and efficient recycling process. The AxoPlus electrocoagulation system efficiently removed contaminants, forming a compact floc that is subsequently incinerated at a local waste disposal facility. This technology enabled the mill to successfully process household plastic waste into high-quality recycled plastic pellets.
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