AIMPLAS
Process to recycle EPS fish packaging is completed / Successful removal of initial waste odour through decontamination
 The researchers developed a new recycling method for fresh fish boxes (Photo: Aimplas) |
Spain’s plastics technology centre Aimplas (Valencia; www.aimplas.net) and recycling and recovery specialist Acteco Productos y Servicios (Ibi, Alicante / Spain) have developed a recycling method for fresh fish boxes. The “EPS-Fish” project to recycle expanded polystyrene waste from fresh fish packages concluded in December 2015 having successfully achieved a high quality, non-odour recycled material.
The waste has historically not been recycled in Europe, as odour intensifies when it is compacted to reduce volume. By applying decontamination technologies, the initial waste odour has been reduced to a level that produces an acceptable recycled material. To obtain this material, several techniques have been used – pre-treatment of wastes, intensive washing and extrusion with supercritical CO2.
The recycled material obtained has been validated in the manufacture of XPS and EPS insulating panels with adequate physical-mechanical properties for their use in the construction sector. Acteco Productos y Servicios is now using the process to increase the high-quality recycled plastic output to commercial levels.
The project was funded by Spain’s Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI, Madrid; www.cdti.es).
The waste has historically not been recycled in Europe, as odour intensifies when it is compacted to reduce volume. By applying decontamination technologies, the initial waste odour has been reduced to a level that produces an acceptable recycled material. To obtain this material, several techniques have been used – pre-treatment of wastes, intensive washing and extrusion with supercritical CO2.
The recycled material obtained has been validated in the manufacture of XPS and EPS insulating panels with adequate physical-mechanical properties for their use in the construction sector. Acteco Productos y Servicios is now using the process to increase the high-quality recycled plastic output to commercial levels.
The project was funded by Spain’s Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI, Madrid; www.cdti.es).
31.03.2016 Plasteurope.com [233703-0]
Published on 31.03.2016