Vecoplan AG unveils new cleaning process for plastics recycling

A Germany-based supplier of machinery and equipment for processing primary and secondary raw materials for thermal and material recycling, Vecoplan AG has introduced an additional step in plastics processing that it says demonstrates new ways to save water and energy—a departure from established treatment processes.

At its new technology center in Neunkhausen, Germany, Vecoplan says it has installed a demonstration and test facility called the Cleanikum, which covers around 6,458 square feet and will allow customers to work with company experts to run cleaning tests with film material and thin-walled hard plastics made from polyolefins like low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP). The company says the facility features a new combination of machines for cleaning plastic and processes it to yield high-quality extrudable flakes that can be used in the manufacture of consumer goods, packaging and cosmetics.

“Our approach is purposely different from conventional solutions,” says Martina Schmidt, head of the Recycling and Waste Division at Vecoplan. “Our developers have optimized the processing method to provide better cleaning quality while reducing energy and water consumption.”

According to Vecoplan, the Cleanikum demonstrates the systematic use of cleaning and separation technologies that help to cut back on the use of energy and water. Postconsumer material can be cleaned in a cold or hot process and with or without lye—depending on the degree of contamination and the quality requirements for the recyclate. The company says the new facility can handle polyolefins in the form of plastic film or used bottles.

“We rely on mechanical dry precleaning, which means there is no conventional prewash,” Schmidt says. “This lowers our use of fresh water, and we can significantly reduce the quantity of wastewater. The facility thus demonstrates processes that are economical in the use of water, an important resource.”

Vecoplan says the required degree of cleanliness can be customized according to the user’s requirements. In addition to wet or dry mechanical cleaning, the Cleanikum can demonstrate temperature-controlled intensive heating using a sodium hydroxide solution that works to dissolve greasy and oily impurities and remove adhesives from labels.

In post-shredding, Vecoplan says a wet granulator shreds the cleaned plastic film to the particle size required for drying and extruding. A combined friction separator and dewatering screw then dries the material mechanically to a residual moisture of 5 to 6 percent. Vecoplan says the use of mechanical instead of thermal drying demonstrates how it is possible to improve the environmental footprint of plastics recycling.

After dry and wet cleaning, Vecoplan says thin-walled hard plastics are sent directly to a turbo dryer, which can reduce the residual moisture to only 2 percent. The processed plastic flakes are then ready for subsequent sorting or extruding.

“The process gives our customers a highly reliable means of processing flakes,” Schmidt says. “Closed-loop recycling helps them to achieve better-quality recyclate and reduces the burden on the environment.”