Recovery of Plastics and Natural Fibers from Non-Recyclable Municipal Solid Waste for Composites Production

Recovery of Plastics and Natural Fibers from Non-Recyclable Municipal Solid Waste for Composites Production

This project aims to recover secondary feedstocks of plastics and fibers from mixed flexible plastics (MFP) stream of nonrecyclable waste and develop advanced compounding and manufacturing processes to convert these recyclates to fiber-reinforced polymer composites.

Upon completion, this project will develop an integrated fractionation method that combines novel wet separation and fractionation approaches with air classification and NIR-based separation to decontaminate and obtain four plastic fractions and one natural fiber fraction from waste streams, processable material formulations out of these recyclates, and an advanced compounding procedure based on Ring Extrusion technology that produces high quality feedstocks. This project will reduce primary feedstock by 1.12 million metric tons (MMT) of flexible plastics, 96.7 PJ energy reduction, 1.52MMCO2e. Assumptions based on utilization of 20% of 5.62MMT of flex plastics available for recovery. 

Project Team:
University of Massachusetts-Lowell (UM-L), Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Auburn University, Washington State University, Remacol Inc., CPM Extrusion Group, DTG Recycle Group

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21-01-RR-5052

Chemical Conversion and Process Control for Increased used of Polyethylene and Polypropylene Secondary Feedstocks

Chemical Conversion and Process Control for Increased use of Polyethylene and Polypropylene Secondary Feedstocks

This project seeks to evaluate reactive feedstock pre-treatment and to develop real-time process measurements to increase post-consumer and post-industrial polyolefin film waste utilization.

Project Team:
University of Massachusetts Lowell (UM-L), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), SER North America LLC, iMFLUX Inc.

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20-01-MM-4130

Chemical Recycling of Mixed Plastics and Valuable Metals in the Electronic Waste Using Solvent-Based Processing

Chemical Recycling of Mixed Plastics and Valuable Metals in the Electronic Waste Using Solvent-Based Processing

This project seeks to demonstrate the potential of solvent-based extraction process to recover plastics mixed metals and plastics electronic waste (e‐waste) for cross-industry reuse. Following extraction of the plastics, the mixed-stream would be primarily metals. The plastics would be recovered from the process solvent using an anti-solvent. If successful, this project will significantly increase the recycling rates of e-waste, and the recovery of plastics and metals from this source material. The potential energy savings and emission reduction from this project are estimated at 16PJ per year and 334,000 MT of CO2eq. per year.

Project Team:
University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Sunnking, Inc., Institute of Scrap Recycling

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18-02-RR-17

Scalable High Shear Catalyzed Depolymerization of Multilayer Plastic Packaging

Scalable High Shear Catalyzed Depolymerization of Multilayer Plastic Packaging

Industry is increasingly combining layers of different polymer materials to construct highly functional, lightweight packaging (e.g. to extend food life). These multilayer films are unfortunately less recyclable than single layer films. This project will investigate catalytic depolymerization as a cost-effective approach to process these films into higher value products suitable for use in a variety of applications.

Project Team:
University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Michigan State University, Unilever, American Chemistry Council, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

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18-01-RR-20