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Recycling polypropylene carpets

Recycling polypropylene carpets. In association with Carpet Recycling UK Funded by Envirolink Northwest Jane Gardner. Presentation Summary. Project aims Types of carpet Current recycling routes Demonstration trial results Economic assessment Project conclusions. Project aims.

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Recycling polypropylene carpets

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  1. Recycling polypropylene carpets In association with Carpet Recycling UK Funded by Envirolink Northwest Jane Gardner

  2. Presentation Summary • Project aims • Types of carpet • Current recycling routes • Demonstration trial results • Economic assessment • Project conclusions

  3. Project aims • To develop a process for recycling polypropylene carpets • To assess commercial viability of the process

  4. UK Carpet sustainability • Over half a million tonnes/year of carpet enters the UK waste stream • Recycling rate currently less than 2% • Carpets have high carbon footprint due to use of virgin materials – big sustainability gain if recycled

  5. Carpet materials • Polymers: • Polypropylene (PP); • Polyester/Polyethylene terephthalate (PET); • Nylon; • Chalk-filled elastomers; • Natural fibres: • Wool; and • Hessian/Jute.

  6. Types of carpet - woven • Made by weaving the carpet pile into warp fibres with a loom • Warp fibres can be polyester or PP, whilst the pile tends to be PP http://www.armelcarpet.com/images/WovenDiag.gif

  7. Types of carpet - tufted • Pile fibres attached to a backing layer • Pile fibres - wool or PP • Elastomercompound bonds fibres to the backing layer • Second backing layer – made from hessian or manmade fibre such as PP http://www.fine-flooring.com/TuftedDiagA.gif

  8. Carpet recycling initiatives America: • CARE – Carpet America Recovery Effort – founded 2002 Europe – late 1990’s: • RECAM - Recovery of Carpet Materials • CRE - Carpet Recycling Europe • Polyamid 2000 in Germany UK – late 2000’s: • Greenback Recycling • Reeds Carpets – exhibition/temporary floors

  9. Existing end markets • Typically low value • Equestrian surfaces – additive to sand based all weather surfaces • Plastic cannot be recovered once used as equestrian surface • Other applications: • Horticultural market http://www.equestriansurfaces.co.uk/aboutus.html

  10. Axion recycling trials • NIR ID sorting • Size reduction • Screening • Extrusion

  11. Size reduction • Granulation • 15mm screen • Alternative options: • Shearing • Shredding

  12. Granulated PP carpet

  13. Screen to remove dust, fines • High energy flip-flop screen • 12x12mm deck • Alternative technique • dry cleaning

  14. Screening results • Oversized fraction cleaner and less dusty than feed • High yield loss - due to screen size of granulator (15mm) relative to flip-flop (12mm) • For 12mm flip-flop - granulator needs to be 20-25mm • For 15mm granulator screen - flip-flop needs to be 6-8mm

  15. Lab scale extrusion • Sorted PP carpet samples: • Post industrial • Post consumer • Material prepared for extrusion by partial melting then granulation

  16. Extrusion problems • Initial batch of carpets could not be extruded • Presence of un-melted fibres made from different polymers – nylon and PET • Problem due to different types of carpet – woven and tufted • Second batch of tufted carpet processed successfully

  17. Moulded polymer • Post industrial – injection moulding applications • Post consumer – lower grade injection moulding, for example plant pots and buckets

  18. Physical properties

  19. Commercial assessment • Feed stock in Northwest - estimated at over 6,000 tonnes per annum meeting specification of: • Tufted construction; • Positively identified PP pile and backing fibres; • Dry and with no heavy contamination; • Suitable for manual handling.

  20. Overall recycling scheme

  21. Processing option 1

  22. Processing option 2

  23. Payback calculation

  24. Technical conclusions • Straight forward processing route: • Rigorous PP identification and sorting • Size reduction • Screening • Extrusion • Finished PP: • Good physical properties, • Suitable for use in medium to low grade applications, Eg injection moulded plant pots

  25. Commercial conclusions • Critical success factor - correct identification of all polymer fibres within the carpet • Economics of the recycling process are promising • Next step: Commercial scale testing

  26. Axion Consulting Tudor House Meadway Bramhall SK2 2DG 0161 426 7731 info@axionconsulting.co.uk

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