Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Sol-Rec2 (Innovative digital watermarks and green solvents for the recovery and recycling of multi-layer materials)
Período documentado: 2021-06-01 hasta 2022-11-30
Plastics are an integral part of our daily lives, with 40% being used for packaging applications. In recent years, there has been increased pressure on the plastics industry to reduce plastic production and improve waste recycling. In 2018, improved waste management infrastructure and protocols for the efficient sorting of different polymer types led to the collection and recycling of 9.4 million tonnes of plastic post-consumer waste within the EU28. However, 7.2 million tonnes of plastic waste still ended up in landfill and if we are to achieve the circular economy of plastics, zero landfilling will be necessary. The desire within the industry to minimise the quantity of plastics used in consumer packaging has led to ‘light-weighting,’ as in soft drink bottles using up to 50% less plastic while retaining the desired performance properties. However, light-weighting has led to the use of multi-layer materials that utilise smaller quantities of virgin materials but that are difficult to sort and recycle. Laminated packaging is an increasingly popular option for lightweight packaging, with multiple thin layers of material. Laminates containing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) are being increasingly used to store consumer products. Such packaging often needs between 5 and 9 layers of different materials to provide the required properties. Similar combinations of materials are also found in medicine blister packs. Recycling of these materials is very important for society in terms of reducing pollution and conserving raw materials, as well as helping to adopt circular economy approaches. The ambitious objective of Sol-Rec2 is to develop and implement innovative sorting and recycling technologies for waste multi-layer food and medicine packaging that contains mixtures of plastics and metal. The project is specifically focussing on the treatment of:
(1) pharmaceutical blister packaging waste which typically consists of a mixture of PVC/aluminium
(2) laminated consumer packaging pouches comprising mixtures of plastics and aluminium
(1) pharmaceutical blister packaging waste which typically consists of a mixture of PVC/aluminium
(2) laminated consumer packaging pouches comprising mixtures of plastics and aluminium
From the start, the Sol-Rec2 team has used a two-pronged approach to address the problems of recycling multilayer plastic packaging waste. Novel sorting techniques based on the use of digital watermarks trialled to facilitate efficient separation of various types of multilayer packaging waste. The team has also worked to test the performance of a range of ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents to develop a toolbox of novel green solvents able to delaminate these multi-layer materials. This will enable the efficient separation and recovery of individual types of polymers and aluminium. At the mid-term, both these key objectives have been successfully demonstrated on a small scale. As a result, the various polymers, aluminium and other materials can now be separated into individual streams suitable for ongoing treatment and reuse. In addition, a detailed investigation of the potential economic and environmental viability of the process has been initiated including a comparison with existing end of life approaches, essentially landfilling or incineration. This has been achieved using life cycle-based methodologies and the work is continuing to the end of the project. Sol-Rec2 will ultimately enable the production of large quantities of high purity plastics and aluminium for reuse in new applications. The new technology will provide recyclers with a valuable income stream, minimising the environmental impact and carbon footprint whilst also making a valuable contribution to the circular economy.
In order to assess the opinions of the public about their attitudes towards multi-layer packaging and recycling, a detailed survey has been prepared and distributed, mainly in countries across Europe. To date several thousand responses have been received. These have provided useful feedback that has helped to inform and guide the specific broader activities of the Sol-Rec2 project.
The project team have also been very active in disseminating details of the project and its objectives at events across Europe, including at trade shows, exhibitions and conferences. There has been close liaison with others working in related areas and the Sol-Rec 2 team is engaged in European clustering activities to help promote and exploit the technology, with also networking synergies. A video clip detailing the project and its objectives has also been produced and is available on YouTube
In order to assess the opinions of the public about their attitudes towards multi-layer packaging and recycling, a detailed survey has been prepared and distributed, mainly in countries across Europe. To date several thousand responses have been received. These have provided useful feedback that has helped to inform and guide the specific broader activities of the Sol-Rec2 project.
The project team have also been very active in disseminating details of the project and its objectives at events across Europe, including at trade shows, exhibitions and conferences. There has been close liaison with others working in related areas and the Sol-Rec 2 team is engaged in European clustering activities to help promote and exploit the technology, with also networking synergies. A video clip detailing the project and its objectives has also been produced and is available on YouTube
The project is progressing beyond the current state of the art as the new technologies being employed will enable the plastics and aluminium found in waste plastic packaging to be individually separated, recovered and recycled; something that is currently not possible. As a result, it will enable high purity materials to be produced and reused. This is being achieved via the combination of two novel technologies, namely digital watermarks and ionic liquids/deep eutectic solvents. The digital watermark utilises innovative codes embossed into packaging materials. These are unique identifiers that enable the improved sorting of post-consumer multi-layer packaging waste, while also providing traceability of plastic products from manufacture to end of life. The ionic liquids/deep eutectic solvents are green solvents and have been used for separating the individual materials in multilayer packaging. A toolbox of novel ionic liquids and solvents capable of selectively dissolving the targeted components from multi-layer and multi-component materials is being compiled, with more to be studied later. To date, the ionic liquids in this library have been primarily utilised to identify candidate solvents for the dissolution of PVC, PE and PP but, post-project, it is expected that the library will also be used to identify solvents for the recovery of other polymers and precious metals from a wider range of waste streams such as end of life electronics.
By the end of the project, it is expected that the key results will include defined and demonstrated processes for the
• Delamination and recovery of PVC and aluminium from pharmaceutical blister packs. This will include optimisation, scale up and validation of the specific processes
• Delamination and recovery of PE, PP and aluminium components from multilayer food packaging
• Use of digital watermarks for identifying the material compositions of various types of multi-layer packaging enabling improved sorting.
If widely adopted by recyclers, as anticipated, the Sol-Rec2 project will offer a number of positive socio-economic impacts, as well as having wider societal implications. It will provide recyclers with a valuable income, minimise the environmental impact and carbon footprint, while also making a valuable contribution to the circular economy. The reuse of the materials will help to reduce the amount of waste consigned to landfill or incineration, both contributing to pollution and contamination. The EU has set the ambitious target of achieving 100% reuse, recycling and/or recovery of all plastic packaging by 2040. This will require the minimised use of landfills and increased recycling rates. The Sol-Rec2 project aims to make a significant contribution to helping meet this target.
By the end of the project, it is expected that the key results will include defined and demonstrated processes for the
• Delamination and recovery of PVC and aluminium from pharmaceutical blister packs. This will include optimisation, scale up and validation of the specific processes
• Delamination and recovery of PE, PP and aluminium components from multilayer food packaging
• Use of digital watermarks for identifying the material compositions of various types of multi-layer packaging enabling improved sorting.
If widely adopted by recyclers, as anticipated, the Sol-Rec2 project will offer a number of positive socio-economic impacts, as well as having wider societal implications. It will provide recyclers with a valuable income, minimise the environmental impact and carbon footprint, while also making a valuable contribution to the circular economy. The reuse of the materials will help to reduce the amount of waste consigned to landfill or incineration, both contributing to pollution and contamination. The EU has set the ambitious target of achieving 100% reuse, recycling and/or recovery of all plastic packaging by 2040. This will require the minimised use of landfills and increased recycling rates. The Sol-Rec2 project aims to make a significant contribution to helping meet this target.