SEPARTATION OF POST-CONSUMER PET AND PVC PLASTICS IN THE REGRIND FLAKE FORM

THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF COMPANIES PROCESSING POST-CONSUMER PLASTICS FROM PRODUCTS SUCH AS SOFT DRINK CONTAINERS, DETERGENT BOTTLES, MILK JUGS AND WATER BOTTLES. WHILE THIS HAS TO SOME EXTENT DIVERTED THESE MATERIALS FROM LANDFILLS, IT HAS CAUSED AN ECONOMIC ANOMALY. THE HIGH COSTS OF MANUALLY SORTING THE PLASTICS SO THEY CAN BE REPROCESSED MAKES THEM UNATTRACTIVE TO MOST PROCESSORS RESULTING IN AN OVERSUPPLY WHICH DRIVES THE PRICE OF RECYCLED RESINS BELOW THE COST OF PRODUCTION EXPENSES. PROCESSORS ARE INCREASINGLY TURNING TO AUTOMATED SORTATION TECHNOLOGY AS A MEANS OF CUTTING COSTS. NATIONAL RECOVERY TECHNOLOGIES, INC., HAS DEVELOPED AND SUCCESSFULLY COMMERCIALIZED A SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY SORTING PVCAND PET BOTTLES. THIS SYSTEM ROUTINELY PRODUCES A PET PRODUCT WITH LESS THAN 50 PPM PVC CONTAMINATION. WHILE THIS LEVEL IS ADEQUATE FOR PROCESSORS AT THIS TIME, IT IS PREDICTED THAT THE PURITY SPECIFICATION WILL DROP TO 5 TO 10 PPM IN THE NEAR FURTURE. THEREFORE, A SECONDARY SORTATION SYSTEM WILL BE NECESSARY TO DETECT AND REMOVE RESIDUAL PVC. RESIDUAL PVC IS PRESENT DUE TO BOTTLE CAP LINERS, SHRINK LABELS AND PVC BOTTLE PIECES BROKEN DURING HANDLING WHICH ARE TOO SMALL TO DETECT WITH EXISTING TECHNOLOGY. THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS TO DESIGN, TEST AND BEGIN COMMERCIALIZATION OF A SECONDARY SORTATION SYSTEM FOR HANDLING POST CONSUMER PLASTIC FLAKE TO MEET THE DEMANDING STANDARDS OF PLASTIC PROCESSORS. THIS SYSTEM WILL GREATLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT WHILE REDUCING COSTS RESULTING IN AN OVERALL INCREASE IN PLASTIC RECYCLING.