Sustainability 24. September 2024
ReFibreValue - Separation and processing of small mixed plastic fractions
The following framework directives form the boundary conditions for the project idea: On the one hand, the EU Waste Framework Directive 2008/98 EU Green Deal and the Circular Economy 2018/851, which also requires the separate collection of textiles, which may also come for industrial waste, in which there could be mandatory recycling quotas and a landfill ban for waste. On the other hand, the current state of the art for synthetic fibre recycling should be mentioned, which is far from meeting future requirements. This makes a development towards a circular economy more difficult.
Andritz AG produces significant amounts of textile production waste. These are high-grade polyamides (PA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The weaving process produces a highly mixed mixture of the two materials. Due to the fineness of the fibre particles, which is less than 0.5 mm, it is not possible to separate them in an economically and ecologically sensible way using the processes currently in use, and the material has to be disposed of (thermally recycled) up to now.
Due to the possible upcoming legal pressure regarding industrial waste and a necessary development towards a circular economy, a technology for separation was sought.
A cooperation between the chairs of Polymer Processing (KV), Materials Science and Testing of Polymers (WPK), Waste Recycling Technology and Waste Management (AVAW) and Processing and Refinement (AuV) at MUL supports the industrial partners in processing valuable waste and returning it to the material cycle in order to save valuable raw materials. In this way, in addition to examining the individual sub-steps, an overall concept for the formation of a closed loop is to be developed.
Andritz AG produces significant amounts of textile production waste. These are high-grade polyamides (PA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The weaving process produces a highly mixed mixture of the two materials. Due to the fineness of the fibre particles, which is less than 0.5 mm, it is not possible to separate them in an economically and ecologically sensible way using the processes currently in use, and the material has to be disposed of (thermally recycled) up to now.
Due to the possible upcoming legal pressure regarding industrial waste and a necessary development towards a circular economy, a technology for separation was sought.
A cooperation between the chairs of Polymer Processing (KV), Materials Science and Testing of Polymers (WPK), Waste Recycling Technology and Waste Management (AVAW) and Processing and Refinement (AuV) at MUL supports the industrial partners in processing valuable waste and returning it to the material cycle in order to save valuable raw materials. In this way, in addition to examining the individual sub-steps, an overall concept for the formation of a closed loop is to be developed.
Montanuniversität Leoben
Department Kunststofftechnik
Contact
Ms. Elke Holler