Mixed Plastics Film Laminate Recycling – Need of the Hour

P. Meenatchi Sundaram (sundar@pluss.co.in)

Pluss Polymers Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon, India

Post consumer plastic wastes account for greater than 50% of plastics consumed in India.
A whopping 75% of plastics bottles end up in land fills. Post-consumer and Industrial
PET/PE/PP laminates waste accounts for a major share of these wastes. This poses a deep
threat to the environment because of its non bio degradeable and highly inert nature. This
increases concerns of disposal of post-consumer packaging plastics.

Vast application and usage of plastics in packaging is also a barrier to put a full stop on
the usage of same. Plastics are now depicted as an ineluctable burden on mankind as
these are difficult to recycle and properties of these plastics deteriorate after recycling.

Recycling of these non biodegradeable plastics, enables sustainability by eliminating the

environmental cost of waste disposal. Effective recycling leads to an overall reduction of
waste, cost, and energy consumption effectively reducing Green House Gas emissions
and an overall low carbon footprint for the industry.

Packaging Industries cannot sell their in-house laminates waste, because of restrictions by
their customers of the printed laminates landing into the hands of unscrupulous dealers.
These wastes also cause high cost of incineration and increase Green House Gas
emissions.

Disposal of post-consumer and industrial waste laminates is an area of great concern for
packaging industries, municipal corporations and several government authorities.
Recycling is the best way to fight this problem. But it is difficult to recycle these mixed
laminates waste. Recycling of laminates is difficult due to following barriers:
• Compatibilization of PET, PE & PP.
• Presence of Inks in case of printed laminates which may affect properties of
recycled compounds.
• Presence of Aluminium in case of metallized laminates.
• Presence of various adhesives for binding different layers in laminates.
• Difficulty in handling of laminates.

These problems of recycling mixed wastes have been the basis for underlying research at
Pluss Polymers in association with Manas Research and Technology. A process with the
right additives to compatibilise the waste has been developed for conversion of Post-
consumer and Industrial PET/PE/PP Waste Laminates to high value products. This
technology is delivering a new dimension of capabilities to a wide range of packaging
film wastes. The technology facilitates the conversion of unusable waste materials to high
value products.

Pluss Polymers has developed the technology for the waste recycling process and
formulation required for the conversion. This formulation can be used for some value
added product of PET alloys. The Compatibilizers required during recycling process have
also been developed. Recycling of Mixed Laminates waste involves the following steps:

• Collection of mixed plastic waste – bags, packaging materials

• Washing and shredding of plastic wastes
• Agglomeration of waste materials
• Conversion into pellets
• Pellets made into a useful new product

Flow Diagram 1: Basic process of mixed laminate waste recycle

Each step in the whole process is specially designed to meet the requirements of the
different materials that may be present in the laminates. A complete system for detection
and removal of unwanted material from the post-consumer & industrial laminates waste
has been developed.

Grafted materials designed by Pluss proved to be boon in the field of recycling. These
materials are used to upgrade the recycled polymer by improving its mechanical
properties. Provides dimensional stability of finished products. The polar functionality of
the grafted materials facilitates printablity, paintability and receptivity to adhesives.

The recycled compounds developed from PET/PE/PP waste laminates offer a unique
combination of various mechanical properties. These are injection mouldable compounds
with good tensile, flexural and impact properties. Properties of these recycled compounds
are comparable with engineering plastics like Impact Co-polymers.

These recycled compounds finds wide range of high value applications. Applications
areas for these recycled compounds are:

¾ Outdoor furniture
¾ Garden pavers
 ¾ Brush bristles
¾ Crate handles
¾ Shipping pallets
¾ Electrical products
¾ Drainage pipe

The specific attributes of different applications can be customized in multiple ways by

using different formulations designed by Pluss Polymers. Further, by exhibiting good
properties, they offer countless opportunities for innovation.

Pluss Polymers being pioneer in developing innovative solutions to the polymer

industries offers complete consultancy of the recycling process - A complete package has
been developed for conversion of so-called burden materials to high value products.

Today paper is trying to takeover plastics. But, before moving ahead, there are some
major facts about which everyone should be aware of.
¾ Using paper bags doubles the amount of CO2 produced versus using plastic bags.
¾ Plastic bag production uses less than 4 percent of te water needed to make paper
bags.
¾ using paper bags creates almost 5 times more solid waste than using plastic bags.
¾ The dominant end use for recycled plastic film/bags is composite decking.
¾ Plastic recycling saves energy and environment because-
• Use of paper causes deforestation.
• Use of jute bags - also causes deforestation. Also energy consumption for
recycling plastics is less as compared to jute and paper.

It is time when the Government Agencies and Plastics Industries join hands to address the
issue of waste collection and recycling to tackle the growing menace of plastics waste.

What Next?

For effective recycling of plastics, the communities, government and industries have to
come together. A detailed Intervention plan needs to be put in place for waste
management. Capacity building of the communities and Government Personnel is an
immediate requirement to sensitise them towards the low energy consumption and
versatility of plastics hence its indispensability. A change in the mindset and attitude of
the local authorities in segregating and collecting waste is essential. Households and
Ragpickers have to be incentivised to collect waste and properly dispose it.

City municipalities must facilitate stakeholder initiatives and committees with minimum
political interests and maximum participation and delegation of responsibilities towards
handling and recycling of waste. Industries should be involved to provide the technology
and operate the recycling plants.
About the Author

P Meenatchi Sundaram, Asst. Manager – Business Development:

Meenatchi Sundaram is a graduate in Polymer Technology (2005) from Amrita Institute,

Coimbatore. He has several years of development experience for Nylon Alloys, Polymer
Blends, and development of Phase Change Materials. He has presented papers at various
conferences and heads business development for MA-g-PO for the southern region of
India focusing on Automobile manufacturers and specialized compounds for the auto
industry.

About Pluss Polymers

Pluss Polymers is an offshoot of Manas, established to develop and market new

technologies and products developed in house. Pluss Polymers was incorporated in 1993
to commercialize the technology for grafted modified polymers and alloys and blends.
Backed by competent technical staff, laboratory facilities, a good library and technical
database with a retrievable wealth of information marketed the OPTIM® brand of grafted
polymers for the first time in India in 1996. Since then, Pluss has shown a remarkable
growth and developed a brand image among Indian Plastics Industry.

Contact:

Pluss Polymers Pvt. Ltd

610 A, Udyog Vihar, Phase V,
Gurgaon-122016, Haryana (INDIA)
Tel: +91-124-4309490 / 91 / 92
Fax: +91-124-4309493

Email: info@pluss.co.in; manas@manasindia.com

Web: www.pluss.co.in; www.manasindia.com/manas