Recycling

Carbon-fibre reinforced compounds play a pivotal role in demanding applications like automotive, aviation, and renewable energy due to their blend of rigidity, mechanical strength, and lightness. However, recycling these compounds, especially in wind turbines, has been a persistent challenge. As part of the Wind Turbine Materials Recycling Challenge by the US Department of Energy, scientists are spearheading innovative solutions, with a particular focus on chemical recycling.

The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has introduced Golden Design Rules to boost the recycling value of PET thermoformed trays and other PET thermoformed packaging. These guidelines are tailored to integrate with existing regional recycling programs and pave the way for more efficient recycling systems by 2025.

Scientists at King’s College London have unveiled a groundbreaking method for recycling single-use bioplastics, commonly found in disposable items like coffee cups and food containers. Published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the chemical recycling approach utilizes enzymes akin to those in biological laundry detergents to swiftly break down landfill-bound bioplastics within just 24 hours.

Advanced machinery that can effectively decontaminate post-consumer plastics is the key to producing rPET with exceptionally high purity. This quality is essential for FDA-approved food-grade packaging.

The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has established 9 Golden Design rules to tackle plastic pollution. Rule #1 is to increase the value of PET recycling by embracing transparency and simplicity.

A pair of U.S. defense-related organizations –– America Makes and NCDMM –– have awarded funds to a project designed to optimize recycled PET (rPET) and rPET-based composites in filament-fed material extrusion 3D printing.

A young couple in Italy has married advanced polymer technology with an ancient Japanese art form to develop a new type of highly portable solar panel. Inspired by origami, startup firm Levante Srl is using recycled carbon fiber to create a lightweight folding panel.

McKinsey & Company’s projections indicate a significant challenge on the horizon: the demand for recycled PET is expected to outpace supply by 2030. This forecast raises crucial questions about the industry’s readiness to meet the escalating demand for sustainable packaging and products.

PET is widely used in beverage bottles and packaging, and grapples with persistent challenges in achieving high recycling rates in the United States. Despite its inherent recyclability, PET recycling rates remain relatively low, underscoring a complex interplay of factors.

In a groundbreaking endeavor, mechanically recyclable thermoplastic materials were harnessed to craft lightweight and highly efficient aerogel filter media for air filtration. Leveraging the fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing technique, this project focuses on creating an all-polyolefin composite filter media.

PUMA launches RE: FIBRE program which aims to include materials from a fiber-to-fiber recycling process instead of using recycled PET from other applications. The RE: FIBRE process utilizes textile waste as its main material source.

The use of recycled polymers in manufacturing, particularly for lower-value items like trash bags, has become common but presents challenges in achieving a truly self-sustaining circular economy. Addressing the degradation mechanisms during the processing and use of plastic parts is crucial for developing high-performance materials.