recycled pet in finland – what to do with it?

RECYCLED PET IN RECYCLED PET IN FINLAND – what to FINLAND – what to

do with it?do with it?

Valeria PoliakovaValeria PoliakovaDepartment of Business administration, Department of Business administration,

Media and TechnologyMedia and Technology15.09.0815.09.08

2Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

PETPET

PPolyolyEEthylene Terephthalatethylene Terephthalate

... it is a plastic... it is a plastic

[[Feel free to ask questions during the Feel free to ask questions during the

presentationpresentation]]

3Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Agenda for today...Agenda for today...

Why PET was chosen?Why PET was chosen? Objectives of the workObjectives of the work

FindingsFindings

ConclusionsConclusions Future developmentFuture development

4Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Why PET?Why PET?

Sustainability is important...and in Sustainability is important...and in fashionfashion

””Waste = Resource” is an attractive ideaWaste = Resource” is an attractive idea

Change in legislationChange in legislation

PET bottles are readily available PET bottles are readily available resourceresource

5Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

ObjectivesObjectives

What is PET?

How to recycle PET?

What is fe

edsto

ck

recyclin

g?

What is mechanical recycling?

What can you do from PET?

Is it true that a jacket and a bottle

are the same material?

Where to recycle

PET?

How to re

cycle PET

How to re

cycle PET?Is it better to use it for bottles?

6Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

to learn about recycling system in to learn about recycling system in Finland Finland

to learn more about PET and RPETto learn more about PET and RPET

to find differencess between PET to find differencess between PET and RPETand RPET

to find applications of RPETto find applications of RPET

ObjectivesObjectives

7Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Circulation of PET in FinlandCirculation of PET in Finland

Shops

Recyclers

Packers

Hartwall,

FinnSpring Citymar

ket

Preformia, Muovix

PALPA

8Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Recovery

Material Recycling

Energy Recovery

Composting

Feedstock Recycling

Same application

New application

Mechanical Recycling

Waste management optionsWaste management options

9Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

1.1. Single-grade production and processing Single-grade production and processing scarp and surplus raw materialscarp and surplus raw material

2.2. Single-grade post-consumer Single-grade post-consumer commercial wastecommercial waste

3.3. Mixed-grade post-consumer commercial Mixed-grade post-consumer commercial waste waste

4.4. Household waste and agricultural Household waste and agricultural plastic waste plastic waste

Plastic waste gradesPlastic waste grades

10Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Technically Economically Ecologically Normatively

SG production scrap

MR MR MR MR

SG post-consumer waste

MR MR / ER MR MR / FR

MG post-consumer waste

MR / ER ER ER / FR FR / ER

MG household waste and agricultural plastic waste

ER / FR /Landfill

ER /Landfill

FR FR / ER /Landfill

Viability of recovery methodViability of recovery method

11Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

12Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

PET + Mechanical Recycling = PET + Mechanical Recycling =

RPETRPET

((RRecycled ecycled PPolyolyEEthylene thylene

TTerephthalate)erephthalate)

13Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Collection, Baling, Sorting, Grinding, Washing, Sorting, Rinsing, Drying

Extrusion, Pelletizing, Drying, Crystallizing

PET

RPET

14Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

PET vs RPETPET vs RPET

PETPET

Tensile strength Tensile strength 47 MPa47 MPa

Elongation 4 %Elongation 4 % Glass transition Glass transition

75 75 ˚C˚C Water absorption Water absorption

0.3 %0.3 %

RPETRPET

??????

15Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Properties depend on...Properties depend on...

1.1. Characteristics of polymer Characteristics of polymer (inherent features)(inherent features)

2.2. Processing parametersProcessing parameters

3.3. External factors (sun, humidity, External factors (sun, humidity, thermal history)thermal history)

16Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

1. Characteristics of polymer1. Characteristics of polymer

Molecular weightMolecular weight Chemical structure of the moleculesChemical structure of the molecules Polymer morphology (crystallinity, Polymer morphology (crystallinity,

orientation)orientation) AdditivesAdditives Co-polymersCo-polymers

17Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Rheological properties (viscosity, melt flow, etc…)

Mechanical properties (tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, etc...)

Thermal properties (melting temperature, glass transition, etc…)

Optical properties (color, refraction, etc...)

Additives Molecular weight

Co-polymers Arrangement of the molecules

Chemical properties (taste, aroma)

Characteristics affect all Characteristics affect all propertiesproperties

18Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

RPET has...RPET has...

Decrease in molecular weightDecrease in molecular weight reduction of mechanical strength and reduction of mechanical strength and

stiffnessstiffness decrease in melting temperaturedecrease in melting temperature better flow characteristics of the meltbetter flow characteristics of the melt

Disturbed crystallinity and Disturbed crystallinity and entanglementsentanglements

decrease in strength, toughness, viscositydecrease in strength, toughness, viscosity surface defectssurface defects

19Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

2. Processing2. Processing

Grinding (melting temperature, melt Grinding (melting temperature, melt flow)flow)

Extrusion Extrusion Drying (molecular weight, color)Drying (molecular weight, color) Filtering (throughput capacity)Filtering (throughput capacity)

20Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Typical single screw extruderTypical single screw extruder

Wikipedia

21Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Vent type molding machineVent type molding machine

22Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

ChallangesChallanges

PETPET thermal thermal

degradationdegradation

RPETRPET thermal degradationthermal degradation generated AA levelgenerated AA level mechanical mechanical

degradationdegradation contaminationcontamination

free acetaldehyde (AA) levelfree acetaldehyde (AA) level hydrolysishydrolysis

23Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Applications of RPETApplications of RPET

24Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Applications of RPETApplications of RPET

EuropeEurope FinlandFinland

25Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

26Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Applications of RPETApplications of RPET

systematic approachsystematic approach

comparing specifications to comparing specifications to requirementsrequirements

the most similar to PET / RPET plasticthe most similar to PET / RPET plastic PBT, PMMAPBT, PMMA

27Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Conclusions 1/2Conclusions 1/2

Mechanical recycling is the best recovery Mechanical recycling is the best recovery method for PET bottlesmethod for PET bottles

RPET has different molecular weight and RPET has different molecular weight and crystallinity / orientation of molecules than crystallinity / orientation of molecules than PETPET

PET bottles collected in Finland have a PET bottles collected in Finland have a great potential to be recycled back to great potential to be recycled back to bottlesbottles

28Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Considering applications for RPET Considering applications for RPET one should consider applications one should consider applications PET, PBT and PMMA are used forPET, PBT and PMMA are used for

Conclusions 2/2Conclusions 2/2

29Recycled PET in Finland - what to do with it?

Future developmentFuture development

Incineration of PETIncineration of PET

Properties of virgin vs recycled materialProperties of virgin vs recycled material

Effect of additives on RPETEffect of additives on RPET

Effect of contaminants on recycling Effect of contaminants on recycling processprocess

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention!attention!

PET-related questions?PET-related questions?

poliakov@arcada.fipoliakov@arcada.fi