Polypropylene Recovery of

CarpetsCarpets

6th September 2010

Jane Gardner

Estimated PP Carpet Waste arising

Off cuts, 10,000 t

Post industrial, 5,000 t

Post consumer, 224,000t

Existing End Markets

•Equestrian Surfaces –

additive to sand based

all weather surfacesall weather surfaces

•Fibres for non woven

products

•Energy recovery

Need for high volume, higher value end markets

PP Recovery Trials funded by

Envirolink NorthwestTrial aims:

• To develop a process

for recycling

polypropylene carpetspolypropylene carpets

• To assess commercial

viability of the process

• Laboratory scale trial

followed by commercial

scale up

Axion recycling trials

• NIR ID sorting

• Size reduction• Size reduction

• Screening

• Extrusion

NIR ID sorting

• Identification of PP

carpets using handheld

NIR machine

Carpets should be:Carpets should be:

• Tufted PP

• Woven carpets - warp

and weft threads can be

of different polymer

type

http://www.fine-flooring.com/TuftedDiagA.gif

Granulated PP carpet

Screen to remove dust, fines

• High energy

flip-flop

screen

• 12x12mm • 12x12mm

deck

• Alternative

technique

– dry

cleaning

Results

Extruded pellets of both

post consumer and post

industrial pp carpet

� successfully moulded successfully moulded

into test bars

Trial resultsPhysical

properties

test

Units

Post consumer

sample

Post industrial

carpet

Virgin PP used for injection moulding

MFI (at 230°C, 2.16kg) 52 19.5 12

Tensile strength MPa 23 22 32

10.1 7.3 10Elongation @ Yield % 10.1 7.3 10

Elongation @ Break % 28.9 35.1

Density g/cm3 1.023 1.15 0.905

Ash % 10 15 0

Trial conclusions

• Straight forward processing route:

– Rigorous PP identification and sorting, tufted Carpet works best

– Size reduction

– Screening– Screening

– Extrusion

• Finished PP:

– Good physical properties,

– Suitable for use in medium to low grade applications, Eg injection moulded plant pots

Commercial scale trials

• Successful recovery of industrial PP carpet at

large scale

• Closely matches lab scale results

• Potential feedstock for injection moulding• Potential feedstock for injection moulding

• Further work needed to perfect feed

• Confidence in product to scale up to post

consumer use

Commercial conclusions

• Critical success factor - correct identification of all polymer fibres within the carpet

• Economics of the recycling process • Economics of the recycling process

are promising

• Next step: Commercial scale testing

of post consumer carpets

OUTLETS, OUTLETS, OUTLETS

• CRUK disseminates trial

results to encourage

entrepreneurs to take

up carpet recycling

• Currently 16 Specialist

Recyclers accepting a

range of carpet types

• Important to present

material correctly for

recycling

Collecting Carpet Tiles for reuse

• 4 Reuse companies in

the UK:

– Spruce Carpets, Glasgow

– Cleanstream Carpets,

Cardiff

Establish suitability for reuse

• Contact Reuse company to confirm

quality and volume of material

Uplift

• Uplift early to ensure that material

remains clean and uncontaminated

Cardiff

– Scout Enterprises, Bristol

– Colwyn Furniture Reuse

• Capacity to take large

volume of tiles

Prepare for collection

• Stack tiles on pallets

Secure tiles using shrink wrap

Call reuse organisation to

arrange collection

Collecting Carpets for other outlets

Carpets should be:

• Kept separate from

other waste

• Not heavily • Not heavily

contaminated (paint,

nails)

• Acceptable for handling

�Ensure highest

possible end use

• Carpet Recycling UK running innovative trials to

develop more outlets

• Number of outlets increasing

• Supply chain needs to work together to ensure

Summary

• Supply chain needs to work together to ensure

highest value outlet is achievable

• Local links are best

We invite you to join our effort

www.carpetrecyclinguk.comwww.carpetrecyclinguk.com