There are many things to consider when you're building your own plastic film recycling washing line, such as choosing the right plastic film washing lines including shredder, washer and dryer, determining the most suitable cleaning agents, and creating a floor plan. This 5-step guide will help you navigate the process and determine exactly what you need.

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1. Determine the types of plastic film that you will be processing and recycling 

Some common types of plastic film include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), , and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). No matter what types of films, wraps, bags or packagings you will be processing, it is important to determine the dirty level of the plastic film and how you would like it to be processed.

Let's take agricultural films as an example. Agricultural films are more contaminated. Recycling agricultural films is a complex process. The films are often delivered in bales and are a mixture of various polymers that must be separated. Additionally, the used films are typically damp or wet and heavily contaminated with substances such as soil, stones, and metals. It can be difficult to assess the level of contamination due to the film being transported in bale form. Organic matter that adheres to the film after silage or harvesting is often already decomposed, further hindering the recycling process. Therefore, you will need a customized plastic film washing line which could include more friction washers or floating tanks.

Upon the customer requirements GENIUS specialist team provides a flexible customized plastic recycling system for each customer starting from sorting units, feeding units,  to degassing units , number or type of filters, storage and packing systems.Moreover, due to the various materials to recycle, GENIUS often helps customers with the unique screw design requirements and pelletizing units. Also, the force side feeding recycling machines are equipped with such as dual piston filters and auto self-cleaning filters upon customer's request. Recently most of the customers prefer die face cutting pelletizing units to achieve more unique pellets for further manufacturing. Plant size has also become another consideration for many customers, the company has already received many customers' appreciation with the custom-size machine manufacturing for various sizes of plants. 

2. Choose the right equipment for your film recycling washing line

Some key pieces of equipment that you will need include a shredder, a wash tank, a drying system, and a granulator or pelletizer. You may also need additional equipment such as a pre-washer or a friction washer.

• Crusher or Shredder

This is a machine that breaks down the film into smaller pieces so it can be washed more easily. They could be a single shaft plastic shredder or twin shaft plastic shredder for different demands.







• Floating/Wash tank

This is where the washing process takes place, and it should have enough capacity to accommodate all of your incoming material. Floating tanks can be used to separate different types of plastics based on their density. This process relies on the sink-float principle, where denser plastics sink to the bottom of the tank while lighter plastics float to the surface. By using this method, it is possible to separate plastics based on their weight and density.







• Drying system

There are many different options available when it comes to film drying systems. Washed films typically retain about 30% moisture. High humidity will negatively impact the efficiency and production of the pelletizing process. Using a plastic squeeze dryer is essential to remove moisture from washed film, reduce the volume of recycled materials, and improve the quality of the final plastic pellets.







• Friction washer

Friction washer is a type of machine that uses friction to remove contaminants from plastic film surfaces. They often consist of a cylindrical drum with an inner drum or impeller, which creates a scrubbing action when it comes into contact with the plastic films, wraps or bags being cleaned.







• Granulator or Pelletizer

Finally, you'll need a granulator or pelletizer. This machine will turn your washed film into pellets or granules that can be used in manufacturing processes like packaging or recycling programs.

Read also: Plastic Film Recycling : Challenges & Solutions - Genius

3. Determine the layout of your washing line

Consider the size and shape of your facility, as well as the flow of material through the line. The layout of the washing line is an important factor, as it will affect the flow of material through the line and the efficiency of the process. A well-designed layout will minimize the distance that the material needs to travel, which can help to reduce energy consumption and improve overall efficiency.

When selecting equipment for a plastic film washing line and plant, it is important to consider whether you can purchase all of the necessary equipment from the same supplier. There are several advantages to buying all of the equipment from the same supplier :

• Simplicity:

Purchasing all of the equipment from the same supplier simplifies the procurement process, as you only have to deal with one vendor rather than multiple. This can save time and effort, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.

• Compatibility:

Buying all of the equipment from the same supplier ensures that the various components are compatible with one another, which can improve the overall efficiency of the washing line.

• Service and support:

A single supplier can provide a more comprehensive service and support package, as they are familiar with all of the equipment in your washing line. This can be especially useful if you encounter any issues or need technical support.

• Cost savings:

Buying all of the equipment from the same supplier may also result in cost savings, as you may be able to negotiate bulk discounts or other favorable terms.

4. Install the recycling washing equipment

Once you have chosen the equipment, the next step is to install it. This will involve setting up the various pieces of equipment, connecting them to the necessary utilities, and ensuring that they are properly calibrated and functioning correctly.

5. Test and optimize your washing line

To optimize a plastic film washing line, you can start by running small batches of material through the line to make necessary adjustments and fine-tune the process. It is also important to monitor and record key performance indicators, conduct experiments to test different variables, use simulation software, and consult with your equipment manufacturers. By following these steps, you can identify areas for improvement and make changes to the process as needed to ensure that the line is running efficiently and producing high-quality washed material.

It seems like a lot of work to build your own plastic film washing line or plant. But once you have it with effective and high-quality systems, you should see consistent improvements in the quality of your washed films, allowing you to increase production and generate greater profits.

If you're not an engineer or a plastics expert, do not worry, you can get a free consultant service from Genius. Contact us Now !

For more super features about Plastic Washing Plant, or case study waste plastic film wash plant / PE film

How is Plastic Recycled? A Step by Step Guide to Recycling

Have you ever wondered what happens to your plastic after you put it in the recycling bin? This article is here to provide the answers...

More and more businesses and people at home are recycling [1] but not a lot of people understand what happens to plastic recycling once it has been put in the recycling bin. There are a number of steps and organisations involved who ensure plastic recycling is transformed into new products.

 

HOW PLASTIC IS RECYCLED - THE BASICS

Plastic that is collected from your homes, businesses, and local recycling centres, is sent to a Material Recovery Facilities (MRF), which separates plastic and non-plastic, and/or a Plastic Recovery Facilities (PRF), which sorts plastic by type. These facilites use sorting equipment such as an optical sorter which can distinguish between between different types of plastics.  The plastic then goes to a reprocesses where it is washed,  shredded and sorted further. The plastic is then melted and extruded a into new recycled plastic pellets. These pellets are sold on for use in new products. This page will now explain each stage in more detail.

 

PAGE CONTENTS

Stages Of Recycling Plastic

Step By Step Detail

Which Companies and Organisations Collect and Recycle Plastic Waste?

Where Can You Deposit Your Plastic Items?

How To Identify What To Recycle

Types of Recycling

Plastics Recycling FAQ's

 

THE STAGES OF RECYCLING PLASTIC

There are a series of stages needed to recycle plastic which involve collecting, sorting, and reprocessing the plastic ready to be used in new products:

Collection ' plastic  is deposited by the users into a recycling container

Sorting ' facilities sort plastic from other materials and also into the different types of plastic

Reprocessing ' plastic is washed, ground into flakes, heated and extruded into new pellets

 

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STEP BY STEP DETAIL

Collection

This is the first stage of the recycling process, it involves the collection of recycling from our homes, businesses, and schools [2]. For this stage it is important that everyone is correctly sorting their plastic ready for collection and recycling all the items they can. 

This recycling is collected by a local authority either directly or using a waste management contractor. 

It is taken to a Material Recovery Facilities (MRF), and/ or a Plastic Recovery Facility (PRF) ready to be sorted. The material may be bulked at a waste transfer station before being transported to these facilities.

Other collection opportunities include recycling centres, front of store or local recycling sites [3].

The collection of plastic is key for the recycling system to operate well. The more plastic suitable for recycling that is collected the more material available to be reprocessed and used back into new products. 

 

Sorting

The second stage is sorting plastic from other materials and this is done at a Material Recovery Facility (MRF). This material may then go onto a Plastic Recovery Facility (PRF) for further sorting into the different types of plastic.

The mixed recycling  will initially be removed from the collection vehicles and then mechanically placed onto conveyer belts.

Conveyer belts are used to maintain the constant flow of waste passing through the sorting facility. A series of techniques are used to separate the material ready for further processing.

Below are some of the sorting techniques. The techniques used in practice will vary by facility. 

 

Manual Picking

Manual picking involves sorting by hand. During manual picking large items, non-recyclables and obvious contamiantion is removed. The items removed are sent for further processing or go for diposal. 

 

Trommels

After non-recyclables have been removed the waste is feed into trommels.[5] Trommels are cylindrical drums with holes that allow finer materials to fall through as the trommel rotates.

 

OCC Screening

The OCC screen separates old corrugated cardboard (OCC) from mixed recyclables.  This is achieved by passing material over a rotating disc system.  The thick discs provide lateral agitation of materials. The cardboard travels across the top of the screen and the other material fall through the rotating dics.

 

Ballistic Separator

A ballistic separator is a mechanical device which consists of two oscillating paddles. These oscillating paddles work in a way that means it moves rigid waste items to one end and flexible items (Paper, card) to the other allowing glass and finer materials to fall through the mesh. The rigid items can be bottles, containers or cans while the flexibles may be paper, card, newspapers, and plastic wrapping. 

 

Magnet Separator

A magnet separator is used to remove any metal that are present. Waste travels on conveyer belts under a magnet where metals are separated and placed into a separate storage bin.

 

Eddy Currents ' for non-ferrous metals

Eddy Currents separators are used to remove non-ferrous materials such as aluminium and copper from non-metallic material. Non-ferrous materials pass over the shell containing rotating magnets creating eddy currents. In turn this creates a magnetic field around the metals repelling them away from the magnet. This repulsion of the non-ferrous materials separates them from the non-metallic materials. Using an eddy current allows for easy and efficient separation of metals and non-metals.

 

Optic Sorting Machine

This is an important machine for separating different types of plastic.

An optical sorting machine helps to identify plastics at a high and efficient rate using near infrared (NIR) measurements. The NIR sensors are sensitive instruments that measure the absorbencies of samples at specific wavelengths. [15] In this instance identifying types of plastics through their absorption of light. Waste is then separated through upward or downward ejection methods.

Initially, material is fed onto a fast conveyor that causes the material to be spread onto a single layer. A vibratory feeder can be used to feed the material onto the belt because it helps spread the material to the full width of the conveyor. It is scanned by the NIR sensor from around 12 inches away. Different plastics such as PVC have different known NIR spectral images. This allows the scanner to identify that objects' plastic type. Jets of air are used to separate the different plastic types in different directions.

 

Sink-float Separator

Another important method used to separate plastic materials is a wet process known as a Sink-float separator. A tank is filled with water and plastic recycling, the high-density plastic sinks, and low-density plastic floats. The separated plastics will be recovered for more processing.

 

Reprocessing

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit plastic washing recycling machine.

Once the material has been sorted it will be transferred to a plastic reprocessor for the next stage.  

 

Further Sorting For Quality Control

Some reprocessors will have the equivalent of mini PRFs at the beginning of their processes to undertake further sorting depending on how the material arrives with them. Most facilities will do further sorting even if they purchase already sorted material to ensure any remaining contamination is removed. The sorting may include optical sorting machines and sink float separators to separate plastic by thickness, colour, size, and plastic type. Furthermore, plastic may be rerun through magnets to remove any metals that may have not been completely removed previously [5].

 

Washing ' Contaminants Are Cleaned Off The Plastic recycling

Washing helps remove adhesives, residual waste left in containers, food waste and labels. It is important that these are removed and the material is as clean as possible as it can affect the quality of the recyclate. 

This stage is where the actions of people at home can make a big difference [3]. By simply rinsing the plastic quickly to get off some of the food or other materials before they become dry and stick more severely helps ensure that the whole recycling system operates more effectively.

During the washing process the plastic may go through a range of washing methods depending on the contamination and processors. Firstly, friction washer which are the most common form of washer due to their low operation cost and effectiveness. Friction washers use heat, kinetic energy, and pressure to wash plastic of contaminants. Rotary washers use a caustic solution that is heated to removes oils and food stuff, depending on the degree of contaminations rotary washers can be used as a pre washer.

 

Shredding / Grinding ' Plastic Products Are Ground Into Smaller Pieces

A critical stage in recycling plastic is shredding or grinding plastic into smaller flakes.

The washed and sorted plastic is sent through shredding machines where it is ground into smaller pieces of plastic.

The plastic is shredded in different manners depending on the classification and methods of the shredder. An example of a method is Hammer Mills: these are used to pulverize plastics in a rotary drum using swivelling hammers to do so. Other examples being Shear Shredders: using rotary cutters and guillotines to cut plastics to industry size requirements. [16]

Further sorting may take place to ensure a pure stream of material is produced.

 

Extrusion ' Plastic is Melted and Extruded into New Pellets

This is the final stage of plastic recycling.

Extrusion is the process of melting down the plastic and forcing this through an extruder. The plastic is cut as it comes out of the extruder to form pellets.

Pellets are sold onto manufacturers.

 

Recycling your plastic bottle or plastic furniture involves several organisations working together. There are varying roles and positions involved in the whole recycling system from the public to manufacturers and designers.

For the recycling system to work efficiently it requires all the independent organisations of the recycling system to work in unison. The public, businesses and industries initially sort and put out their recycling to be collected. From here local authorities and independent waste collectors, collect the recycling and transport it to transfer stations.  The transfer station acts as a central location for the recycling to be collected before it is moved on to a recycling facility, in this instance a MRF or a PRF. Recycling is deposited and loaded onto conveyer belts by recycling facilities workers.  The recycling undergoes various sorting processes before it is sent to reprocessors. Reprocessors wash, shred and extrude the plastic  and process it into pellets. Here manufacturers purchase the recyclate and incorporate it into their products. Designers, brands and retailers  also play a role in the recycling system by designing products so they can be recycled easily and effectively and can incorporate recycled plastic. All these various roles play a part in the recycling system for it to work.

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Kerbside Collection

Kerbside collection is a service provided to communities where household recycling is collected on weekly or bi-weekly schedule. Recycling is collected by the local authorities or by a waste management  contractors working on their behalf. Material is presented by householders in individual or communal bins. Kerbside collection is the most common form of plastic packaging recycling collection. As this is a convenient form of collection for householders it yields high recycling rates.  

 

Recycling Centres

Local authorities provide recycling centres for disposing of larger items of waste or material not collected via the kerbside. Recycling centres will normally accept electrical items and may have a separate area to collect non-packaging plastic such as old garden furniture, toys etc. There are normally also facilities to recycled plastic packaging. Recycling centre are in a centralised accessible location for the public.

 

Deposit Return Schemes (DRS)

DRSs work by adding a small deposit charge to, mainly, drinks prices.  The consumer will receive the deposit back for recycling the item. This deposit is usually redeemed for cash. In some countries, this can yield high recovery rates as the incentivised return promotes recycling. England is consulting on providing a DRS and Scotland already plans to initiative a DRS. 

 

Recycling Sites

Smaller recycling sites are provided in communal areas such as supermarket or councils car parks. They will accept plastic packaging along with other types of plastic items. They may for example also provide facilities to recycle small electrical items.

 

Take back schemes

A variety of take back schemes exist, normally for larger items. When new products are purchased in some cases the company will arrange for the recycling of the old product. An example is electrical items where retailers are obligated to provide a take back scheme for old items.

 

Front of store

Larger supermarkets may offer recycling facilities for plastic film and bags within their stores alongside some other niche products.

 

HOW TO IDENTIFY WHAT TO RECYCLE

On-pack recycling labels are an easy way to identify items recyclability.

Packaging labels are usually found on the back of products and inform whether the product can be recycled or not.

On packaging recycling labels may also provide recycling instructions such as 'remove cap before recycling ' or 'remove sleeve'.

Local authority websites will also provide information on recycling for individual areas. Some local authorities will send householders information directly on recycling services.

There is also a recycling locater which is available here. Plastic Recycling Locator - What can you Recycle? (bpf.co.uk)

 

Mechanical Recycling

Mechanical recycling is by far the most prevalent recycling of plastic . It is the traditional method that has been in use for decades, responsible for the vast majority of plastic recycling around the world. Mechanical recycling uses grinding, washing, sorting and reprocessing to repurpose plastic material. The plastic recyclate can then be converted into other products substituting for the use of virgin plastics. [19] This article deals primarily with how plastic is collected, sorted and reprocessed via the traditional mechanical recycling route.

Chemical Recycling

Chemical recycling is the process of recycling plastics through the chemical change of the polymer structure forming a raw material that can be used to manufacture new products [18]. Chemical recycling can deal with plastics that may not be suitable for mechanical recycling. Read a lot more about chemical recycling here.

 

PLASTICS RECYCLING FAQ'S

1. Why should i rinse my plastic waste?

Rinsing where possible before disposing of your waste will make the process of recycling easier at MRFs. It will also help prevent odour from recycling containers.

Washing is important as any contamination could ultimately affect the quality of plastic recyclate produced at the end stage.

Plastic heavily contaminated with food waste may not be picked up by the near infrared sensors (NIR), ultimately leading to its disposal. This is a loss of material which could have been recycled. Therefore, rinsing plastic waste or recyclable materials before disposal is beneficial[5]. It should be noted that generally quick rinsing is preferred to extensive washing as it helps to save water.

 

2. How can I help recycle more plastic?

You can recycle more plastic by:

• Making sure your recycling is placed in the right container when at home, work or on-the-go
• Checking you are recycling everything accepted by your local authority
• Purchasing products that can be recycled or are made from recycled content .
• Identifying product specific recycling schemes in your local area and recycling through these schemes

 

3. Places I can recycle my plastic other than my household collection?

Other places you can recycle are recycling centres, communal recycling bins and recycling sites.

 

4. How do I set up a recycling scheme from my office?

Recycling programmes can be set up by firstly conducting an audit to identify the waste streams and volume of waste generated at your office. Implementing a waste team within the business whose roles will be to improve recycling within the workplace. Clear communication between cleaners/janitors is essential in setting up a recycling scheme. Implementing recycling bins with clear graphic and information to reduce contamination.  Communicate effectively with staff on the importance of recycling and make it clear how to use the recycling scheme in place. Furthermore, regular audits to identify improvements or if improvements need to be made. [20]

 

REFERENCES

[1] 'We are a nation of recyclers' - https://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/a-nation-of-recyclers/

[2] Municipal Solid Waste - https://archive.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/web/html/#:~:text=Municipal%20Solid%20Waste%20(MSW)%E2%80%94,schools%2C%20hospitals%2C%20and%20businesses.

[3] Plastic Recycling - https://www.bpf.co.uk/sustainability/plastics_recycling.aspx#s2

[4] The Complete Plastic recycling process - https://www.rts.com/blog/the-complete-plastics-recycling-process-rts/

[5] MRF ' how does it work- https://www.veolia.co.uk/hampshire/materials-recovery/process

[6] What is the waste sorting process - https://www.slrecyclingltd.co.uk/what-is-the-waste-sorting-process/

[7] From transfer station to MRF - https://www.mswmanagement.com/collection/article//from-transfer-station-to-mrf

[8] Materials Recovery Facility - https://www.britannica.com/technology/materials-recovery-facility

[9] PRNs Explained - https://www.recycle-pak.co.uk/PRNs_Explained.htm

[10] Extended producer responsibility- https://www.oecd.org/env/tools-evaluation/extendedproducerresponsibility.htm 

[11] Kerbside Collection- https://www.buschsystems.com/resource-center/knowledgeBase/glossary/what-is-curbside-collection

[12] Recycling Centres - https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/recycling5.htm#:~:text=Drop%2Doff%20centers,like%20paint%20or%20propane%20gas.

[13] Recycle More - https://www.recycle-more.co.uk/recycling/plastic/plastic-recycling-process

[14] Letsrecycle - https://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/oprl-launches-binary-labeling-system/

[15] Optical sorting - http://www.eaglevizion.com/optical_sorting 

[16] What is a plastic shredder- https://www.buschsystems.com/resource-center/knowledgeBase/glossary/what-is-a-plastic-shredder#:~:text=In%20the%20process%2C%20large%20plastic,granulated%20and%20sent%20to%20manufacturers.

[17] Extrusion - https://www.ptonline.com/knowledgecenter/profile-extrusion/profile-extrusion-fundamentals/history-and-fundamentals-of-extrusion#:~:text=In%20the%20plastics%20extrusion%20process,the%20barrel%20of%20an%20extruder.&text=This%20allows%20the%20plastic%20resin,cause%20degradation%20in%20the%20polymer.

[18] Chemical Recycling - https://www.plasticsrecyclers.eu/chemical-recycling

[19] Mechanical Recycling technology - https://docs.european-bioplastics.org/publications/bp/EUBP_BP_Mechanical_recycling.pdf

[20] Recycling programmes- https://archive.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/tools/rogo/web/html/index-3.html 

[21] plastic washing machinery - https://plasticwashing.co.uk/#plasticwashhome

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