Novel Method for Extracting Colour From Plastic Recyclate - PolyMet

"Whilst plastic packaging recycling rates have been improving across Europe they still remain low at only 35%. With tough new government targets to come into force requiring 65% of plastic waste to be recycled it is essential new technologies are developed to allow recyclers to extract value from this waste economically and meet these targets. Currently this value has come from simply separating plastics into material groups with the majority of material being of mixed colour. Our project aims to develop a new method for extracting value form this waste plastic by developing a process which can remove the pigment dispersed within the plastic returning it to a natural-recyclate. In doing this recyclers would be able to double the resale value of their mixed coloured plastics making more waste economically viable to recycle and giving manufacturers, molders and producers access to greater quantities of natural-recyclate for use in products.

The project will build on a previously successful InnovateUK feasibility study which showed pigment could be removed from PE and PP at a lab scale using a novel designer solvent and high-shear mixing technique. Our consortium will target removing pigments from waste plastic packaging which makes up approximately 85% of plastic waste and develop this technology (PolyMet) through to a demonstration plant scale at TRL7 ready for full scale setup post project.

This technology fits well within the UK governments new regulatory push for improved recycling in the next decade and will place the UK at the forefront of plastic recycling.

The environmental and social benefits from this technology are significant: increased recycling rates will reduce plastic's carbon foot print by reducing our reliance on new plastic production and reduce waste plastics leaking into the environment through poor waste management. There is also a significant trickle down effect into the circular economy with a recent Deliotte study showing that 75 jobs were created for every 10,000 tonnes of recycle produced.

Ultimately PolyMet will allow recyclers to realise the maximium value from their feedstocks, allowing it to be used in a greater number of secondary application and allowing our society to move closer to a plastic circular economy."