Source: reCycle Technologies, PCTPR001

From old to new:

Also with PP

Thomas Reiner | 11.06.2019

One step forward in recycling PP goes PureCycle Technologies together with Milliken and Nestlé.

The process developed and licensed by Procter & Gamble turns old polypropylene (PP) new polypropylene. It also removes color, odor and other contaminants from the feedstock.

As a result, the new process should ensure that similar to PET, PP can now be materially recycled and made available for follow-up applications.

The first PP recycling facility is currently under construction in the US, in Lawrence County, Ohio. From 2021, 54,000 tons of old PP are to be processed into more than 47,500 tons of new PP.

A trial unit of the new plant will soon be put into operation by PureCycle Technologies. The focus of the experimental unit is the processing of old PP from different sources and the optimization of processes.

Stats:

• Currently less than 1 percent of old PP is recycled worldwide.

• For polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the proportion is already 20 percent. Out of R-PET plastic bottles and other consumer goods packaging are usually made.