Starlinger Wipes Away Odours from Detergent Bottle Recycling

Posted by aclimaadmin | 27/07/2017 | Sektoreari buruzko albisteak

Starlinger recycling technology is tackling the odour issues which have traditionally made it hard to recycle detergent bottles.

A new take on bottle-to-bottle: processing of detergent bottles by Starlinger recycling technology is tackling the odour issues which have traditionally made it hard to recycle detergent bottles.

The company explained that while is hard to imagine packaging without the use of plastics. Whether it is shampoo, shower gels, liquid laundry detergents or household cleaners – everything reaches the supermarket shelves in containers made of PP, HDPE, or PET.

But in contrast to PET bottles, for which extensive collection systems have partly been set up, the collection of used containers made of polyolefins is still in its early stages.

According to Starlinger, one reason for the lack of progress in this area lies in the complicated recycling process of plastic containers that were filled with detergents; due to migrated substances, the plastic, and in turn the recycled material, takes on an unpleasant odour.

Bad Smells

The call for sustainable packaging solutions for polyolefins – especially by brand manufacturers – prompted Starlinger to engage with this topic on a deeper level.

Over recent years the company has engineered a project for the recycling of the input material of a renowned European recycler.

The material came from detergent bottles from a post- consumer collection that had maintained a persistent odour of dishwashing or laundry detergent even after undergoing a shredding and washing process.

The goal was to produce high-quality regranulate, and to aim for optimum removal of the strong smell. In addition, the regranulate should not entail qualitative losses compared to products made from virgin material.

Taking these requirements into account, Starlinger started a test production during which more than 100 tons of HDPE post-consumer material were processed.

The subsequent production of bottles from 100% rHDPE fulfilled all expectations. According to Starlinger this means that it was the first technology provider to offer a recycling solution for detergent bottles.

Tests and Analysis

During test production, samples were extracted and sent to a German laboratory for analysis. The analysis consisted of an olfactory test with human participants and a physical analytical method called gas chromatography. The knowledge obtained through this analysis enabled Starlinger to optimize the recycling process – and thus the final product – one step at a time. As a result, the material was fit to be reused in the production of laundry or dishwashing detergent bottles: a new take on bottle-to-bottle recycling.

First HDPE detergent bottle made from 100 % odourless recyclate

Starlinger explains that it not only sell machines, but solutions: the development and transfer of know-how is an integral part of the full package. Thanks to its work, the company said  the first HDPE detergent bottle made from odourless regranulate can now be presented to market.

Permanent Solution

A special characteristic of odour reduction by means of Starlinger technology is its permanent nature. While conventional processes merely bind odours through the use of additives and therefore enclose them in the final pellets, Starlinger’s odour reduction process permanently removes the substances causing the unwanted smell.

In part, this removal already occurs during material preparation in the SMART feeder of the recycling line recoSTAR dynamic as well as during degassing with the yC-VAC module. As a final step, the regranulate receives the “finishing touches” in the Smell Extraction Unit – its configuration and process parameters may be adapted individually to the needs of the customer’s material.

Starlinger concluded by saying that this new technology is stiring up considerable interest worldwide.

Test runs at Starlinger recycling technology’s facility in Weissenbach can be performed upon request.

Posts Relaccionados

Posted by aclimaadmin | 27 martxoa 2024
Desde hoy, está disponible la primera herramienta web que permitirá calcular la huella de carbono, la huella ambiental y una batería de indicadores de economía circular con un enfoque de...
Posted by aclimaadmin | 21 martxoa 2024
Se ha desarrollado un proceso que combina la descarga profunda de baterías de ion litio y el posterior proceso de fragmentación electrohidráulica para el reciclaje de baterías en el marco...
Posted by aclimaadmin | 21 martxoa 2024
Las embarcaciones de carga, de 6.000 y 9.100 toneladas respectivamente, ayudarán a Grona Shipping a descarbonizar su flota y han sido concebidas para operar en el Mar del Norte y...