According to the academic who is leading the research project, increasing the recycling rate for plastic bottles could have long-term environmental benefits.
Innovate UK awarded funding to Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University for the development of additives and processing techniques that could significantly increase the recycling rate.
It is hoped that the collaboration with Enviropet, a Glasgow-based company, and scientists from the University of Strathclyde can help companies meet UK/European requirements for all PET (polyethylene triterephthalate), bottles. These bottles must contain at least 30% recycled material by 2030.
There are more than 580 billion PET containers produced every year. However, most of these PET bottles contain little to no recycled materials. Drink companies claim that this is due to variations in recycled plastic, which can affect the colour and clarity and lead to bottle failures, which could cause fizzy drinks to go flat.
Professor David Bucknall from Heriot-Watt University stated that he wanted to solve the problems by using more PET recycled in plastic bottles. This results in plastic bottles of significantly lower quality in terms of mechanical properties and appearance.
We will be testing how the additive affects the performance and behaviour of recycled PET blends. We will test the gas permeability of the plastic, which directly affects the product shelf life.
Plastic must be able to resist oxygen penetration into the bottle and affect its contents. It also needs to stop CO2 from escaping, so carbonated drinks don’t go flat.
Our colleagues at University of Strathclyde will use deep learning and artificial intelligence to ensure that PET mixtures are melted with the correct amount of additive.
This will enable manufacturers to use this system to ensure that the correct blend ratios, processing conditions, and product consistency are maintained.
He said: This project is exciting because it may be possible to exceed 30% recycled material in any PET bottles, which would have significant long term environmental benefits.
Douglas Craig, Enviropet’s managing Director, stated that: Our technology will allow manufacturers to comply with recycling legislation and improve their bottle-quality and environmental performance.
It could save companies millions by reducing the need for raw material and the energy required to manufacture new bottles. We have outlets for all the major PET bottle companies in the UK, which gives us access to a global marketplace.
Plastic pollution and waste are a pressing global issue. A report released in October 2013 shows that plastics are expected to contribute more to climate change emissions by 2030 than coal plants.
An investigation by E&TThis month’s findings revealed that UK supermarkets are getting caught up in the murky worlds of plastic waste recycling. It highlights a gap between good intentions and actual results.
There is positive progress in tackling plastic pollution. Researchers from Aarhus University presented a computer vision technology in January that can be used to distinguish between different types of plastics based on their chemical composition. This could greatly increase the rate at which plastic recycling can be done on an industrial scale.
A University of Birmingham research team announced this month that they have developed a new method for recycling mixed plastic packaging. This process produces a higher percentage of high-value recycled plastic, with less emissions and no solvent residuals.
The Tokyo Institute of Technology revealed bio-based polymers that could be used to make fertiliser. This pioneering circular system allowed scientists to create bio-based plastics that could be chemically recycled into fertilisers and then incorporated into the soil.
Dubai announced this month, in direct consumer-related action, that it will charge plastic bags in shops and promise a complete ban within two years. Ingestion of plastic carrier bags is directly linked to the death of many sea turtles and camels in and around Dubai Capital City.
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