RECYCLED PET IN
FINLAND – what to do
with it?
Valeria Poliakova
Department of Business administration,
Media and Technology
15.09.08
PET
PolyEthylene Terephthalate
... it is a plastic
[Feel free to ask questions during the presentation]
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Agenda for today...

Why PET was chosen?
Objectives of the work

Findings

Conclusions
Future development


Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Why PET?

Sustainability is important...and in fashion

”Waste = Resource” is an attractive idea

Change in legislation

PET bottles are readily available resource
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Objectives
What is PET?
What can you do from PET?
Is it better to use it for bottles?
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Objectives




to learn about recycling system in Finland
to learn more about PET and RPET
to find differencess between PET and RPET
to find applications of RPET
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Circulation of PET in Finland
Hartwall,
FinnSprin
g
Packers
Shops
Citymarke
t
PALPA
Recyclers
Preformia,
Muovix
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Waste management options
Recovery
Material
Recycling
Mechanical
Recycling
Same
application
Energy
Recovery
Composting
Feedstock
Recycling
New
application
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Plastic waste grades
1.
2.
3.
4.
Single-grade production and processing scarp
and surplus raw material
Single-grade post-consumer commercial waste
Mixed-grade post-consumer commercial waste
Household waste and agricultural plastic waste
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Viability of recovery method
Technically
Economically
Ecologically
Normatively
SG production
scrap
MR
MR
MR
MR
SG postconsumer
waste
MR
MR / ER
MR
MR / FR
MG postconsumer
waste
MR / ER
ER
ER / FR
FR / ER
MG household
waste and
agricultural
plastic waste
ER / FR /
Landfill
ER /
Landfill
FR
FR / ER /
Landfill
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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PET + Mechanical Recycling = RPET
(Recycled PolyEthylene Terephthalate)
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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RPET
Extrusion, Pelletizing, Drying, Crystallizing
PET
Collection, Baling, Sorting, Grinding, Washing, Sorting, Rinsing,
Drying
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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PET vs RPET
PET




RPET
Tensile strength 47
MPa
Elongation 4 %
Glass transition 75 ˚C
Water absorption 0.3
%
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Properties depend on...
1.
Characteristics of polymer (inherent features)
2.
Processing parameters
3.
External factors (sun, humidity, thermal
history)
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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1. Characteristics of polymer





Molecular weight
Chemical structure of the molecules
Polymer morphology (crystallinity, orientation)
Additives
Co-polymers
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Characteristics affect all properties
Arrangement of
the molecules
Rheologica
l properties
(viscosity,
melt flow,
etc…)
Mechanical
properties
(tensile
strength,
modulus of
elasticity,
etc...)
Molecular
weight
Additives
Thermal
properties
(melting
temperatur
e, glass
transition,
etc…)
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
Chemical
properties
(taste,
aroma)
Co-polymers
Optical
properties
(color,
refraction,
etc...)
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RPET has...
Decrease in molecular weight 
 reduction of mechanical strength and stiffness
 decrease in melting temperature
 better flow characteristics of the melt
Disturbed crystallinity and entanglements 
 decrease in strength, toughness, viscosity
 surface defects
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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2. Processing




Grinding (melting temperature, melt flow)
Extrusion
Drying (molecular weight, color)
Filtering (throughput capacity)
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Typical single screw extruder
Wikipedia
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Vent type molding machine
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Challanges

free acetaldehyde (AA) level
 hydrolysis
PET
 thermal degradation
RPET
 thermal degradation
 generated AA level
 mechanical degradation
 contamination
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Applications of RPET
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Applications of RPET
Europe
Finland
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Applications of RPET

systematic approach

comparing specifications to requirements

the most similar to PET / RPET plastic

PBT, PMMA
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
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Conclusions 1/2

Mechanical recycling is the best recovery
method for PET bottles

RPET has different molecular weight and
crystallinity / orientation of molecules than
PET

PET bottles collected in Finland have a great
potential to be recycled back to bottles
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Conclusions 2/2

Considering applications for RPET one should
consider applications PET, PBT and PMMA are
used for
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Future development

Incineration of PET

Properties of virgin vs recycled material

Effect of additives on RPET

Effect of contaminants on recycling process
Recycled PET in Finland - what to do
with it?
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Thank you for your attention!
PET-related questions?
[email protected]