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Automated Separation of Post-Consumer Polymer Flake

EPA Contract Number: 68D70038
Title: Automated Separation of Post-Consumer Polymer Flake
Investigators: Sommer, Edward J.
Small Business: National Recovery Technologies Inc.
EPA Contact: Manager, SBIR Program
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 1997 through March 1, 1998
Project Amount: $70,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (1996)
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , SBIR - Hazardous and Solid Waste

Description:

In order for plastics recycling to be a viable alternative in the long term, the recycled resins must be competitive with virgin resins both in terms of economics and purity. Current processing technologies utilize either hand sorting or automated sorting on the bottle level. However, there are many sources of contamination other than whole bottles, which will remain in the stream using whole bottle sorting technology. Automated flake sorting systems are becoming an essential tool for removing foreign contamination and cross-contamination from other polymers within a feed stream. Current technologies for high speed flake sorting rely on optical identification. Optical identification works well for contaminants that are optically different (e.g., more opaque, of different color), but is useless for cross-contamination of polymers that are optically similar. The objective of the Phase I research project is to determine the feasibility for complimenting whole bottle sorting technologies with automated sorting of various recycle stream polymers in the flake form.

Supplemental Keywords:

small business, SBIR, engineering, pollution prevention, recycling, chemistry. , Sustainable Industry/Business, Scientific Discipline, Waste, RFA, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Sustainable Environment, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Environmental Engineering, cleaner production/pollution prevention, Municipal, Environmental Chemistry, Chemistry and Materials Science, Civil Engineering, clean technology, plastic flake, automated seperation, post consumer polymer flake, polymer flake, cleaner production, plastics, sorting system, recycling, plastics sorting, flake sorting, plastics recycling, recycled plastics, pollution prevention
SBIR Phase II:

Automated Separation of Post-Consumer Polymer Flake

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

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