Polyolefins from ELV shredder-light-fraction
Every end-of-life car is a source of raw material. During the today recycling process, polymers end up along with dust, slivers of metal and textile fluff in the non-metalic shredder residue (shredder-light-fraction). This mixes the plastics so indiscriminately that it has never been possible to seperate them into the individual types again and they are therefore used as reducing agents in blast furnaces. Toyota Europe, SiCon GmbH and Fraunhofer IVV addressed this issue in a pilot project (2006 - 2007).
From a shredder fraction, that was produced with the VW-SiCon-Process and was rich in plastics, an 8% (weight) polyolefin fraction was separated. The following treatment with the CeaSolv® Process recycled polypropylene and polyethylene in qualities, that allow re-use in the automotive industry. It was demonstrated that separation and recycling of polyolefins (PE and PP) of high quality is technically and economically feasible. The CreaSolv®-Process also allows a seperation from toxic impurities, the polymer gets into contact with during the shredder process.
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