Page 31 - Plastics News September 2022

FEATURE

of microplastics, identify potential haz- Meantime, America’s plastic makers are nounced 71 advanced recycling projects
ards of microplastics, and develop a risk committed to developing innovative so- in the US. These projects have the poten-
assessment framework capable of inte- lutions to help end plastic waste, includ- tial to divert nearly 16 billion pounds of
grating the complex information devel- ing microplastics. used plastic annually from landfills, and
oped,” he says. “The early results from “We’re innovating new products and we are working to make all plastic pack-
this independent research have been pre- technologies, investing in systems and aging recyclable or recoverable by 2030.
sented at global scientific conferences, infrastructure, and collaborating to ac- Reducing plastic waste will have the ad-
and subsequent results will be published celerate our transition to a more cir- ditional benefit of reducing the amount
in peer-reviewed literature and presented cular economy,” Baca points out. “For of microplastics in the environment.”
at upcoming scientific conferences and example, since 2017 our industry has an-
technical workshops over the next few
years.”

Highly Wear-Resistant Screws And Barrels Enable Safe Recyclate Processing

Higher resistance to wear is provided
by special iron-based alloys and nickel-
based alloys that match the raw material
being processed. The decisive factor here
is the composition of the alloys, because
wear protection depends not only on the
hardness of the layer.
Reifenhäuser Reiloy Managing Direc-
tor Ralf Pampus explained: "We are the
only screw and barrel manufacturer to
develop and produce the hard material
alloys — and even the powders required
for wear protection — in-house in our
own materials laboratory. This means we
offer expertise across the entire process
hether film manufacturer, injec- of these additives are also challenging that is unique in the market. Recent in-
Wtion molder or line manufacturer: because, among other things, they have dependent tests have again proven that
the processing of recyclate involves many an abrasive effect or adhesive tendency Reifenhäuser Reiloy's wear protection
challenges because recyclate is a rather — others have an aggressive effect due
complex raw material and a stress test for to inorganic acids. Many colorants and
the plasticizing unit. Highly wear-resist- fillers also stress the components.
ant barrels and screws from Reifenhäuser Reifenhäuser Reiloy offers a reliable
Reiloy give the unit a long service life solution for this with its highly wear-
and ensure high product quality. resistant screws and barrels and regu-
Recyclate is often a grab bag, because it is larly sets benchmarks in terms of qual-
not always clear how carefully the start- ity and performance. The components
ing material has been sorted and cleaned, offer a demonstrably longer service life, is the best on the market and that the
or which additives and possibly aggres- precise matching of raw materials and investment pays off — because high-
sive residual components are contained. additives, exclusive alloys developed in- quality components need to be replaced
In addition, high-quality recyclate pro- house, and process-optimized surfaces. less frequently, produce consistent qual-
cessing requires special additives that Manufacturers of injection molded and ity and thus ensure the productivity of
enable the polymer to become a high- extruded products thus benefit from the a line."
quality product again. However, many best cost-benefit ratio in the industry.

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