Page 58 - Plastics News September 2023

Toray develops fibre-to-fibre recycling for used nylon fishing nets
fishing nets from nylon scraps and reportedly comparable with virgin
process waste from net production. material. Nitto Seimo is manufactur-
Now, the programme will addition- ing the purse seine nets with this fib-
ally recover materials from used nylon ber and Taiyo A&F’s offshore fishing
fishing nets, in what the companies vessel Taiyo Maru No.21 will deploy
describe as a world first fibre-to-fibre them on a trial basis starting Novem-
recycling scheme. ber.
There have been various initiatives The three companies hope to con-
to reclaim nylon fishing nets - called firm the commercial feasibility of the
ghost nets when discarded at sea – new fishing nets. Depending on the
ogether with Nitto Seimo and but the material is often upcycled into trial results, they aim to introduce the
TTaiyo, the Japanese company will other types of product, like swim- recycled fishing nets to the market in
trial purse seine nets made of chemi- wear, rPET, or rPA. However, so far December 2023.
cally recycled nylon fishing nets. it has been difficult to recycle nylon “This drive to develop nylon fibre-to-
Materials manufacturer Toray Indus- fish nets into fishing net yarn because fibre recycling technology for fishing
tries and fishing net manufacturer the strength and durability of the fib- nets paves the way for the entire tex-
Nitto Seimo announced their recy- bers deteriorates during the recycling tiles industry to help materialise a cir-
cled purse seine nets will be trialled in process, due to debris and algae con- cular economy by conserving and re-
the Northern Pacific Ocean this No- tamination from immersion in the sea. cycling resources and reducing wastes
vember. Toray has now leveraged its depoly- across the supply chain,” said Mitsuo
Together with fishing company Taiyo merisation chemical recycling tech- Ohya, president of Toray.
A&F, in November 2022 the Japanese nology using nylon from ghost nets
companies a partnership to recycle to develop a recycled fibber that is

K-Beauty brand Riman opts for environmentally-friendly packaging
Nitto Seimo announced their recy-
cled purse seine nets will be trialled in
the Northern Pacific Ocean this No-
vember.

Together with fishing company Taiyo
A&F, in November 2022 the Japanese
companies a partnership to recycle
fishing nets from nylon scraps and
process waste from net production.
Now, the programme will addition-
ally recover materials from used nylon
fishing nets, in what the companies
describe as a world first fibre-to-fibre
recycling scheme.
There have been various initiatives
to reclaim nylon fishing nets - called
ghost nets when discarded at sea –
ogether with Nitto Seimo and cally recycled nylon fishing nets. but the material is often upcycled into
TTaiyo, the Japanese company will Materials manufacturer Toray Indus- other types of product, like swim-
trial purse seine nets made of chemi- tries and fishing net manufacturer wear, rPET, or rPA. However, so far

58 PLASTICS NEWSASTICS NEWS September 2023
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