Vinyloop

Vinyloop is the brand name of a method for recycling of PVC waste. It was developed by the Belgian chemical company Solvay and patented in 1998. Vinyloop is a relatively new recycling process. So far, it is the world in two plants in Ferrara ( Italy) and Futtsu (Japan ) in action.

The method is associated with either the chemical or the purely mechanical recycling process because the PVC plastic is chemically changed little from the waste while chemicals such as solvents used in the process.

Method

In Vinyloop method an organic solvent is used to extract the plastic PVC, PVC -containing waste. The plastic material can be separated in this manner from materials which have been processed with him composites. For example, include garden hoses often other types of plastics and textile fibers, which can be separated by mechanical means, or only with great effort from PVC. Upon dissolution of the composite, the ingredients of the PVC resin are achieved, other materials are compared to the solvent generally stable and can be separated. Polyvinyl chloride and its additives such as fillers, pigments and plasticizers are precipitated and dried. The recovered PVC raw material, the PVC compound is very similar to the conventional and can therefore be used in the original product area.

The process can be divided into the following steps:

During the dissolution and precipitation during the new PVC additives of the solution may be added. In this way, the properties of PVC recyclate can be adapted if necessary. For example, a post-stabilization or an increase in the proportion of plasticizer is also possible.

Because it is a proprietary process, the other ingredients based on butanone solvent were not previously disclosed. Also the possible hazard potential there is therefore no independent statements. Since the PVC plastic is broken in the system into its components, which is considered the carcinogenic vinyl chloride monomer and harmful or hazardous to health additives, the same environmental risks as other polyvinyl chloride processing plant shall apply.

Application

The Vinyloop plant in Ferrara, Italy was commissioned in 2002. The French PVC processors Serge Ferrari recycled PVC cable here and tarpaulins. In this first industrial plant the production of a few hundred in 2002 was increased to about 10,000 tons of recycled material per year. The recycling of PVC fabric is called Texyloop and involves the pretreatment of PVC tarpaulin recycling companies MTB Trept at La Tour- du-Pin. The residues from the treatment in the Italian system are burned in Germany.

In the complex inter alia temporarily used materials of the Summer Olympics 2012 in London are treated. Serge Ferrari supplied about 80 % of the PVC - coated fabrics for the facilities of the Olympic Stadium, the Water Polo Arena, London Aquatics Centre and the Royal Artillery Barracks. You are being treated for reuse in Vinyloop process.

Together with Kobelco Eco -Solutions, a subsidiary of Japanese steel and construction equipment manufacturer Kobe Steel, Solvay 2006 in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, taken a second plant with a capacity of 18,000 tons of recycled material per year in operation. The plant, in contrast to the Italian another area of ​​application of PVC waste.

Planning

Since 2001, plants in Italy, France, UK, Germany, Spain, Netherlands and Canada were planned. An investment in the French department of Isère was intended for the treatment of PVC tarpaulins. In Germany up to two plants were to the end of 2003 temporarily planned at sites of Solvay. Besides just short-term plans for a plant in Rheinberg should arise with a capacity of 30,000 tons per year by mid-2005 a plant in Bernburg. Instead, a project in Dreux near Paris was planned in 2004 with a capacity of 40,000 tons per year for which a feasibility study is also negative. Except for the plant in Japan all projects had to be postponed or canceled due to high production costs, so far no other system has yet been built.

The total investment of Vinyloop plant was given in 2002 with 8.2 -14m euros, depending on existing infrastructure. The supply of steam is seen by Solvay as an important location factor for a Vinyloop plant. On sites that already have a steam supply, the investment falls therefore lower. The average production cost was with the technical level of 2002 between EUR 250 and 450 per tonne of PVC waste.

Ecology

Like any other plastic recycling process can be reduced, as already used materials are made ​​partially reusable with Vinyloop the consumption of primary raw materials. There is a lack independent evidence for the sustainability of the process.

A study of Solvay compares the use of Vinyloop process ( recycling and re- use of recycled material in the product) with the conventional way, the burn to be treated PVC waste and re-establish the amount of contained PVC. The study concludes that the primary energy demand can be reduced with Vinyloop by 46 percent. This results in a reduced emission of greenhouse gases, so that the global warming potential of these emissions under the assumptions of the study to 39 percent smaller than in waste incineration and use of new PVC.

The ozone depletion potential (ODP ), however, increases when using Vinyloop compared to the same case. While conventional combustion and new production cuts emissions of ozone-depleting substances, ozone layer caused more damaging emissions according to the study by the use of Vinyloop. Thus, the ozone depletion potential of emissions increases in the use of Vinyloop compared to the case by more than sevenfold. This is not specified in the study and in other publications to Vinyloop.

The values ​​obtained are valid for the Vinyloop use under the conditions of the plant in Ferrara. For example, the Italian electricity mix was used as a basis for the energy supply of the plant. Because of missing data, the study also neglects the fossil carbon dioxide emissions caused by the PVC filler calcium carbonate during combustion.