Study on dechlorination technology for municipal waste plastics containing polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene terephthalate

• Published in: Journal of material cycles and waste management 2010-06, Vol.12 (2), p.108-122
• Main Authors: Fukushima, Masaaki, Wu, Beili, Ibe, Hidetoshi, Wakai, Keiji, Sugiyama, Eiichi, Abe, Hironobu, Kitagawa, Kiyohiko, Tsuruga, Shigenori, Shimura, Katsumi, Ono, Eiichi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical recycling; Chlorine; Civil Engineering; Dechlorination; Engineering; Environmental Management; Furnaces; Heat; Liquefaction; Municipal solid waste; Municipal wastes; Plastic debris; Plastics; Plastics recycling; Polyethylene terephthalate; Polyvinyl chloride; Pyrolysis; Raw materials; Reclamation; Recycling; Resource recovery; Special Feature: Original Article; Studies; Waste Management/Waste Technology
• ISSN: 1438-4957; 1611-8227
• DOI: 10.1007/s10163-010-0279-8

It is necessary to remove chlorine efficiently from municipal waste plastics (MWP) that contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other plastics containing chlorine. In this article we consider thermal degradation liquefaction technology. In Japan, the chlorine content of reclamation oil products must be kept below 100 ppm owing to the quality standard for pyrolysis oil. Liquefaction dechlorination technology for MWP is still an important issue to study. The twin-screw extruder that has been developed as dechlorination technology for blast furnaces and coke ovens has a shorter residence time for dechlorination than other dechlorination technologies. In this article, we used a single-screw extruder for the dechlorination process because it also has a short residence time. Experiments on the dechlorination process were carried out by using a single-screw extruder to assess its dechlorination performance. Practical use of the single-screw was demonstrated by the operation of a commercial oil reclamation plant operated by Sapporo Plastic Recycle Co., Ltd. (SPR). Moreover, an investigation of cascade recycling was carried out in 2008 in which material recycle wastes were mixed with MWP and processed by chemical recycling (liquefaction). It was demonstrated that cascade recycling is an efficient recycling combination and contributes to local feedstock recycling. However, it was shown that MR wastes affect the quality of the reclamation oil when they make up more than 40% of the feed mix. If the quantity of MR wastes is kept below 40%, the reclamation oil is able to meet the quality standard. The SPR plant can be operated safely and in a stable manner.