PVC, often a first-choice material, helps promote the transition to a circular economy as it can be recycled even more than eight times without loss of performance due to its polymeric structure. Granulation is therefore one of the best processes to transform end-of-life PVC products or residues resulting from other industrial processes into new raw materials.
Bausano
Bausano twin extruders help create a sustainable PVC supply chain
Empty warehouse or storehouse. 3d illustration
Nonetheless, one of the main challenges in recycling PVC lies in converting the regenerated material into a high-quality product. Bausano twin-screw extruders meet this requirement by producing granules obtained from the recovery of rigid and flexible PVC, which are characterised by the highest standards.
Alessandro Ruotolo, Extrusion Test Manager at Bausano, said: “PVC is among the most widespread thermoplastic polymers in the world for applications in a variety of sectors, from construction to medical. The sustainability of its lifecycle makes this material a valuable resource in the implementation of European strategies for the recovery and reuse of plastic. In particular, the recycling of post-industrial PVC residues reaps a double benefit: on one hand, environmental protection, reducing both the consumption of the energy required to produce the same amount of new PVC and greenhouse gas emissions. On the other, granulation reduces company expenses owing to the disposal of PVC waste to a minimum, creating a closed loop process that converts a management cost into a profit.”
The extrusion process of residues or waste, to be treated with additives, fillers and fibres, requires high performance, especially in the mixing and degassing stages. This is why the use of twin-screw machines for re-extrusion into granules offers concrete advantages, in terms of greater flexibility in the formulation to reach the required result. Furthermore, the presence of contaminants, which represents one of the primary difficulties in the regeneration of the PVC, can be stopped by a specifically designed filter change system.
Bausano’s MD Plus and MD Nextmover twin-screw extrusion lines are also suitable for recycling processes as they are able to process and remove impurities of plastic materials, such as PVC resulting from scraps or post-consumer waste. The qualified consultancy of the Technical Team enables twin-screw extruders to give the extruded products a uniform final composition, ideal for the subsequent moulding, extrusion or calendering processes.
Ruotolo added: “At Bausano, we think that the way the production and consumption of plastic is perceived, as we know it today, must be radically changed so that the entire cycle we belong to can really be sustainable and replicable over time. This is why we believe it is essential to invest in R&D in order to enhance the technologies able to improve the environmental footprint of PVC. This will speed up the transition to a circular economy and contribute to mitigating climate change.”