Application Notes

Recycling

BlackIndustry SWIR 1.7 / Max: Recycling - Plastic Flakes

The earth has a massive problem with plastic waste. Over 400 million tons of plastic are produced every year. A large proportion of this ends up directly in landfill sites or in nature. Only 9 % of the world‘s plastic waste gets recycled. Meanwhile, an increasing number of garbage patches are forming in the world‘s oceans. The largest garbage patch is more than four times the size of Germany. The main component of these environmental disasters is plastic – in every shape and size. Only a radical reduction in plastic production and successful recycling can counteract the global problem of plastic waste. Drinking containers are particularly suitable for recycling as they are mainly made from …

BlackIndustry SWIR 1.7 / Max: Plastic Detection in the SWIR Range

The success of recycling largely depends on the purity of the input material. This is particularly important in plastic recycling: only pure input materials result in high-quality recyclates. Unsorted waste can even be extremely dangerous: If plastic or household waste contains the plastic type polyvinyl chloride (PVC), toxic hydrogen chloride gets emitted when the waste is incinerated. This is also a major problem in the cement and reinforced concrete industry. The hydrogen chloride released from derived fuels causes corrosion damage to concrete and cement. PVC must therefore be separated and can then be fully recycled in a further process. To counteract this risk, the PVC must be detected and …