Quantum Lifecycle Partners unveils new plastics sorting line

Quantum Lifecycle Partners (QLP) has opened its Advanced Plastics Recovery Line, calling it a significant step forward in the country’s ability to process and recover value from end-of-life electronics plastics.

The US$ 4 million (EUR 3.4 million) system at QLP’s Toronto, Canada facility uses float-sink separation technology to sort the mixed polymer streams recovered from end-of-life IT equipment, including computers, printers, and other electronic devices. The clean, sorted e-plastic flake that results meets Basel Convention standards for international trade.

EPR demands

QLP says the new line expands its ability to offer producers a complete, end-to-end solution for their electronics recycling obligations under Ontario’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework. Ontario is currently the only province in Canada operating a fully competitive EPR system for electronics.
The facility has capacity to scale operations to meet growing demand as the state’s EPR framework matures and more producers seek domestic processing options for their end-of-life electronics. Electronics plastics, the casings, housings, and components recovered from end-of-life devices, are one of the most challenging streams in the recycling industry.

High-quality output

‘This facility represents a meaningful step forward in what’s possible for electronics recycling in Canada,’ QLP vp fir recycling Clayton Miller. ‘For the first time, we’re able to take the plastic fraction from end-of-life devices and produce a consistent, high-quality output that can re-enter the supply chain.’
Miller adds that it is the type pf infrastructure that makes a genuinely circular economy for electronics in Canada more than an aspiration. QLP delivers technology lifecycle solutions to help organisations maximise value, reduce risk and operate sustainably. It operates across North and Latin America.