59
2021
T
he world currently produces more than
300 million tonnes of plastics every year.
‘This is almost equivalent to the weight of
the entire human population,’ notes Dr Peter
Martin from the School of Mechanical and
Aerospace Engineering at Queen’s University
Belfast. And around 50% of this vast tonnage
comprises single-use plastics, he points out.
‘Ground-breaking’ technique
Northern Ireland recycles around 44% of
its plastic scrap while its landfill rate of around
30% is ‘the lowest in years’, according to the
Department of Agriculture, Environment and
Rural Affairs. Some £23 million (more than
Euro 25 million) has been made available in
funding to help make recycling ‘even easier’
for consumers and businesses.
Martin is certain the recycling rate can be
much higher. That’s why his research team
is pioneering a ‘ground-breaking’ technique
that can recycle discarded plastic packag-
ing into water and energy fuel tanks, marine
buoys and street furniture – and even into
sports products such as canoes and kayaks.
Heated and cooled
The two-year research project – called
Rotocycle – relies on the rotational mould-
ing process, which has the potential to recy-
cle very large volumes of plastic waste in an
economic way. The tests were conducted at
the university’s Polymer Processing Research
Centre after receiving £500 000 from Innovate
UK, the UK government’s innovation agency.
The Belfast R&D team is being supported by
three industrial partners with the aim of taking
the venture to the next level: Impact Laborato-
ries in Scotland, Impact Recycling in England
and Harlequin Plastics in Northern Ireland.
‘The process starts with flakes of waste
plastics being separated and compounded
into pellets using the patented technologies
of Impact Laboratories and Impact Recycling,’
Dr Martin explains. ‘We take these pellets and
grind them into a fine powder, which is then
blended with a proportion of new plastic
(polyethylene), heated to over 200°C and then
cooled within a mould to transform it into the
shape of a new product.’
One recycled product could see the re-
placement of around 30% of the new plastic
required and use the equivalent of 1000 old
milk bottles in its manufacture. ‘At present,
the UK rotational moulding industry alone
consumes more than 38 000 tonnes of new
plastic,’ Martin points out. ‘More than 11 000
tonnes could be saved.’
For more information, contact Dr Peter Martin at:
[email protected]
Author:
Kirstin Linnenkoper
HigHLigHts
Research:
Plastics recycling
Pioneer:
Queen’s University Belfast, UK
Led by:
Dr Peter Martin
Not impossible: kayaks made
from plastic waste
Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland has discovered a new way to
convert single-use plastic waste into a wide range of high-quality, ‘practical
products’ as well as fun sporting goods.
Technolab
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