Page 42 from: Recycling International November/December issue | 2022

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Shared vision and
drive: plastics recyclers
up to the challenge
Plastics recycling is booming – just ask the 225 000 visitors and 33 500 exhibitors

at the recent K Show in Düsseldorf. Even so, recyclers are facing mounting pres-

sure from governments and environmental groups for stricter recycling targets

while calling into question the impact of recycling technology and infrastructure.

Is there a silver bullet to the plastic waste problem?

technology can make a difference all
over the world and I am confident it
will. Kreyenborg is keeping its eyes
open to new markets and partners.’

OPEN SOURCE INSPIRATION
‘Given the demand for plastic prod-
ucts, the recycling industry is becom-
ing ever more important,’ says
Raphael Oesterling, communications
manager at shredding and compact-
ing specialist Weima. ‘This is especial-
ly true for recyclers starting up their
business in developing countries,
notably in Africa.’
That’s why Weima is collaborating
with the Dutch non-profit organisation
Precious Plastics to roll out recycling
solutions at a local level. ‘We’ve creat-
ed a small manual shredder that peo-
ple can operate by simply pulling a
lever,’ Oesterling explains while dem-
onstrating how it works. ‘The flakes
come out below and can be used to
create recycled products via our injec-
tion moulding machine. As you can
see, it doesn’t take much strength or
effort. Anyone can do this.’
The resulting products include infra-
structure materials such as modular
bricks, that resemble Lego, to create
homes and fences. They are robust,
yet hollow, which means they can be
filled with sand or other materials to
fortify the structure.
‘Our aim is to encourage recycling as
much as possible so we’re not making
any money on this collaboration,’
Oesterling says. ‘We’ve donated the
blueprint for the equipment to
Precious Plastic’s network for free.
This allows anyone to download it and
build their own recycling system,
using simple tools they can order
online.’
Of course, Weima is eager to expand
its portfolio. This year, it exhibited
two new plastic shredders with single-
shaft technology: the revised W5.
18 universal machine and the WLK
1000 with its innovative FineCut rotor
for secondary shredding. The third
innovation is Weima’s new Puehler
C.200 press which allows fine particles
to be dewatered and compacted in a
single step following the washing pro-
cess.

All the big names in plastics recycling,
design and production were present
at K Show, which was celebrating its
first post-pandemic event. The venue
was buzzing with energy. Robotic
arms were not only sorting scrap, they
were playing chess on a giant sus-
pended board, playing drums and
even DJ-ing to catch the attention of
passers-by.
Smart sorting solutions and integrated
systems were surveyed while attend-
ees sipped cold beer and ate salted
pretzels with bratwurst. The mood
was relaxed yet curiosity and eager-
ness clung to the air. For plastics recy-
clers around the world, this was the
time and the place to showcase what
they’ve been working on for the last
three years. There was an extra level
of concern after a report from
Greenpeace slammed plastic recycling
as a ‘dead end’.

LET’S STAY PRACTICAL
‘There has been so much progress in
the plastics recycling sector and we
continue to push on,’ says Marianne
Ostgathe of German tech provider

Kreyenborg in response to negative
headlines in the mainstream media.
‘We cannot allow ourselves to be
defeated by the naysayers. Focussing
blindly on problems will not solve them.
‘It will only cost us precious energy
and distract us from taking practical
steps forward. We have to keep our
head in the game.’
For Kreyenborg that means maximis-
ing the output and purity of plastic
scrap by getting rid of unacceptable
odours, hence its IR-Fresh odour
reduction technology for post-con-
sumer plastics.
‘Achieving this is the last hurdle for
any processor wanting to offer premi-
um quality recycled fractions,’
Ostgathe insists. ‘With IR-Fresh, we
can minimise odours for any type of
plastic, even automotive plastics that
smell of petrol, or food packaging
that is contaminated by organic
waste.’ This yields an output that is
homogenous, dry and ‘minty fresh’,
available in either flake or pellet form.
Ostgathe, who was born in Sao Paolo,
says Kreyenborg has received many
inquiries from Latin American as well
as Asian visitors. ‘Recyclers from Brazil
and India are especially well repre-
sented this year,’ she reports. ‘I can
understand why. These nations gener-
ate a very large waste volume and are
eager to catch up to best practice wit-
nessed in western Europe. Our team
would love to help them realise their
ambitions.
‘Progress doesn’t end in our own
backyard. State-of-the-art recycling

A U T H O R Kirstin Linnenkoper

Marianne Ostgathe: ‘Kreyenborg is removing odours from
plastic scrap as the last step towards circularity.’

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