Circulagem: circular economy of plastic through chemical recycling technologies

• Grant number: 22/13695-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: May 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Industrial Operations and Equipment for Chemical Engineering
• Agreement: SEBRAE-SP
• Principal Investigator: Daniela da Silva Pereira
• Grantee: Daniela da Silva Pereira
• Company: Circulagem Assessoria em Gestão Ambiental e Sustentabilidade Ltda
• CNAE: Atividades profissionais, científicas e técnicas não especificadas anteriormente
• City: São Paulo
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/05194-0 - Circulagem: Circular Economy of plastic through chemical recycling, BP.TT

Abstract

Municipal solid waste is generated every day by all human activities, without exception. Much has been said about plastic pollution, but the fact is that plastic packaging is present in all sectors of the economy, they guarantee the quality of packaged products, they are resistant to pollution and therefore preserve food, hygiene and pharmaceutical products. , in addition, they are lightweight, flexible, ergonomic, easy to store, highly durable and resistant packaging, which allows for optimized distribution logistics and longer shelf life in retail centers. With this, the replacement of the plastic material by another that guarantees the same characteristics of the bottled product will occur in the long term. Many efforts have already been invested to improve the composition of packaging and that today most of them are made of material with recycling potential. The work to be developed will be a solution to increase the recycling of packaging that does not have a market value for recycling cooperatives and is therefore destined for landfills. Transform into new raw materials. Therefore, the problem we propose to solve is plastic waste, which can be recycled in a process that combines several recycling technologies, including those that are not yet in Brazil, such as chemical recycling. Through a unique recycling line, combining mechanical recycling equipment and chemical recycling, on a small scale, we will ensure greater recycling of plastic packaging that has a composition that mixes several polymers, our proposal is to combine mechanical recycling, widely applied in Brazil, with chemical recycling, currently developed by a German company, a partner of Circulagem, Rittec. The technology we are proposing will facilitate and make recycling viable in regions of Brazil that currently do not recycle. This project aims to carry out tests with Grupo Boticário's difficult-to-recycle waste, with chemical recycling technologies combined with mechanics (conventional) and the test results will allow the design of an industrial plant of a mini recycling station. (AU)