Alternatives for recycling of polyethylene waste with technical and economic barriers for reprocessing

• Grant number: 17/05851-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2017
• End date: September 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Clodoaldo Saron
• Grantee: Clodoaldo Saron
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Thermoplastic polymers are consumed in large scale for manufacture of various consume or durable goods. Though the thermoplastic polymers are indispensable in today's world, theirs post industrial and post consume waste lead to serious environmental damage when irregularly discarded, representing a challenge for waste management in medium and large cities. Among thermoplastic polymers, the polyethylenes represent around 35 wt% of the production, while their recycling, mainly of material in the film shape, is not consistent with the amount produced. The main aim of this project is to research new alternatives for recycling of the polyethylene films from post industrial and post consume waste for the generation of materials with higher economic value. Thus, studies will be performed for the production of polyethylene/polypropylene copolymers by thermomechanic processing and thermal treatment on post industrial waste of polyethylene films mixed with virgin polypropylene. Studies will be also performed for production of plastic wood from polyethylene film waste and natural fibers from Pennisetum purpureum. Higher technical availability and economic viability are important to encourage the polyethylene recycling. Besides the economic aspect, the polyethylene films recycling is a way to minimize the environmental and management problems caused by the irregular disposal of solid waste. (AU)

Scientific publications

(11)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RODRIGUES, B. M.; SARON, C.. Electrostatic separation of polymer waste by tribocharging system based on friction with PVC. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MAR 2021. (17/05851-0)

GRILLO, CAMILA CEZAR; SARON, CLODOALDO. Wood-plastic from Pennisetum Purpureum Fibers and Recycled Low-density Polyethylene. JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS, MAY 2020. (17/05851-0)

BRANCO, L. T. P.; SARON, C.. Separation and recycling of polymeric post-industrial waste from adhesive bandages. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, OCT 2019. (17/05851-0)

DE CAMARGO, RAYANE VELOSO; SARON, CLODOALDO. Mechanical-Chemical Recycling of Low-Density Polyethylene Waste with Polypropylene. JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT, v. 28, n. 3, DEC 2019. (17/05851-0)

GANDARA, MERIENE; ZANINI, NOELLE C.; MULINARI, DANIELLA R.; SARON, CLODOALDO; CAPRI, MARIA DA ROSA. Green composites using recycled plastic bags and pineapple fibers waste. JOURNAL OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS, v. 56, n. 11, p. 16-pg., 2022-03-26. (17/05851-0)

GRILLO, CAMILA CEZAR; SARON, CLODOALDO. Wood-plastic from Pennisetum Purpureum Fibers and Recycled Low-density Polyethylene. JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS, v. 19, n. 3, p. 14-pg., 2020-05-17. (17/05851-0)

RODRIGUES, B. M.; SARON, C.. Electrostatic separation of polymer waste by tribocharging system based on friction with PVC. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, v. 19, n. 3, p. 8-pg., 2021-03-04. (17/05851-0)

BRANCO, L. T. P.; SARON, C.. Separation and recycling of polymeric post-industrial waste from adhesive bandages. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, v. 17, n. 4, p. 8-pg., 2019-10-21. (17/05851-0)

MORENO, DIEGO DAVID PINZON; RIBEIRO, SEBASTIAO; SARON, CLODOALDO. Aggregates segregation in rubberized mortar. STRUCTURES, v. 26, p. 778-784, AUG 2020. (17/05851-0)

MORENO, DIEGO DAVID PINZON; DE CAMARGO, RAYANE VELOSO; DOS SANTOS LUIZ, DENISE; BRANCO, LIVIA TERESINHA PIMENTEL; GRILLO, CAMILA CEZAR; SARON, CLODOALDO. Composites of Recycled Polypropylene from Cotton Swab Waste with Pyrolyzed Rice Husk. JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT, v. 29, n. 1, p. 350-362, JAN 2021. (17/05851-0)

LUIZ, DENISE DOS SANTOS; SARON, CLODOALDO. Catalytic effect of natural clays on properties and chemical structure of recycled polyethylene. JOURNAL OF MATERIAL CYCLES AND WASTE MANAGEMENT, v. 24, n. 6, p. 10-pg., 2022-09-21. (17/05851-0, 20/14318-6)

Filed patent(s) as a result of this research project