An infilled artificial turf surface [18] includes a particulate infill [24] with at least a top layer [28] that comprises a mixture of Black walnut shell particles [30] and English walnut shell particles [32], the walnut shell particles [30, 32] having been treated so as to eliminate or substantially remove tree nut allergens that are known to activate allergies in some humans. Preferably, treatment occurs via heat treatment in a rotary furnace, which also rounds and smoothes the particles [30, 32]. Particularly if used in the top layer [28] of a particulate infill [24] of an artificial turf surface [18], the shape and size and proportion of the Black walnut shell particles [30] and the English walnut shell particles [32] provide stability for the resulting turf surface [18], while also being able to absorb water applied thereto, thereby to hold moisture and to provide evaporative cooling of the artificial turf surface [18] for up to about five hours.

An infilled artificial turf surface [18] includes a particulate infill [24] with at least a top layer [28] that comprises a mixture of Black walnut shell particles [30] and English walnut shell particles [32], the walnut shell particles [30, 32] having been treated so as to eliminate or substantially remove tree nut allergens that are known to activate allergies in some humans. Preferably, treatment occurs via heat treatment in a rotary furnace, which also rounds and smoothes the particles [30, 32]. Particularly if used in the top layer [28] of a particulate infill [24] of an artificial turf surface [18], the shape and size and proportion of the Black walnut shell particles [30] and the English walnut shell particles [32] provide stability for the resulting turf surface [18], while also being able to absorb water applied thereto, thereby to hold moisture and to provide evaporative cooling of the artificial turf surface [18] for up to about five hours.

Systems and methods for recycling waste plastics are provided, including a system for recovering styrene monomer from waste polystyrene. The system includes a mixing, heating and compacting apparatus to receive a supply of waste polystyrene and to output a densified polystyrene containing melt; a pyrolysis reactor configured to receive the densified polystyrene containing melt and a supply of recycled oligomers, pyrolyze the densified polystyrene containing melt and the recycled oligomers, and output a hydrocarbon gas stream and a solids residue stream; a quenching apparatus configured to receive the hydrocarbon gas stream output from the pyrolysis reactor and condense out oligomers for routing upstream to the pyrolysis reactor to be combined as the supply of recycled oligomers with the densified polystyrene containing melt, and to discharge an altered hydrocarbon gas stream for further processing; and a condenser configured to receive the altered hydrocarbon gas stream from the quenching apparatus and condense out styrene to form a styrene monomer oil product.

A method for regenerating reinforced fiber includes binding a part of a composite member containing reinforcing fibers and resins oriented in directions different from each other along a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the composite member; removing the resins from the composite member; and separating unbound reinforced fibers from bound reinforced fibers among the reinforced fibers.

A method of recycling a polyester includes the steps of providing the polyester, preparing a solution containing water and an alcohol, submerging the polyester in the solution, and hydrolytically depolymerizing the polyester while the polyester is submerged in the solution.

Methods of producing particles of fiber and resin from fiber-resin composite materials are disclosed. The particles may be combined with a resin system and optionally combined with fillers, binders or reinforcements to produce new cured solid composite products.

Methods of producing particles of fiber and resin from fiber-resin composite materials are disclosed. The particles may be combined with a resin system and optionally combined with fillers, binders or reinforcements to produce new cured solid composite products.

A hollow compact has a partition partitioning it into a first interior compartment sealed apart from a second interior compartment. The first compartment is charged with a first solvent, the second compartment with a second solvent. The solubility properties of the first and second solvent are chosen such that neither risks attacking and/or dissolving the compact. Conversely, the solubility properties of the first and second solvent are otherwise chosen such that the mixture of the two indeed possesses an independent set of solubility properties, whereby the mixture is indeed capable of attacking and dissolving the material of the compact. Wherein, breaching the partition allows the charges of the first and second solvents to mix and thereby form the mixture therebetween. That way, the compact might vanish by dissolving into the mixture solvent or else might more likely might dissolve into a nearly un-recognizable form of its former self.

Generally described, the methods disclosed herein for recycling fiber composite source objects, such as wind turbine blades, include converting a whole wind turbine blade to an output material state that is useful for manufacturing other products, such as those used in construction of buildings, packaging, raw materials, and pellets, among other products. The recycling process is performed while tracking the progress and location of each wind turbine blade such that the direct source of the output material may be determined. In some embodiments, the method includes sectioning the wind turbine blades, crushing the wind turbine blade sections, tracking the progress of each blade through the process, and loading output materials into a suitable transportation vessel. Correlating each wind turbine blade to a quantity of output material provides several advantages, including various certifications of the material for uses with restricted or otherwise controlled products and materials, cost savings, and other advantages.

Crumb rubber obtained from recycled tires is subjected to an interlinked substitution process. The process utilizes a reactive component that interferes with sulfur bonds. The resulting treated rubber exhibits properties similar to those of the virgin composite rubber structure prior to being granulated, and is suitable for use in fabricating new tires, engineered rubber articles, and asphalt rubber for use in waterproofing and paving applications.