One embodiment of the invention includes a method for imparting a unique identifier to a molded polymeric article. The method includes providing a label comprising indicia having a thickness effective for embossing the polymeric article during molding and a melting point greater than the melting point of the molded polymeric article. The method also includes attaching the label to the article prior to vulcanization. The method further includes vulcanizing the article so that indicia emboss the molded polymeric article by forming indentations in the molded polymeric article.

An efficient material recovery facility is disclosed, including: a first sorting device configured to: process a first instruction to remove a first target item from a set of items; and in response to the first instruction, perform a first sorting action to remove the first target item from the set of items, wherein the set of items excluding at least the first target item is to be transported towards a second sorting device, wherein the second sorting device is associated with a same sorting device type as the first sorting device; and wherein the second sorting device is configured to perform a second sorting action to remove a second target item from the set of items excluding at least the first target item in response to receiving a second instruction to remove the second target item.

A mechanical polyolefin recycling process, comprising a particular combination of processing steps in a given order, providing access to highly pure recycled polyolefin grades, having well balanced mechanical and optical properties that are superior to those typically seen in similar recycled polyolefin grades and a mechanical polyolefin recycling apparatus configured for carrying out the mechanical polyolefin recycling process

Methods of enriching plastic items from a composition comprising one, or different types of plastic comprising the steps of: labelling the one or different types of plastics in said composition with one or more molecules that are fluorescent and/or absorb light in the ultraviolet, visible or near-infrared range, enriching one or more types of plastic from said composition based on the resulting fluoresce and/or absorbance properties of the labelled plastics.

The present invention relates to polyethylene mixed color blend having (i) a melt flow rate (ISO1133, 5.0 kg; 190 C.) of 0.1 to 10 g/10 min, (ii) a density of 950 to 990 kg/m.sup.3 (ISO1183); (iii) a C2 fraction in amount of at least 95.0 wt.-%, as measured by 13C-NMR of the d2-tetrachloroethylene soluble fraction; (iv) a homopolymer fraction (HPF) content determined according to Chemical Composition Analysis by Cross Fractionation Chromatography (CFC) in the range from 73.0 to 91.0 wt.-%; (v) a copolymer fraction (CPF) content determined according to Chemical Composition Analysis Cross Fractionation Chromatography (CFC) in the range from 10.0 to 22.0 wt.-%; (vi) a total content of heavy metals selected from Cr, Cd, Hg and Pb of not more than 100 ppm with respect to the total polyethylene blend, as measured by x-ray fluorescence (XRF); and (vii) a Full Notch Creep Test (FNCT) determined according to ISO 16770-2019 at 50 C. and 6.0 MPa in 2 wt.-% Arkopal N100, of at least 3.0 h time to failure, wherein the polyethylene mixed color blend has a CIELAB color space (L*a*b*) measured according to DIN EN ISO 11664-4, as described herein, of L* from 30.0 to 73.0; a* from 10 to 25; and b* from 5 to 20. The invention further relates to a method of recycling a polyethylene mixed color material to obtain the above blend and to articles made from the above polyethylene mixed color blend.

A device for recycling a plastic container includes a housing with an opening to receive the plastic container. A moving part is movably arranged within the housing on which, in a first position of the moving part, the plastic container is placed such that a first portion of the plastic container is arranged inside the housing and a second portion of the plastic container is arranged outside the housing. An ultraviolet (UV) light device including a UV light emitter and a UV light detector is arranged in proximity to the opening and configured such that a UV light beam emitted by the UV light emitter radiates through the plastic container which is detected by the UV light detector. A controller is in communication with the UV light device and the moving part. The moving part is configured to move to a second position in which the plastic container is entirely placed inside the housing in response to a control signal from the controller indicating that the plastic container can be recycled. A first cutter is rotatably arranged in the housing and configured to separate an upper portion of the plastic container from an intermediate portion of the plastic container. A second cutter is rotatably arranged in the housing and configured to separate a lower portion of the plastic container from the intermediate portion of the plastic container. A third cutter is rotatably arranged in the housing and configured to cut the intermediate portion of the plastic container in an axial direction such that the intermediate portion, when it is rolled out to a flat form, has a rectangular shape. A mold unit has a first press mold part and a second press mold part. A robot unit is configured to roll out the intermediate portion of the plastic container, to move the intermediate portion of the plastic container to the mold unit, and to place the intermediate portion of the plastic container between the first press mold part and the second press mold part.

Disclosed herein is a computer-implemented method of obtaining information on the recyclability of at least one flexible foam made at least partially of at least one polyurethane.

Further disclosed herein are a computer program and a computer-readable storage medium for performing the method, a method of treatment of the flexible foam, a device for obtaining information on the recyclability of the flexible foam and a system for treatment of the flexible foam.

Plastic part having a mean thickness t.sub.pl containing a mixture of effect pigments comprising flaky aluminum pigments obtained by milling of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy powder in a concentration c.sub.Al and silvery, absorbing pearlescent pigments in a concentration c.sub.P, wherein i) for flaky aluminium pigments having a D.sub.107.0 m: c.sub.Al*t.sub.pl is in a range of 0.0 to 0.20 wt. % cm, or ii) for flaky aluminium pigments having a D10<7.0 m: c.sub.Al*t.sub.pl is in a range of 0.0 to 0.036 wt. % cm, wherein each concentration refers in wt. % to the total plastic part.

A method for recycling polyester containers, in particular PET containers, said method including the following method steps: sorting the containers, comminuting the containers to produce flakes, friction washing the flakes, sorting the flakes, and extruding and granulating the cleaned flakes. The flake-sorting process is used to separate flakes which have a foreign polymer that is different from the polyester, and the flake-sorting process is a combination of a color-sorting process, a screening step, and an optical polymer-sorting process.

The present disclosure provides a composite material comprising a homogenous blend of (a) at least about 40% w/w of non-plastic organic matter out of a total weight of the composite material, said non-plastic organic matter comprising at least cellulose; (b) between about 5% w/w and about 60% w/w plastic matter out of a total weight of said composite material, said plastic matter comprising a plurality of synthetic thermoplastic polymers; and (c) up to 15% w/w inorganic matter; wherein said composite material comprises aryl containing synthetic polymers in an amount of less than 10% out of the total weight of said composite material; and wherein said composite material is characterized by at least one of the following properties: (i) it has a notched izod impact of at least 15 h/m; and (ii) a sample of said composite material that has been subjected to injection molding has at least one of tensile strength of at least 8 MPa; and flexural strength of at least 15 MPa. Also provided is a method of preparing the composite material, the method involving use of heterogenous intake material that comprises aryl-containing synthetic polymers in an amount of less than 10% out of the total weight of said composite material; and to methods of producing articles of manufacture from the composite material.