Methods and systems for separating mixed plastic waste are provided herein. The methods generally comprise separating the mixed plastic waste into a PET-enriched stream and one or more PET-depleted streams. The separating may be accomplished using the combinations of two or more density separation stages. Exemplary density separation stages include sink-float separators and centrifugal force separators. The PET-enriched and PET-depleted streams may be recovered and/or directed to downstream chemical recycling processes.

Facilities and systems for handling of particulate plastic solids obtained from a mixed waste plastic separation system are provided. The facilities comprise at least one enclosed structure and an elongate overhead conveyor associated with the at least one enclosed structure that is configured to selectively deposit the particulate plastic solids into a plastic solids transport system that interconnects the handling facility and a plastic chemical recycling facility and/or at least one inventory pile within the at least one enclosed structure.

A process is provided of treating a feed comprising polyethylene terephthalate comprising dissolving said feed in a polar solvent at a temperature between about 100 to 250° C. to produce a dissolved feed; then adding an anti-solvent that is less polar than said polar solvent followed by cooling a resulting mixture resulting in precipitation of purified polyethylene terephthalate and then separation of solid purified polyethylene terephthalate from remaining liquids.

A method of separating infill material (105) of synthetic turf is disclosed. The infill material (105) comprises sand (155), rubber (165) and fibres (135). The method comprises combining the infill material (105) with water (106) to form an infill slurry (110), and separating one or more of the sand (155), rubber (165) and fibres (135) from the infill slurry (105). A hydrocyclone (104) may be used to separate the infill slurry (105) into a fibre slurry (107) and a sand/rubber slurry (111). An separation unit (200) for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

A process is provided of treating a feed comprising polyethylene terephthalate comprising dissolving said feed in a polar solvent at a temperature between about 100 to 250° C. to produce a dissolved feed; then adding an anti-solvent that is less polar than said polar solvent followed by cooling a resulting mixture resulting in precipitation of purified polyethylene terephthalate and then separation of solid purified polyethylene terephthalate from remaining liquids.

There are provided processes for recycling waste such as polystyrene thermoplastic polymer waste and/or polystyrene thermoplastic copolymer waste as well as recycled polystyrene thermoplastic polymer and/or recycled thermoplastic copolymer that may, for example, be obtained from such processes. The processes can comprise the use of a reducing agent.

Methods and equipment for the recycling of carpet are disclosed that produce a clean fiber product suitable for industrial use. The methods allow the recovery of face fiber material, for example a polyester, polyolefin, or a polyamide, from carpets that includes a face fiber material, a polypropylene backing material, and an adhesive, and include the steps of mechanically impacting the carpet to break the bonds between the adhesive and the fibrous components, treating the fibrous components to remove adhesive granules from the fibrous components, and optionally separating the polypropylene backing from the face fiber. A clean adhesive/calcium carbonate product can also be produced from this process.

The invention relates to a continuous method for removing a solvent from a suspension or solution comprising a target polymer, wherein the method comprises the steps of delivering said suspension or solution to an extruder, wherein said extruder comprises a size classification unit that is designed to be permeable for the solvent and impermeable for the target polymer; and filtration and extrusion of said suspension or solution in said extruder. The invention also relates to a plastic waste recycling system for recycling a target polymer. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a polymer material obtained by this recycling method.

There are provided processes for recycling waste such as polystyrene thermoplastic polymer waste and/or polystyrene thermoplastic copolymer waste as well as recycled polystyrene thermoplastic polymer and/or recycled thermoplastic copolymer that may, for example, be obtained from such processes. The processes can comprise dissolving the waste in cymene, xylene or ethylbenzene or a suitable solvent, to obtain a mixture followed by heating the mixture under acidic conditions and then optionally neutral conditions in the presence of a reducing agent then cooling to obtain a supernatant comprising polystyrene thermoplastic polymer and/or polystyrene thermoplastic copolymer and a solid waste residue. The supernatant can optionally be treated with a filtration aid, then the supernatant can be contacted with a hydrocarbon polystyrene non-solvent under conditions to obtain precipitated polystyrene thermoplastic polymer and/or precipitated polystyrene thermoplastic copolymer which can be washed with additional hydrocarbon polystyrene non-solvent, and optionally dried and formed into polystyrene thermoplastic polymer pellets and/or polystyrene thermoplastic copolymer pellets.

Methods and equipment for the recycling of carpet are disclosed that produce a clean fiber product suitable for industrial use. The methods allow the recovery of face fiber material, for example a polyester, polyolefin, or a polyamide, from carpets that includes a face fiber material, a polypropylene backing material, and an adhesive, and include the steps of mechanically impacting the carpet to break the bonds between the adhesive and the fibrous components, treating the fibrous components to remove adhesive granules from the fibrous components, and optionally separating the polypropylene backing from the face fiber. A clean adhesive/calcium carbonate product can also be produced from this process.