Pyrowave, a Canada-based firm engaged in microwave-based recycling of plastics, and Ineos Styrolution America have partnered to recycle North American post-consumer polystyrene.
Pyrowave’s North American polystyrene recycling project aims to demonstrate the recyclability of post-consumer polystyrene packaging using Pyrowave’s Catalytic Microwave Depolymerization technology.
Ineos Styrolution America standard products vice-president Ricardo Cuetos said: “Polystyrene is a too valuable material to end up in landfills.
“Pyrowave’s North American project is a significant component in our efforts to recycle polystyrene taking advantage of innovative technologies.”
Said to be first cost effective Waste-to-Feedstock technology that recycles mixed plastic waste, the Pyrowave’s CMD patented technology uses microwaves to perform fast de-polymerization of mixed plastics.
Pyrowave said that the machine can convert mixed plastics with or without food contamination into predominantly oil containing valuable waxes and monomers.
The resulting products are then sold to chemical companies which re-use them for FDA compliant applications.
The machine has capacity to process between 50-100kg per cycle with each cycle lasting 30 minutes.
Pyrowave CEO Jocelyn Doucet said: “We are extremely pleased to announce the support of INEOS Styrolution in the project as it shows strong leadership from the polystyrene industry that wants to improve the life cycle of polymer products.
“Our technology combined with the support of the industry will help improve our world’s resource efficiency for the good of future generations.”
Pyrowave, which operates a full scale machine in Montreal, Canada, seeks to deploy the units in the field and demonstrate its business model.