Extrusion International 1-2023

50 Extrusion International 1/2023 RECYCLING – CASE STUDY Post-consumer HDPE and PP Recycling Line for Turkish Plastics Recycler Featuring Starlinger’s special high-vacuum degassing unit, the recoSTAR dynamic 215 C-VAC has a production capacity of two tonnes of high-quality plastic pellets per hour and processes post-consumer HDPE and PP bottle flakes. The line is equipped with a SMART feeder which ensures ideal material preparation prior to extrusion, effectively drying and homogenising the input material. “T he Starlinger recoSTAR dynamic recycling lines have been designed with the focus on process- ing contaminated and highly humid post-consumer plastic waste”, explained Paul Niedl, Commercial Head of Starlinger recycling technology. “The elaborate con - struction of the SMART feeder allows the recycling of materials with higher levels of humidity. In combination with Starlinger’s Dynamic Automation Package which regulates the ideal operating point, it achieves a signifi - cant output increase.” The specially developed C-VAC degassing unit with its modern cascade setup takes care of volatile con- taminants after the main extruder, effectively removing them by expanding the melt surface by 300 %. Tanrıkulu supplies the produced regranulate to the Turkish plastic product manufacturing industry. While the recycled polypropylene is used mainly to produce automobile plastic parts, furniture, toys and other injec- tion moulding products, as well as for pallets, buckets or packaging films, the recycled polyethylene is used for pipes, bottles, plastic bags, and similar products. “At Tanrıkulu, we try to improve ourselves at every op - portunity we get. For that, we continuously upgrade our production equipment”, said İzzet Tanrıkulu, General Manager of Tanrıkulu Group of Companies. “To ensure best regranulate quality, the post-consumer input mate- rial passes metal detectors and filtration systems before being washed and sorted. The excellent vacuum degas - sing capacity of the Starlinger line combined with its high production output helps us to achieve best product qual- ity at favourable costs, ensuring continuous supply of high-quality PP and PE regranulate to our customers.” From paper, glass and metals to plastics recycling With currently ten plastics recycling and manufactur- ing plants in various parts of Kocaeli Province, which borders the Istanbul metropolitan area, Tanrıkulu origi - nally started out in 1989 in Istanbul, recycling paper, glass and metal waste. In 2006 the company began to produce regranulate from plastic waste and diversified by adding a facility for the production of PET sheet in 2014. Since then, Tanrıkulu has become one of the lead - ing plastics recycling enterprises in Turkey and exports 50 % of its PET sheet products to overseas markets. Its plastics recycling capacity doubled after opening the Iz- pack PET packaging production facility in 2018 and in- stalling automatic plastic sorting systems in 2019. Starlinger recycling technology Furtherstrasse 47a, 2564 Weissenbach, Austria www.recycling.starlinger.com Tanrıkulu http://tanrikulu.com.tr/en/ The Starlinger C-VAC degassing module increases the melt surface by 300 %, thus achieving an extremely high degassing efficiency (Pictures ©Starlinger) Tanrıkulu processes washed PP and PE flakes. The produced regranulate is used for automobile plastic parts, toys and other injection moulded products, as well as for bottles, buckets and packaging films, among others.