Extrusion International 6-2025

66 Extrusion International 6/2025 RECYCLING most complex challenges in plastic recycling but by adapting the post- consumer input material to our lines and integrating TOMRA’s advanced AUTOSORTTM SPEEDAIR as part of a customized sorting process, we managed to overcome these. We are now able to process post- consumer PE lm and produce con - sistent, high-purity recyclates that meet the demanding expectations of our end customers. With over 60 years of experience in plastic processing, AB Plasta is one of the largest polyethylene re- cyclers in Central and Eastern Eu- rope. The company integrates recy- cling and manufacturing in a single plant for a fully circular production model, handling both post-consum- er and commercial lm streams on the same line. The plant produces approximately 35,000 tonnes of re- cyclate annually, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Turning a challenge into a circular opportunity Processing exible lm waste, particularly from multiple European sources, is considered a complex task. The input streams are highly contaminated and varied in materi- al composition, making it dif cult to produce recyclates of consistent pu- rity suitable for reuse in new pack- aging. Additionally, this material is extremely low in density and often sticky due to organic residues and moisture. It is precisely here that technologies such as AUTOSORTTM SPEEDAIR, which stabilizes the ma- terial on the belt, are crucial to en- suring high throughput and overall economic viability. “AB Plasta needed a solution that would enable 100% recycled con- tent in its products without com- promising on quality. The goal was clear: stable 24/7 operation, high throughput and exceptional purity levels that meet the standards for direct reuse in consumer products,” explains Michał Bula, Sales Manager at TOMRA Recycling. TOMRA’s complete process design TOMRA not only supplied the equipment but also played a key role in designing the entirematerial ow, ensuring stable and ef cient plant operation from the very beginning. The solution is built around a se- ries of four AUTOSORTTM SPEEDAIR units- high-throughput, high-speed optical sorters developed speci cally for stabilizing lightweight materials such as post-consumer plastic lm. TOMRA’s unique lm stabilization system enables unmatched sorting performance, even with lightweight, irregular lm fractions-delivering the throughput and purity needed for high-end PCR applications. Once the baled exible waste ar - rives at the facility, it undergoes shredding and pre-screening to pre- pare the material for optical sort- ing. Using TOMRA’s lm sorting systems, the various plastic fractions are separated with high precision. The input material ranges in size from 20 mm up to 200 mm, allowing for optimal detection and classi ca - tion across varied lm types. A key feature of the process is the use of a fourth AUTOSORTTM SPEEDAIR unit, positioned at the end of the main sorting line to recover any re- maining polyethylene lm-resulting in a 90% overall process ef ciency. The cleaned lm then passes through a washing and otation process to remove any remaining contaminants before being re-gran- ulated into high-quality recyclate. Optimal performance with TOMRA Insight The facility is also connected to TOMRA Insight, a cloud-based moni- toring platform. TOMRA Insight pro- vides AB Plasta with real-time access to machine performance and sorting quality, enabling faster, data-driven decisions. Automatically generated daily reports help identify process inef ciencies and ensure consistent, stable production output. Danas Poderis, explains: “By hav- ing machine status and spare part consumption to near real-time sort- ing data all in one place, we can keep a close eye on ef ciency. This is especially important as we adapt to increasingly demanding EU regu- lations like the PPWR, which require higher recycled content in packag- ing. The collaboration with TOMRA has been excellent – professional, technically strong, and focused on long-term results.” Sustainability and compliance aligned This project enables AB Plasta to meet the increasing demand for re- cycled content in packaging, driven by EU legislation and broader sus- tainability targets. By replacing vir- gin materials with high-quality re- cyclate, the company is signi cantly reducing its carbon footprint and supporting closed-loop production. In addition to supplying recyclates, the company manufactures its own end products in-house, using the re- covered material to produce garbage bags as well as lm for construction and agricultural use. The entire pro- cess is conducted internally, enabling AB Plasta to reintroduce its own re- cyclates directly into production lines and supply lm products with high recycled content to European retail- ers, distributors, and industrial clients. The success of this project also positions it as a replicable blue print for similar initiatives across Europe, especially in regions aiming to up- grade their exible packaging recy - cling infrastructure. TOMRA Recycling www.tomra.com/waste-metal-recycling AB Plasta, one of the largest polyethylene recyclers in Central and Eastern Europe, produces 35,000 tonnes of recyclate annually