Landfill

Factsheet 2: Wertvoller Alt-Kunststoff - Schwimmende Recyclinganlage verwertet Plastik bevor er ins Meer gelangt

janna.vakili@ecologic.eu — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 09:18:56 +0000

Factsheet 2: Valuable waste plastic - Floating recycling plant recovers plastics before they enter the sea janna.vakili@e… Fri, 03/05/2021 - 10:18

Titelbild

Beschreibung

In this factsheet, joint project KuWert shows how plastic recycling can be profitable. The research team developed a floating recycling platform, mobile and independent of local structures. The system was tested in coastal cities in West Africa, where a lot of plastic ends up in the sea.

Since high-quality plastic recyclate can only be obtained from clean and pre-sorted old plastic, the team worked with a large number of plastic collectors on land and processors on board. This not only created employment, but also prevented over 60,000 tons of plastic per year from ending up in the oceans. At the same time, value chains were established and a contribution made to climate protection.

The contents of the factsheet are based on research results of the joint project KuWert "Ship-based treatment of plastics for the implementation of value chains". It is available here for PDF download.

Attachments

Factsheet 2 of the BMBF Research Focus Plastics in the Environment.

Further Links

Verbundprojekt KuWert

Joint project

KuWert

Year

2021

Author

Fridtjof Rohde

Type of Result

factsheets

Citation

Rohde, Fridtjof (2021): Valuable waste plastic: Floating recycling plant recovers plastics before they enter the sea. Fact sheet 2 of the BMBF research focus „Plastics in the Environment“.

Publikationstyp

Ergebnis

10th International Conference on Waste Management and the Environment (Online Event)

janna.vakili@ecologic.eu — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 13:02:32 +0000

10th International Conference on Waste Management and the Environment janna.vakili@e… Fri, 11/08/2019 - 14:02

Titelbild

Beschreibung

Waste Management is one of the key problems of modern society due to the ever-expanding volume and complexity of discarded domestic and industrial waste. The 10th International Conference on Waste Management and the Environment attempts to find solutions to this problem and provides a forum for the exchange of scientific knowledge and the current situation of waste management between experts, researchers, government agencies and local authorities.

This event is held as an online event due to Covid-19. More information can be found on the event's website.

Location

Online

Organiser

Wessex Institute

Nagoya University, Japan

University of Naples Parthenope, Italy

Date

07 - 09 July 2020

07. - 09. Juli 2020

Further Links

Website of the event

Image Gallery

Tags

Date sort

Tue, 07/07/2020 - 12:00

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Aus

MicBin

KALEH — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 09:13:16 +0000

MicBin KALEH Wed, 12/20/2017 - 10:13

Microplastics in Inland Waters – Investigation and Modeling of Entries and Whereabouts in the Danube Area as a Basis for Action Planning

Within the framework of this project, a first-ever accounting of macro-, meso- and microplastics released into the German part of the Danube river basin was achieved, with measuring stations at its main tributaries. Microplastic particles (particles < 5 mm) were examined by using various, complementary analytical methods. The focus lay on specifically small particles that are invisible to the naked eye with diameters less than 300 μm as there is currently a distinct lack of data about these particles. This project mapped the sources, sinks, transport processes and fragmentation of plastics in separate material flow models for micro- and macroplastics. Targeted, standardised sampling and supplementary laboratory experiments are clarifying the relevance of previously neglected input paths such as agricultural land or atmospheric deposition. Results were implemented into existing models, the models were validated and a plastic balance for the German Danube watershed was prepared. Through scenario analyses, it was possible to identify measures to reduce plastic pollution at the level of entire river basins.

Main areas of work

Entry balancing of macro-, meso- and particularly microplastic in the German Danube river basin through uniform sampling campaigns, modelling and supplementary laboratory tests
Balancing of previously unconsidered sources and sinks, such as the input of plastic by agriculture, atmospheric deposition of microplastic and degradation processes of plastics in the environment
Derivation of minimisation strategies

Arbeitspakete

Work packages

WP 1 Coordination

Contact person
Dr. Nicole Zumbülte, TZW: DVGW Water Technology Centre, Analysis and Water Quality department, Karlsruher Straße 84, 76139 Karlsruhe, e-mail: nicole.zumbuelte@tzw.de

Project partner

UOS, UniA, BfG, THK, LfU, BKV

Short description
The TZW was responsible for the scientific and general internal coordination within the project, ensured the exchange of information between the internal and external partners and research networks. This included the organisation of sampling campaigns and sample distribution to the individual partners, the coordination of sample analysis, the organisation of project meetings for exchange between the partners and the maintenance of scientific exchange with other projects at national and international levels.

WP 2 Analysis of plastics in environmental samples

Contact person
Prof. Dr. Thomas Ternes, German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, e-mail: ternes@bafg.de

Project partner
LfU, TZW, UOS

Short description
In this work package, the samples from WP 3 and WP 4 were analysed using three complementary methods. Starting from a high sample volume, these were pre-selected in advance by BfG using an effective screening procedure (low sample preparation effort, sample analysis using pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry). Samples with contents above a threshold value to be defined were subjected to a much more complex and precise analysis using Raman (TZW) and IR spectroscopy (LfU). These processes provided detailed information on particle properties (concentration, size, polymer type, and shape).

WP 3 Identification of entries / sources

Contact person
Dr. Korbinian Freier, Bavarian State Office for the Environment, Demollstr. 31, 82407 Wielenbach, e-mail: korbinian.freier@lfu.bayern.de

Project partner
THK, BKV, UOS

Short description
The first step in mass balancing of the selective and diffuse input of microplastics requires a characterisation of all potential sources. The aim of WP 3 was therefore to investigate and quantify entries from points and areas in limnic systems. The results were incorporated in WP 5. The focus was on atmospheric deposition, linear inputs in connection with littering, wastewater treatment plants, landfill leachates, and the weathering of plastics.

WP 4 Transport, distribution and fate: Process understanding of water, soil, air

Contact person
Prof. Dr. Thomas Ternes, German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, e-mail: ternes@bafg.de

Project partner
BKV, LfU, UniA, TZW, UOS, THK

Short description
In addition to sinks such as hydroelectric power plants, this WP looked at transport and relocation processes of microplastics and possible intermediate reservoirs for microplastics such as soils or water sections with low flow. In addition, degradation and comminution processes of plastics were investigated in laboratory experiments. Sinks or reservoirs for microplastics were identified by coordinated sampling in the water body and mass balancing of a water body section. The results of WP 4 were incorporated into the models of WP 5.

WP 5 Drawing up balance sheets by modelling and deriving measures

Contact person
Dr. Jörg Klasmeier, Osnabrück University, Institute of Environmental Systems Research, Barbarastraße 12, 49078 Osnabrück, e-mail: jklasmei@uos.de

Project partner
LfU, UniA, BKV, TZW

Short description
Entries in water bodies were accounted for considering the various sources and sinks and allowing for an estimation of the total freight in the Danube River System. Process-oriented small to medium scale models for microplastic (UniA, UOS) and supraregional models for micro-, meso- and macroplastic (BKV) were fed with the experimental data and existing data on wastewater treatment plants (LfU, UOS) obtained in the various work packages. From the results of all work packages, a summary evaluation of the sources and sinks with recommendations for measures to reduce water pollution was carried out.

WP 6 Communication

Contact person
Dr. Nicole Zumbülte, TZW: DVGW Water Technology Centre, Analysis and Water Quality Department, Karlsruher Straße 84, 76139 Karlsruhe, e-mail: nicole.zumbuelte@tzw.de

Project partner
LfU, THK

Short description
The MicBin project homepage informs about project contents, actions and results. In addition, a short film was produced and made available to the public. The public was made aware of this issue through a waste collection campaign on the water and participation in the German Sustainability Action Days (DAN). Stakeholders from research, authorities and industry was informed and involved in workshops.

Case Studies

The MicBin project focused on balancing the input of macro-, meso- and particularly microplastics for the German Danube river basin with measurement campaigns at the main Danube tributaries. Among other things, agricultural entries as well as transport and relocation processes were also taken into account.

Coordinator

Dr. Nicole Zumbülte
DVGW Deutscher Verein des Gasund Wasserfaches e. V. – Technischwissenschaftlicher Verein – Bonn
TZW: DVGW-Water Technology Centre, Analysis and Water Quality Department
Karlsruher Straße 84
76139 Karlsruhe
Phone: +49 721-9678 139
e-mail: nicole.zumbuelte@tzw.de

Website

https://www.micbin.de/

Partner Institutions

German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) / BfG

DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser / TZW

Cologne Technical University, STEPs / THK

BKV GmbH / BKV

Bavarian State Office for the Environment / LfU

University of Augsburg / UniA

Osnabrück University / UOS

Duration Period

October 2017

March 2021

Tags

Microplastics

Catchment area

Modeling

minimization strategies

Infraref spectroscopy

Sewage treatment plant

Project sheet

17_Projektblatt_MicBin_ENG_2018.pdf

Koordinator label

Coordinator

KuWert

KALEH — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 16:12:48 +0000

KuWert KALEH Tue, 12/19/2017 - 17:12

Ship-Based Treatment of Plastics for the Implementation of Value Chains in Less Developed Countries as well as for the Prevention of Plastic Inputs into the Environment and Especially in Marine Ecosystems

The aim of the project was to develop concepts and preliminary planning for the implementation of an infrastructure for the collection, ship-based treatment, and marketing of plastic waste in order to reduce the input of plastic waste into the environment and marine ecosystems. The project's target regions were primarily less developed countries in the Global South. Using West Africa as an example, strategies for reducing the input of plastics (in this case macroplastics) into the environment were researched, because the input of macroplastics into the environment is particularly high when functioning waste collection and disposal systems are lacking. Stakeholder dialogues were conducted to assess whether a commodity chain based on plastic recyclates is possible on the West African coast. A prototype model ship was developed and used to determine costs.

Main areas of work

Data collection, analysis and evaluation (local conditions in less developed countries)
Preliminary planning of waste treatment plants
Design of a concept for suitable ship and plant technology
Development of strategies for the implementation of value chains in less developed countries
Analysis and evaluation of results (economic, ecological)

Arbeitspakete

Work packages

WP 1 Basic evaluation – recording of plastic waste

Contact person
Dr. Martin Wittmaier, IEKrW, Neustadtswall 30, 28199 Bremen, e-mail: wittmaier-office@hs-bremen.de

Project partner
TECHNOLOG, Nehlsen, University of Mauritius, University of Sierra Leone

Short description
It was of utmost importance for the processing of the entire project to gain knowledge of the composition of the plastic waste that potentially was collected in less developed countries. To this end, data and information (types, qualities, quantities, framework conditions, logistics, etc.) were first collected, analysed and evaluated, including on site in the example countries Sierra Leone and Mauritius.

WP 2 Pre-design of a treatment and recovery plant

Contact person
Dr. Sven Rausch, Nehlsen GmbH & Co. KG, Wilhelm-Karmann-Str. 5, 28237 Bremen, e-mail: sven.rausch@nehlsen.com

Project partner
TECHNOLOG, IEKrW, University of Mauritius, University of Sierra Leone

Short description
In this WP, waste treatment plants were planned in various variants. For this purpose, national and international framework conditions connected with the construction and operation of the ship-based facilities to be developed were determined. Various known procedures were evaluated and tested for their suitability, as were requirements for operation, maintenance and repair. On this basis, the objectives for the treatment of plastic waste were defined, followed by the development of conceptual designs.

WP 3 Concept development (ship and plant engineering)

Contact person
Fridtjof Rohde, TECHNOLOG, Vorsetzen 50, 20459 Hamburg, e-mail: fridtjof.rohde@tlg-services.biz

Project partner
IEKrW, Nehlsen

Short description
Preliminary designs for up to three variants of carrier vessels/semi-submersibles for the treatment of plastic waste were developed with alternative shipbound logistics concepts. Rough planning included room planning and process-oriented arrangement of facilities, equipment for maritime technology, equipment for waste treatment plants, etc. The production costs and energy requirements were also determined and the variants were compared economically.

WP 4 Marketing potential of secondary raw materials

Contact person
Dr. Sven Rausch, Nehlsen GmbH & Co. KG, Wilhelm-Karmann-Straße 5, 28237 Bremen, e-mail: sven.rausch@nehlsen.com

Project partner
IEKrW, TECHNOLOG

Short description
The market for secondary raw materials was examined, since these are fundamentally valuable. Tradeable products from plastic waste were identified and the quality requirements to be met specified. Possible revenues were also estimated. The resulting technical requirements for processing technology and quality management were taken into account in the other WPs. Based on the results, strategies for the most economical processing and marketing of products made from plastic waste were developed.

WP 5 Profitability analysis and life cycle assessment

Contact person
Dr. Martin Wittmaier, IEKrW, Neustadtswall 30, 28199 Bremen, e-mail: wittmaier-office@hs-bremen.de

Project partner
TECHNOLOG, Nehlsen

Short description
The concepts and preliminary planning for the ship-based collection, processing and marketing of plastic waste from less developed countries developed in the project were evaluated under economic and ecological aspects. On the basis of the results, the ecological advantages (reduction of the input of plastics into the environment, protection of resources by recycling plastic waste) were determined. The evaluation of the economic efficiency was intended to assess the chances of realisation and provide a planning framework for potential investors, funding providers and operators of a ship-based collection and treatment plant for plastic waste.

WP 6 Project management, public relations, recycling concept

Contact person
Fridtjof Rohde, TECHNOLOG, Vorsetzen 50, 20459 Hamburg, e-mail: fridtjof.rohde@tlg-services.biz

Project partner
IEKrW, Nehlsen

Short description
Within the framework of WP 6, work was carried out on internal and external communication (project meetings, workshops, communication between national and international partners including maintaining contacts with interested shipping companies/shipowners, public relations, etc.) and project management (administrative and content-related reporting, work and progress control and coordination, etc.).

Coordinator

Fridtjof Rohde
TECHNOLOG Services GmbH
Vorsetzen 50
20459 Hamburg
Phone: +49 40 7070768-20
e-mail: fridtjof.rohde@tlg-services.biz

Website

http://www.KuWert.hs-bremen.de

Partner Institutions

Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences, Institute for Energy, Recycling and Environmental Protection / IEKrW

Nehlsen GmbH & Co. KG

Duration Period

August 2017

December 2019

Tags

Waste reduction

Waste management

Methodology of analyses

Environmental accounting

Optimization process

Plastic littering

Reduction of plastic use

Polyamide (PA)

Polyester

Polyethylene (PE)

High density polyethylene PE-HD

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

Resource conservation

Risk assessment

Secondary raw materials

Sorting

Stakeholder

Material flow managment

Project sheet

13_Projektblatt_KUWERT_ENG_2018.pdf

Koordinator label

Coordinator

revolPET

KALEH — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 15:53:14 +0000

revolPET KALEH Tue, 12/19/2017 - 16:53

Development of a Recycling Technology for PET Waste Plastics from Multilayer Material and Other Waste Composites

As part of the revolPET project, a solvolytic recycling process for waste PET plastics (Polyethylene Terephthalate) from multilayer and other mixed materials was elaborated and experimentally tested. Inactive patents for solvolysis of single-variety PET waste formed the basis for this research: those solvolytic processes were be enhanced into a continuous waste treatment concept that can recycle PET waste. This enabled the recycling of the PET materials present in the mixed waste and the separation of differing amounts of interfering substances, with the latter being redirected to other uses. The recycling process generates the basic components of PET: monoethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. The flexibility of the process enables sorting of waste from very inhomogenous materials sources such as marine and technical PET wastes. The new recycling process was tested and evaluated in a pilot plant. The data from this testing is included into continuous economic and ecological assessments of the procedure and its integration into the value chain.

Main areas of work

Development of the technical basis for continuous solvolysis
Operation of the pilot plant for experimental development and technological validation of the solvolysis process
Development of a mass and energy balances of the continuous processing methods (for pure and mixed PET waste)
Development of a model-based tool for the analysis and assessment of environmental impacts
Determination of market requirements with regard to recycling routes and required specifications for new streams of recyclable materials
Opening up new sources of supply for PET waste composites from post-consumer collections and technical applications

Arbeitspakete

Work packages

WP 1 Basic research, process and apparatus design

Contact person
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stephan Scholl, Technical University of Braunschweig, Institute for Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering, Langer Kamp 7, 38106 Braunschweig, e-mail: s.scholl@tu-braunschweig.de

Project partner
Fraunhofer ICT, Reclay Materials GmbH, RITTEC Umwelttechnik GmbH, SCHILLER Apparatebau GmbH, VTU Engineering Deutschland GmbH

Short description
The technical fundamentals for continuous solvolysis of initially pure PET to multilayer and mixed PET were developed. The data served as the basis for the planning, design, construction and commissioning of a modular pilot plant, which enabled investigations of different apparatus.

WP 2 Pilot studies

Contact person
Carsten Eichert, RITTEC Umwelttechnik GmbH, Feldstraße 29, 21335 Lüneburg, e-mail: eichert@rittec.eu

Project partner
Fraunhofer ICT, TU Braunschweig ICTV, Reclay Materials GmbH, SCHILLER Apparatebau GmbH, VTU Engineering Deutschland GmbH

Short description
The central experimental elaboration and technological validation of the solvolysis process took place through the operation of the pilot plant. The process engineering solutions found in the basic investigations in WP 1 were implemented here. First, PET of a higher purity was processed. For this purpose, the continuous operation is represented. The final goal was the continuous operation of the pilot plant for mixed PET waste streams.

WP 3 Accounting and multi-criteria rating

Contact person
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christoph Herrmann, Technical University of Braunschweig, Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology, Langer Kamp 19B, 38106 Braunschweig, e-mail: c.herrmann@tu-braunschweig.de

Project partner
TU Braunschweig ICTV, RITTEC Umwelttechnik GmbH, Reclay Materials GmbH

Short description
The aim was to establish a closed and consistent mass and energy balance of the continuous processing method (for single-variety and mixed PET waste) parallel to the experimental development of the recycling process. This was first created for the continuous operation of the pilot plant, compared with the operating data and then scaled to potential market scenarios. Based on the formulated requirements and the data from the pilot plant, a model-based tool for the analysis and evaluation of environmental impacts was developed.

WP 4 Market analysis and technology implementation

Contact person
Carsten Eichert, RITTEC Umwelttechnik GmbH, Feldstraße 29, 21335 Lüneburg, e-mail: eichert@rittec.eu

Project partner
Fraunhofer ICT, TU Braunschweig ICTV, TU Braunschweig IWF, Reclay Materials GmbH, SCHILLER Apparatebau GmbH, VTU Engineering Deutschland GmbH

Short description
The market requirements with regard to recycling routes and required specifications for new streams of recyclable materials was determined. By means of potential analysis, the proportion of recyclable technical waste in machine tools and industrial plants in Germany was also estimated. Based on this, new sources of supply for PET waste composites from post-consumer collections and technical applications was developed. New potential partners for the implementation of the newly developed solvolysis process in the value chain and the new disposal channels was identified.

Coordinator

Carsten Eichert
RITTEC Umwelttechnik GmbH
Feldstraße 29
21335 Lüneburg
Phone: +49 4131 - 408 55 44
e-mail: eichert@rittec.eu

Website

https://revolpet.eu/?lang=en

Partner Institutions

Technical University of Braunschweig

Institute for Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering / ICTV

Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology / IWF

Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering / ICT

Reclay Materials GmbH

SCHILLER Apparatebau GmbH

VTU Engineering Deutschland GmbH