Fluorescence marker-based sorting technology

Tracer-Based-Sorting. Vereinfachte Sortierung von Plastik

linda.mederake@ecologic.eu — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:21:49 +0000

Tracer-Based-Sorting. Vereinfachte Sortierung von Plastik linda.mederake… Tue, 05/03/2022 - 14:21

Untertitel

Interview with Jochen Mößlein (in German)

Titelbild

Beschreibung

We all know, that plastics are a huge problem these days. Most people therefore separate their rubbish and throw plastic packaging in the yellow bag or in the yellow bin. But there is more that needs to be done. Because this plastic waste has to be sorted again, which is very difficult due to the immense number of different plastics. That is why lots of plastic waste still ends up in incineration and does not find its way back into the circular economy.

The Tracer-Based Sorting system aims to change that. It classifies the different materials and thus makes sorting easier. The technology was invented by the physicist Jochen Mößlein. He is the founder and managing director of Polysecure GmbH. radioeins conducted an interview with Jochen Mößlein in the run-up to the "Plastic in the Environment" theme day.

Further Links

Interview (in German)

Joint project

MaReK

Year

2022

Type of Result

video & audio

Tags

Waste management

Design for Recycling

Detection

Fluorescence marker-based sorting technology

Publikationstyp

Querschnittsthema

Factsheet 4: Tracer-Based-Sorting mit Fluoreszenz-Tracern - Effizientes und flexibles Sortieren von Kunststoffverpackungen

janna.vakili@ecologic.eu — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:21:07 +0000

Factsheet 4: Tracer-Based Sorting with Fluorescent Tracers - Efficient and flexible sorting of plastic packaging janna.vakili@e… Thu, 04/15/2021 - 09:21

Titelbild

Beschreibung

The German Packaging Act calls for a significant increase in recycling rates for plastics. In order to be able to produce high-quality recyclates, plastic articles must be separated by type. However, there is currently a lack of satisfactory identification options for the many different plastics.

This is where the technology from MaReK comes in. The joint project successfully developed a detection system using fluorescence tracers, which can significantly improve the sorting and recycling of plastic packaging in the sense of a circular economy.

The fourth factsheet presents the technology, its application areas and its relevance in further detail. It is available here as a PDF download.

Attachments

Factsheet 4 of the BMBF Research Focus Plastics in the Environment.

Joint project

MaReK

Year

2021

Author

Jörg Woidasky

Claus Lang-Koetz

Johannes Gasde

Jochen Moesslein

Authors

Type of Result

factsheets

Citation

Woidasky, Jörg; Lang-Koetz, Claus; Gasde, Johannes, Moesslein, Jochen (2021): Tracer-Based Sorting with Fluorescent Tracers: Efficient and flexible sorting of plastic packaging. Fact sheet 4 of the BMBF research focus „Plastics in the Environment“.

Tags

Database

Design for Recycling

Farbpartikel

Fluorescence marker-based sorting technology

Resource conservation

Publikationstyp

Quiz: Plastik in der Umwelt - Was wissen Sie?

Mandy — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 11:21:04 +0000

Quiz: Plastic in the Environment – What do you know? Mandy Thu, 01/14/2021 - 12:21

Titelbild

Beschreibung

When I wash a polyester fleece jacket, can microplastics get into the water? How many climate-damaging greenhouse gases are released annually due to the global production of plastics and what is chemical recycling?

Plastics are all around us and make up an essential part of our daily lives. How much do we know about this material, its variety, the associated environmental problems and possible solutions? The quiz "Plastics in the environment - What do you know?" invites you to test your knowledge around the topic of plastics in five categories. Furthermore, the category "Questions for adults & children" contains questions suited for children.

The quiz was developed within this research focus. The quiz is available on this website and is suitable for all common browsers on computers and mobile devices.

Further Links

Link zum Quiz

Year

2020

Author

Mandy Hinzmann (Content)

Janna Vakili (Content)

Lena Aebli (Design)

Prasanna Ramesh (Programming)

Authors

Type of Result

educational material

Tags

Publikationstyp

Ergebnis

MaReK Stakeholder Workshop on Tracer Based Sorting for Plastic Packaging

linda.mederake@ecologic.eu — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 13:31:18 +0000

MaReK Stakeholder Workshop on Tracer Based Sorting for Plastic Packaging linda.mederake… Mon, 04/15/2019 - 15:31

Titelbild

Location

Freiburg

Joint Project

MaReK

Date

24 September 2019

Event type

Joint Project Event

Image Gallery

Tags

Stakeholder

Fluorescence marker-based sorting technology

Marker system

Date sort

Tue, 09/24/2019 - 12:00

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Aus

MaReK

KALEH — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 16:01:40 +0000

MaReK KALEH Tue, 12/19/2017 - 17:01

Marker-Based Sorting and Recycling System for Plastic Packaging

The goal of this project was to set up a markerbased system for sorting and recycling that involves every stage from packaging development and sorting technology to high quality material reuse. The MaRek project demonstrated the usefulness of fluorescent markers for waste management applications. For this purpose, the use of the TBS technology developed and patented by the project partner Polysecure was piloted as a possible solution and then tested in an industry-relevant way, especially for the sorting of plastic packaging (LVP). The speed, effectiveness and economic efficiency of sorting different compositions of the collection fractions were investigated under industry-relevant boundary conditions. The project addressed the entire value chain of the packaging life cycle from design to process development for marker application and sorting to recovery of the materials. Approaches to a new packaging governance were elaborated with the relevant stakeholders and, in the medium term, should serve as a basis for more sustainable packaging use in addition to the technical results of the project. In this way, the developed process can make an important contribution to increasing the recycling rate required by the new packaging law.

Main areas of work

Representative recycling of lightweight plastic packaging including determination of the technical residual value (material properties) and the added value potential
New or further development and industrial testing of the "tracer-based sorting" method with real batches from separate collection (pilot plant), for this purpose further development of tracer and detection technology
Applied innovation research for the investigation of drivers and obstacles of the developed technology and their application in the complex structure of stakeholders
Comprehensive analysis of energy and material flows and an assessment of possible environmental impacts of the developed technology taking into account the life cycle perspective

Arbeitspakete

Work packages

WP 1 Packaging design and supply

Contact person
Immo Sander, Werner & Mertz GmbH, Rheinallee 96, 55120 Mainz, e-mail: isander@werner-mertz.com

Project partner
Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland, INEC – Pforzheim University, Polysecure

Short description
Development and provision of plastic packaging marked with markers from the non-food sector for the subsequent tests as well as the derivation of transferability potentials for further areas of application.

WP 2 Marker technology

Contact person
Prof. Dr. Bryce S. Richards, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Microstructure Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, e-mail: bryce.richards@kit.edu

Project partner
Polysecure

Short description
Adaptation of the fluorescence markers to the intended application.

WP 3 TBS sorting technology

Contact person
Jochen Moesslein, Polysecure GmbH, Engesserstr. 4a, 79108 Freiburg, e-mail: jochen.moesslein@polysecure.eu

Project partner
Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland, INEC – Pforzheim University

Short description
Development of a TBS sorting machine for packaging including construction of a sorting pilot plant (sorting machine plus material feed and discharge as well as inline sensors).

WP 4 Sorting tests

Contact person
Stefan Wiethoff, Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland GmbH, Frankfurter Straße 720–726, 51145 Köln (Porz-Eil), e-mail: stefan.wiethoff@gruener-punkt.de

Project partner
INEC – Pforzheim University, Polysecure, Werner & Mertz

Short description
Large-scale validation tests including determination of the quality and material properties of the sorted fractions.

WP 5 Innovation and sustainability analysis

Contact person
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Claus Lang-Koetz, Pforzheim University, Institute of Industrial Ecology, Tiefenbronner Straße 65, 75175 Pforzheim, e-mail: claus.lang-koetz@hs-pforzheim.de

Project partner
With the cooperation of all partners

Short description
Development of an energy and material flow model (economic, ecological, technical) and determination of the ecological and economic framework conditions as well as drivers and obstacles for a successful process on the market.

WP 6 Development of governance approaches

Contact person
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Claus Lang-Koetz, Pforzheim University, Institute of Industrial Ecology, Tiefenbronner Straße 65, 75175 Pforzheim, e-mail: claus.lang-koetz@hs-pforzheim.de

Project partner
With the cooperation of all partners

Short description
Development of stakeholder-specific approaches to increase recycling rates and to improve material flow quality.

WP 7 Transfer of results and external impact

Contact person
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Woidasky, Pforzheim University, Institute of Industrial Ecology, Tiefenbronner Straße 65, 75175 Pforzheim, e-mail: joerg.woidasky@hs-pforzheim.de

Project partner
With the cooperation of all partners

Short description
Informing the public about the results.

Coordinator

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Claus Lang-Koetz und Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Woidasky,
Hochschule Pforzheim University,
Institute of Industrial Ecology/ INEC
Tiefenbronner Straße 65
75175 Pforzheim
Phone: 07231/28-6427 bzw. -6489
e-mail: claus.lang-koetz@hs-pforzheim.de; joerg.woidasky@hs-pforzheim.de

Website

https://www.hs-pforzheim.de/en/research/research_institutes/inec/projects/marek

Partner Institutions

Polysecure GmbH

Werner & Mertz GmbH

Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland GmbH

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Microstructure Technology / KIT-IMT

Associated Partners

Umwelttechnik BW GmbH, State Agency for Environmental Technology and Resource Efficiency Baden-Württemberg / UTBW

Subcontractor

CMO-SYS GmbH

Nägele Mechanik GmbH

Duration Period

July 2017

December 2020

Tags

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

High density polyethylene PE-HD

Recyclate

Recycling

Secondary raw materials

Material flow managment

Fluorescence marker-based sorting technology

Project sheet

12_Projektblatt_MaReK_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