EU researchers use chewing gum solvent to recycle polystyrene packaging

EU-funded researchers have developed an innovative, cost-effective and green method for recycling polystyrene packaging thanks in part to a solvent used in chewing gum, said the European Commission Thursday.

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is often used in goods packaging and for shipping fish. By developing an efficient and environmentally friendly means of recycling old boxes, the EU-funded Polysolve project hoped that it could save money and alleviate pressure on landfill.

The recovery and recycling method also works for polycarbonate (PC) plastic, which can be found in everyday products such as CDs and DVDs.

Facilities that use a great deal of EPS, such as harbors, were encouraged to establish waste collection points.

Old boxes and packaging material can then be dissolved by the Polysolve process, which uses biodegradable solvents to specifically extract polystyrene and polycarbonate from mixed waste streams, resulting in recycled polymers comparable in purity and performance to virgin material.

The process reduces both the level of non-biodegradable waste going to landfill and the pressure on non-sustainable oil-derived feed stocks for polymer manufacturing.

Insoluble materials, including metal foil and ink particles, are also filtered out in the process.

The final purified polymer comes out as a pellet, and the "green" solvent, also used in food applications such as chewing gum, then recycled.

"All this makes recycling so much more financially attractive," said coordinator of the project Antonino Furfari. "EPS is incredibly light - most of what you are transporting is air - so by reducing the polymer to a small-sized pellet, transport costs back to the plastics factory can be significantly reduced."

The project consortium is currently discussing with various plastics companies and recycling firms about commercializing the technology, said the press release. Endit