The integration of this new recycling line demonstrates not only commitment to sustainable development and the creation of a circular economy but also the strength of international collaboration. A key player in processing rigid plastics from ASR is hamos GmbH, a leading German provider of recycling and separation technology.
Through hamos’ expertise, the precise separation and processing of rigid plastics are made possible, significantly enhancing the efficiency of the entire recycling process. This partnership combines cutting-edge technology with years of experience, ensuring that valuable materials are not only recovered but reused at the highest quality standards.
The customers decision to engage in plastic recycling is also driven by the increasing demands of the European Commission. By 2030, at least 25% of the plastics used in new vehicles must come from recycled materials, with a quarter of these recycled plastics sourced from end-of-life vehicles. Meeting these targets requires a significant expansion of recycling capacities and technologies.
The share of recycled plastics from scrapped vehicles is expected to rise from the current 19% to 30%. Achieving this goal will necessitate innovative recycling processes and closer collaboration between manufacturers and recycling companies. Vehicle manufacturers will be required to provide detailed disassembly instructions for vehicle parts at the end of their lifespan to facilitate material recovery.
An average car contains 150 to 200 kg of plastic. The EU Commission predicts that these measures will not only increase the proportion of recycled plastics but also reduce annual carbon emissions by 12.3 million tons by 2035. Additionally, they could generate economic benefits, including an estimated net annual revenue of €1.8 billion.
With its entry into plastic recycling, the recycler positions itself as a pioneer in supporting the automotive industry’s sustainability goals and significantly contributes to reducing environmental impact.
Recycling Process
Shredding vehicles produces a valuable metal fraction (ferrous and non-ferrous metals) as well as the so-called “shredder light fraction”. This consists of fibers, synthetics and plastic parts such as bumpers, upholstery, dashboards and headliners. A significant proportion is also rubber, which comes from the shredded tires, hoses and seals.
For further processing and recovery of the hard plastic fraction, the plastic must be purified. This involves, among other things, air separation and metal removal to produce a plastic fraction consisting of a variety of different plastics.
The polyolefin fraction with a density < 1.0 kg/dm³ and a PP (filled)/ABS/PS fraction are produced from this mixture by float-sink separation, which is then shredded to a particle size of < 10 mm.
Using a combination of different separation technologies, in which hamos is a leader, a highly concentrated ABS, PS and PP20 fraction is produced and impurities such as dust and films, rubber and wood are separated.
Sustainable Circular Economy
With hamos separation technologies, it is possible to recover high-quality recycled plastics from complex ASR materials. These materials flow back into the production of new plastic parts, ensuring a sustainable circular economy.
