Recent improvements in Enva’s state-of-the-art material separation technology, used to sort waste plastics which are then converted into a range of high-quality compounds, have enabled the company to increase the range of HIPS colours now available to injection moulding and extrusion companies.
Enva recycles and recovers a significant proportion of all the small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) generated in the UK every year. The nature of this material results in a large proportion of white plastic which, in effect, provides an additional layer of ‘natural’ colour separation prior to reprocessing. Recycled white and grey HIPS compounds have, as a result, been available for some time. These are used by a wide range of manufacturers including medical supplies, hygiene equipment such as hand sanitiser units, and also white goods manufacturers.
Continued investment in Enva’s recycling facility now means it is able to offer high-quality light and pastel colours that are well suited to the natural light input material. Darker pigments can also be added to the extrusion process enabling the production of materials for horticulture and construction such as decorative plant pots, raw plugs & cladding.
“Many people don’t consider being able to specify a bespoke colour for repro products, but continued technological innovation now makes this a very real possibility. As a result, manufacturers are able to benefit from all the environmental and commercial benefits of recycled polymers while retaining product quality.” Steve Bell, General Manager, Enva plastics.
Modern recycled compounds are directly comparable in quality and characteristics to virgin plastics. As such, they can be used as a like-for-like replacement in the manufacture of virtually all products. Enva is one of the UK’s largest providers of recycled compounds, capable of extruding over 2000 tonnes of high-quality material every month. Utilising this sustainable alternative enables UK and international manufacturers to develop increasingly sustainable business models and reduce their reliance on the earth’s finite resources.
