The machine is now operating at the recycling service provider PreZero's plant in South Carolina to recycle post-consumer plastic waste. #Sustainability

In December 2020, Erema North America (ENA) in Ipswich, Massachusetts shipped its 1,000th machine from the Erema headquarters in Austria to South Carolina. It is now operating in the facility of the recycling service provider PreZero to recycle post-consumer plastic waste.

PreZero US is a subsidiary of PreZero International and started operations in the United States after acquiring a recycling service provider in 2018. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles and collects and processes cleaned LDPE and LLDPE films, containers and lids on the East and West Coasts of the United States. Recycling facilities in Southern California and South Carolina process these post-consumer material streams to produce high-quality resins (LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, and PE) that are used as substitutes for virgin materials in many applications. “In this way, we can prevent these wastes from entering the landfill. Through our recycling facilities on the east and west coasts, we can significantly shorten the transportation distance and thus reduce carbon dioxide emissions,” said Hendrik Dullinger, vice president of development.

The new Intarema 1716 TVEplus machine, which has been launched in South Carolina, is equipped with dual laser filters for the treatment of washed LDPE flakes. The output rate is 3300 to 3900 lb/h (1500 to 1800 kg per hour). The combined production capacity of the two facilities is at least 20,000 tons per year. 

The particular challenge in recycling this material is its mixed composition. "The film material is printed and contains moisture, so it is difficult to process. However, our technology can cope with this situation well," said Andreas Kreindl, Erema's sales manager. Thanks to the TVEplus technology, the complete homogenization, filtration and degassing of the melt are completed in one step, and the melt filtering is performed upstream of the degassing of the extruder. This ensures that only thoroughly melted, filtered and homogenized materials can pass through the degassing zone of the extruder.

In addition to the high quality of recycled particles, a consistent recycling process is the decisive criterion for PreZero's decision to support this technology. Hendrik Dullinger also stated: "Strong local support and experience in the U.S. recycling market played an important role in our decision." The recycled pellets are mainly used to produce films and food bags.

PreZero’s goal is to expand its recycling capacity for film and other grades of plastic in all states, and to promote plastic recycling in the United States. "By working with machine manufacturers, our suppliers, and our film customers, we can promote a circular economy and strive to achieve it. A sustainable future," Duringer said.

Hendrik Dullinger, vice president of business development at PreZero US, demonstrated these resins.

Many food and beverage companies are or consider using recycled materials in their packaging.

Today, granulation is more than ever an important step in the entire production process.

It is said that two recently developed technologies make high-quality PET recycling more economical.

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