Production Processing for the Beneficiation of Waste Polythylene Product

Abstract

A review. The large amount of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles/containers and post-consumer sachet water nylon currently generated in Lagos State makes imperative the search for alternative procedures for treating, recycling or reuse of these waste materials. The sustainable approach to municipal solid waste management in Nigeria is being considered. This research work aimed at recycling of post-consumer PET bottles/containers and post-consumer sachet water nylon to produce composite materials for engineering applications and wastes storage bag (wastes bin) resp. Plastic waste, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles/containers and sachet water nylon coming from the dumpsites in Lagos State in Nigeria were collected, separated, washed, recycled, extruded and characterized. The results showed that the PET/LDPE blend mech. properties depend on the processing conditions and apparatus High processing temperature and high residence times strongly enhance the degradation processes and reduce the mech. properties, in particular the elongation at break. However, by introducing additives, such as antioxidants, inert fillers and impact modifiers, these mech. properties are improved and approached those products made from virgin polyethylene terephthalate. For the recycled sachet water nylon, the results also showed that there was mech. properties deficiency in the use of recycled resins and that this deficiency could be minimized through adequate blending with virgin resins.