MX2011013990A - Formulation of raw material including plastic/aluminium waste resulting from cardboard packages and product generated by the obtained raw material in the form of flexible plastic sheets. - Google Patents

Abstract

Formulation of raw material which includes plastic/aluminium wastes resulting from cardboard packages and product originated by the obtained raw material in the form of flexible plastic sheets; more particularly the formulation for preparing raw material (1) uses a large portion of plastic/aluminium waste (RJ), transformed into pellets (P) of the long useful life-type, which is recycled by the cardboard package recycling plastic industry, where the pellets (P) are subjected to a formulation with further compounds (C) so as to be transformed into raw material (1) for the production of extruded (E) sheets (2), these being thin, highly resistant and flexible; the duly cut sheets (2) are used in different stationery products (3) and related products, such as address book covers, notebook covers, blocks, cardcases, bags, visit cards, amongst other products.

Description

"FORMULATION OF RAW MATERIAL THAT INCLUDES DISPOSAL OF PLASTIC / ALUMINUM ORIGINATED FROM CARTON CONTAINERS AND PRODUCT RESULTING FROM RAW MATERIAL OBTAINED IN THE FORM OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC SHEETS " TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the formulation of raw material including plastic / aluminum waste originated from packaging or cartons and product resulting from raw material obtained in the form of flexible plastic sheets, more particularly, the formulation for the preparation of raw material uses much of the plastic / aluminum waste in granules recycled by the plastic recycling industry of cardboard containers, of the "long life" type, subjecting the said recycled granules to a formulation with other components, in order to transform them into raw material for the production of extruded sheets of fine thickness, high strength and flexibility; these sheets, properly cut, give rise to various stationery and related products, such as agenda covers, notebook covers, blocks, card holders, bags, business cards, among other products.

FUNDAMENTALS OF THE TECHNIQUE As known to those skilled in the art, "long-life" carton packs are composed of various layers of paper (duplex), plastic (polyethylene) and aluminum. More particularly, and for better understanding, a "long life" type box is composed of at least six layers, from the inside out: polyethylene, polyethylene, aluminum, polyethylene, paper and polyethylene. The internal layers of polyethylene have the function of waterproofing the packaging and avoiding contact of the food with the aluminum. The aluminum layer prevents the entry of light and air, which ensures the preservation of food. The composition of the packaging is: 75% duplex paper (long fiber), 20% polyethylene and 5% aluminum.

It is also known that most industrialized product packages, when discarded after use, can be recycled industrially. However, cartons, of the "long fiber" type, are one of the products whose recycling is still complex and expensive. It is true to say that this type of cardboard packaging brings a great benefit to the durability of the product packaged there, but it is also true that its dumping in landfills carries substantial disadvantages, since with its decomposition, aluminum and plastic cause a strong impact on the environment.

Plastic, for example, takes more than three hundred years to degrade, and there is waste of noble raw materials such as aluminum and cardboard.

This being so, so that the "long life" product-box can be recycled, it is subjected to processes that depend on a large amount of water, electricity and various procedures, which start in paper mills, go through plastic factories and, finally, in factories that use aluminum.

According to information obtained on the site of the company Tetra-Pac®, a traditional manufacturer of "long life" carton packs, the separation of materials is done with a device known as hydrapulper of high, medium and low consistency, a residence time of 30 to 40 minutes is necessary for the fibers present in the packaging to separate and remain suspended, allowing the withdrawal by pumping, which then passes through a perforated plate that prevents the passage of polyethylene and aluminum. The disintegration of this type of material does not require the use of any chemical additive in the process, nor heat.

With this separation, the cardboard packaging fibers are directed to be used in the production of various types of products, such as corrugated paper, cardboard paper, egg separators, shoe insoles, tissue paper, among others.

The waste of the first phase of separation in the hydrapulper, whatever, 25% of discarded material composed of aluminum (5%) and polyethylene (20%), is removed by the side of the equipment, by gravity, and goes through a process of separation of the fiber residue and washing of the polyethylene and the aluminum. The fibers return to the process while the aluminum and polyethylene are pressed and air dried, since it comprises an aggregate material, which needs to pass through separation processes, in order to obtain the plastic (polyethylene) separated from the aluminum .

Generally, due to the fact that the paper of the packaging is the most susceptible component to be easily removed, and because it already has a large market for its reuse, the waste - plastic / aluminum - becomes a great inconvenience for the recycling companies, since the market where it can be reused as raw material is still quite restricted.

In general, part of the waste formed by the plastic / aluminum compound is acquired by plastics processing factories, and it is subjected to drying, crushing (pelletizing), extrusion and injection processes. In the end, a percentage of this material is added with granules of virgin material, in order to produce non-translucent or transparent plastic pieces, such as pá cables, brooms, collectors, ballpoint pens and other products. Companies that use plastic / aluminum waste use the plastic injection process and, to obtain a quality material for such products, mix high quantities of other components, including a large amount of virgin PET resin, that is, it can not be considered a highly consumer market for the recycling waste of long-life boxes.

Another recycling process that uses part of the waste formed by the plastic / aluminum compound consists of crushing and hot pressing, transforming the compound into a sheet similar to wood agglomerate, which can be used in the manufacture of screens, furniture, pieces small decorative tiles. These materials have a great application in the civil construction industry.

One of the processes for the use of aluminum and polyethylene used by European countries is the incineration of the compound with energy recovery. The material is used as fuel for the generation of steam and energy, thus reducing the use of fossil fuels. However, this process is considered high cost for Brazilian standards and similar development countries.

Another technology, recently developed in Brazil, performs the processing of the plastic / aluminum compound in a plasma furnace. The system heats the mixture of plastic and aluminum at very high temperatures in an atmosphere without oxygen (which preserves the quality of aluminum). In this process, the plastic is divided into molecules, transforming into paraffin and the aluminum melts, becoming pure raw material again, which can be rolled again for use in long-life containers. However, this process also includes a high investment for the assembly of process equipment.

Also, above all the efforts of companies seeking to reuse plastic / aluminum waste, in order to cooperate with the preservation of the environment, it is known that the consumption of it by recycled plastic processing companies is still very under the high consumption of this type of packaging by the population is consistent with the high volume of disposal in landfills.

According to CEMPRE (Business Commitment for Recycling), in 2008 only 26.6% of all long-life packaging manufactured in Brazil was recycled.

ANALYSIS OF THE STATE OF THE ART A brief investigation in the Brazilian patent bank allowed to know some documents related to the recycling of containers. In particular, the document PI 0006641-9, which deals with a surfactant solution used in the plastics recycling process, for cleaning and separation of aluminum, is mentioned in this specification. In summary, the text describes that the containers are carried by conveyor belts for the correct crushing, made by laminators; then, the material is perforated for the penetration of a liquid biochemical input. At this point, the container, already closed and perforated, passes through a guillotine according to its size (more than 70% of the containers are one liter) for cutting the heat-sealed folds. In sequence, the container is submerged, during one to four minutes, in tanks with refrigerated cover (heating by coil) and a closed system of evaporation. It is in these tanks that the liquid input "takes off" the seven layers of the container. The excess of input is removed, the container is washed in a tank of water and the layers, now loose, are separated by jets of air in mats. The internal plastic and the aluminum go to another tank with water, to accelerate the separation and the cardboard paper and the plastic are separated manually.

As you can see, it is a process that seeks to separate the aluminum from the plastic, for the purpose of the reuse of each material, however, the production of this processing remains on this side, with respect to the recycling needs of the high volume of packaging. long life discarded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The proposal of the present invention differs from the recycling processes mentioned so far, since it does not concern itself with separating the plastic / aluminum compound, but rather with taking advantage of it, on a large scale, as it is discarded by the paper recycling and recycling industry. processed by the plastic industry.

In this case, a large part of the plastic / aluminum waste coming from the recycling plastic industry, that is, already transformed into recycled granules, is received by the requestor, who submits it to a formulation with other components, in order to transform said granules in raw material for the production of extruded sheets of fine thickness, and notwithstanding the foregoing, of great strength and flexibility. These sheets, properly cut, give rise to various stationery and related products, such as agenda covers, notebook covers, blocks, card holders, bags, business cards, among other products.

Meanwhile, the granules coming from the crushing of the plastic / aluminum waste, receive the addition of some components that aim to increase the strength of the sheets and also receive coloring material. This material is processed and subjected to the extrusion process, producing sheets with different thicknesses and colors.

OBJECTIVES AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION In this case, it is the object of the present invention to cooperate with the recycling and reuse of a large part of the plastic / aluminum waste, thereby removing it from the degradation and pollution of the environment, since the product resulting from this invention , almost all of the raw material comes from the recycling of long-life boxes.

It is another objective of the present invention to acquire a large part of the waste in the form of granules, processed by the recycling plastic industry, thereby encouraging the channeling of long-life containers to the recycling companies, increasing the incentive to the recycling chain.

It is another objective of the invention to present a product in the form of a sheet, of different sizes and colors, which can be transformed into stationery and related products, such as agenda covers, notebooks, blocks, card holders, or also bags and so many other industrialized products that require laminates resistant to mechanical stress, and yet this, endowed with flexibility.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complement the present description in order to obtain a better understanding of the characteristics of the present invention and, according to a preferred practical embodiment thereof, accompanies the description, in annex, a drawing set, wherein, in an exemplified manner, Although not limiting, the following was represented: Figure 1 illustrates, schematically, the process of preparing the granules originated from the plastic recycling industry until the extrusion of the laminates.

Figure 2 illustrates, by way of example, some product models using the laminates obtained by the process defined in Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION According to the illustrations, the present invention refers to the "FORMULATION OF RAW MATERIAL THAT INCLUDES DISPOSAL OF PLASTIC / ALUMINUM ORIGINATED FROM CARTON PACKAGES AND PRODUCT RESULTING FROM THE RAW MATERIAL OBTAINED IN THE FORM OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC SHEETS", being that, more In particular, the raw material formulation (1) uses a large part of the plastic / aluminum waste (RJ) transformed into recycled granules (P) by the plastic recycling industry of cardboard containers, of the "long life" type, subjecting the referred ones recycled granules (P) to a formulation with other components (C), in order to transform them into raw material (1) for the production of extruded sheets (2) (E) of fine thickness, high strength and flexibility; these sheets (2) properly cut, give rise to various products (3) of stationery and related, such as agenda covers, covers of notebooks, blocks, card holders, bags, business cards, among other products.

The preparation formulation of the raw material (1), formed by the recycled granules (P) originating from the plastic / aluminum waste (RJ) with the addition of components (C), comprises the following nominative and quantitative characteristics: (a) Granule (polyethylene + aluminum) 90 to 92%, (b) Polypropylene trim - PP - recycled - 4 to 5%; (c) Linear low density polyethylene - LLDPE - 2 to 3%; (d) Desiccant additive - 1 to 2%; (e) (if necessary) Organic pigment - 2 to 4%.

The polypropylene cut-out (b) has the function of improving the stiffness of the final product in the form of a sheet (2).

The linear low density polyethylene (c) has, for the purpose, to improve the flexibility of the sheet (2).

The desiccant additive (d) has, by function, to absorb the moisture of the mixture.

The raw material (1) resulting from the formulation described above is conducted to a conventional extruder (ME), in order to produce sheets (2) of varying thickness and colors.

An alternative formulation, which maintains the main characteristics and purposes of the components included in the main composition, can be described as follows: (a) Granule (polyethylene + aluminum) 90 to 92%, (bl) Calcium carbonate - 3 to 4%; (el) Expansion agent - 2 to 3%; (d) Desiccant additive - 2 to 3%; (e) (if necessary) Organic pigment - 2 to 4%.

It is true that when the present invention was put into practice, modifications may be introduced in regard to certain details of construction and form, without implying departing from the fundamental principles that are clearly supported in the claiming table, thus being understood that the terminology used had the purpose of description, and not of limitation.

Claims (4)

1. - "FORMULATION OF RAW MATERIAL INCLUDING PLASTIC / ALUMINUM WASTE ORIGINATED FROM CARTON CONTAINERS AND PRODUCT RESULTING FROM RAW MATERIAL OBTAINED IN THE FORM OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC SHEETS", being that, more particularly, the raw material formulation (1) uses part of the plastic / aluminum waste (RJ) transformed into recycled granules (P) from the plastic recycling industry of containers or packagings made of cardboard, of the "long life" type; characterized in that the waste (RJ) transformed into recycled granules (pellets) (P) is composed of components (C) resulting in the raw material (1) for the production of a final product in the form of sheets or laminates (2) extruded (E) of fine thickness, high strength and flexibility; said sheets (2) when cut, give rise to various products (3) of stationery and related; the preferred preparation formulation of raw material (1) formed by the recycled granules (P) originating from the plastic / aluminum waste (RJ) with the addition of components (C), comprises the following nominative and quantitative characteristics: (a) Granule / Pellet (polyethylene + aluminum) 90 to 92%; (b) Polypropylene trim - PP - recycled - 4 to 5%; (c) Linear low density polyethylene - LLDPE - 2 to 3%; (d) Desiccant additive - 1 to 2%; (e) (if necessary) Organic pigment - 2 to 4%.

2. - "FORMULATION OF RAW MATERIAL", according to claim 1, and an alternative option, characterized in that it comprises the following nominative and quantitative characteristics: (a) Granule / Pellet (polyethylene + aluminum) 90 to 92%; (bl) Calcium carbonate - 3 to 4%; (el) Expansion agent - 2 to 3%; (d) Desiccant additive - 2 to 3%; (e) Organic pigment - 2 to 4% (when necessary).

3. - "PRODUCT RESULTING FROM THE RAW MATERIAL OBTAINED IN THE FORM OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC SHEETS", according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the plastic sheets (2) consist of 90 to 92% granule (pellet) (polyethylene + aluminum), originated from the disposal of long-lived and related boxes.

4. - "PRODUCT RESULTING FROM THE RAW MATERIAL OBTAINED IN THE FORM OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC SHEETS", according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the product in the form of sheets (2) are extruded (E) in different calibers or thicknesses, with high strength and flexibility, they are susceptible to be cut in the form of products (3) of stationery and related, such as covers of agendas, covers of notebooks, blocks, card holders, bags, business cards, among other products.