Axion is hosting a one day seminar, exhibition and networking event aimed at waste management companies and MRF operators interested in finding out more about ways to increase

Axion is hosting a one day seminar, exhibition and networking event aimed at waste management companies and MRF operators interested in finding out more about ways to increase profitability through improvements in quality and yield of recyclable material streams.

The event ‘Increasing MRF profitability through quality’ will be held at Austin Court, IET, Birmingham on Tuesday 15th May 2012.

Details of the speaker programme and exhibitors will follow.

In the meantime, please keep the date free! 

Increasing plastic recycling tonnages will be a key focus for 2012 as the sector continues to extend pioneering work on done on PET and HDPE bottles recycling, predicts Axion Director

Increasing plastic recycling tonnages will be a key focus for 2012 as the sector continues to extend pioneering work on done on PET and HDPE bottles recycling, predicts Axion Director Keith Freegard.

With UK plastic bottle recycling rates nudging 50%for drink and dairy bottles, further investment in technology and equipment to extract a wider range of materials from mixed plastic collections offers major potential for improvement.

“To get even higher bottle recycling rates, UK Plc has to find viable technologies to deal with mixed rigid plastics, films and the inevitable residuals,” asserts Keith.

“Kerbside collection data points to a huge untapped source of rigid, non-bottle packaging items becoming available as local authorities offer collections of more household plastics, as well as an often-ignored, high
volume of post-consumer films.”

Greater emphasis on rigid post-consumer plastic packaging and films could also lead to more ‘co-ordinated’ approaches in overcoming challenges presented by these more difficult-to-recycle waste streams.

“Today’s primary sorting Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and bottle-sorting Plastic Recovery Facilities (PRFs) were developed in response to PET and HDPE recyclate demand” continues Keith. “Next-generation infrastructure must be capable of extracting value from other rigid plastics and films if we are to achieve higher overall plastic packaging recycling targets.“

New investments must complement continued growth in annual bottle recovery and be capacity-matched to the inevitable rise in other rigid and flexible plastics generated from existing plastic recycling infrastructure.

People are realising we need to tackle more difficult waste streams. One solution would be to build more integrated ‘resource parks’ where varied and mixed waste streams can be processed in complementary ways,” explains Keith. “For example, residual materials from sorting co-mingled waste streams can be used as an energy source to provide local heat and power for adjacent washing and reprocessing units.”

However, such novel ways of dealing with plastic and other waste streams would require fundamental changes to how Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) assess and handle their infeed and output waste streams.

Keith adds: “2012 will see increasing importance placed on MRF optimisation, including the use of sophisticated modelling, sampling and analysis services like those provided by Axion. Accurate and representative measurement of inputs and outputs is vital to highlight where plant control responses are needed to optimise operational efficiency, maximise profits and ultimately recover the valuable resources that would otherwise be discarded.”

 

Axion Consulting has expanded its range of services for Materials Recovery Facilities with a new Material Analysis and Sampling Service (MASS) for mixed material

 

Axion Consulting has expanded its range of services for Materials Recovery Facilities with a new Material Analysis and Sampling Service (MASS) for mixed material streams.

MASS has been developed by Axion’s process engineers to combine common-sense, practical measuring methods with the correct application of statistical formulae. The collected composition data is processed on-the-job, so exactly the right sample size can be taken to remove background variability.

This means that optimum sampling can be carried out in the minimum required time, yet still gives the customer high confidence in the validity of the results obtained.

Providing a rapid and factual analysis of mixed material streams, the MASS service can be accessed as a standalone package; or it can follow on from the more comprehensive MRF Health Check that helps managers get the best from their waste sorting operations.

Axion’s extensive experience over the past decade encompasses sampling and analysis techniques covering diverse waste streams, from plastic pots and trays to mixed bread, cakes and doughnuts.

“We believe many MRF operators and owners are not carrying out statistically valid sampling and analyses of their infeed and output streams,”  explains Keith Freegard. “As their main task is to recover valuable materials at high purity from co-mingled waste, it is essential to know exactly what they’re dealing with to gauge precisely their plant’s overall performance.

“The composition and volumes of these complex material waste streams changes over time. That’s why accurate and representative measurement is vital to identify any necessary responses to optimise operational efficiency – and maximise profits,” he adds.

For further information, please call Simon Wilkinson
+44 161 426 7731

Download the MASS Service brochure

A vacancy has arisen for a Consultant to work in our Axion Consulting division, based in South Manchester.

The ideal candidate will have several years experience

A vacancy has arisen for a Consultant to work in our Axion Consulting division, based in South Manchester.

The ideal candidate will have several years experience working in the resource recovery sector, with a track record of managing the delivery of consultancy projects for a large organisation.

They will be looking for a move to a new challenge where they can make a bigger impact in a smaller but growing consultancy with a strong reputation in the waste recycling and reprocessing sector. At Axion we run a friendly, flexible and fast-response consulting team where individuals are given responsibility for completing projects on-time, within budget and to a high standard of professionalism. Our success in growing the business and our ambitious plans for the future has created this opportunity to join an exciting company with responsibility for managing and delivering a portfolio of work across a range of projects.
 

Company

The Axion Group develops and operates innovative processing solutions for recycling waste materials. We have operating factory sites for the recycling of WEEE plastics and End-of-Life Vehicle waste materials in Manchester.

Axion’s Consulting Division has been growing successfully over the past few years and this continued increase in activity means that we are now seeking a new Consultant to join our team in Stockport. The Consulting business unit delivers a range of projects across the waste resource recovery market; this includes managing industry collection schemes, delivering externally funded research projects into new recycling technologies, design and construction of innovative recycling plants and business planning advice for private clients in the waste and fuels sector.

Role

To support the delivery of a portfolio of consultancy projects including tender preparation and submission, delivery of research, reporting and client liaison.

Key tasks
Delivery of a range of consultancy projects including:

• Desk based research;
• Data collection and analysis;
• Organisation, delivery and management of trials;
• Production of high quality reports and presentations for clients;
• Project management of consultancy projects including working with other members of Axion staff and ensuring client deadlines are met;
• Support the preparation and submission of proposals and tender submissions to a range of potential clients;
• Liaison and relationship management with consultancy clients;
• Maintaining accurate and comprehensive records and documents for projects;
• Support business development opportunities including identifying and visiting potential clients and preparing proposals;
• Ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget;
• Support the organisation and delivery of Axion Consulting events; and any other reasonable duties to support Axion Consulting.

For more information and to apply please email

Liz Morrish, Senior Consultant
lmorrish@axionconsulting.co.uk

Closing date for completed applications: 30th January 2012

Recovinyl set to recycle over 50,000 tonnes of UK PVC in 2011

PVC recycling in the UK continues to move in the right direction with more than 50,000 tonnes of material expected

Recovinyl set to recycle over 50,000 tonnes of UK PVC in 2011

PVC recycling in the UK continues to move in the right direction with more than 50,000 tonnes of material expected to be recycled by the end of 2011, according to Recovinyl.

Jane Gardner, of Axion Consulting, Recovinyl’s UK agents, said the PVC industry’s recycling initiative is set to beat the 49,343 tonnes of post-consumer PVC recycled last year in the UK through its 26 specialist recyclers.

Speaking at a recent British Plastics Federation (BPF) recycling seminar, Jane said that Recovinyl is now positioned strongly to build on its Vinyl 2010 achievements and co-ordinate delivery of fresh targets to 2020 under the new Vinyl Plus voluntary commitment.

These targets include 800,000 tonnes to be re-used in all European countries by 2020 - with 700,000 tonnes mechanically recycled and the rest using new technologies for more difficult-to-recycle orcontaminated PVC.

“While these targets are ambitious, Recovinyl has demonstrated proven success under Vinyl 2010; particularly in the UK which, as a star performer, has contributed to 20% of overall EU PVC recycling so far,” commented Jane.

Last year, 254,000 tonnes of PVC was recycled in Europe through Recovinyl – easily beating its original 200,000 tonnes target by 2010.

Moving forward, Jane explained there would be a shift towards a ‘pull’ market involving both the existing recycling network and convertors, who will be encouraged to increase the use of recyclate in their products. This is already happening with recycled PVC-U being used in new window profiles, reinforcements and fascia products. There will also be greater focus on the quality of recyclate produced and a move towards a certification process.

Jane concluded: “Although a new programme for Recovinyl to deliver these targets is still being finalised, the PVC industry continues to work with the value chain to achieve sustainability.

“Recovinyl has been a tremendous boost for the PVC industry in promoting the sustainability of PVC-U, which can be recycled many times without losing performance. Encouraging more companies to recycle, rather than landfill, their PVC waste has great economic and environmental benefits.”
 

Axion Consulting

Axion Consulting has expanded its range of services for Materials Recovery Facilities with a new Material Analysis and Sampling Service (MASS) for mixed material streams.

 

MASS has been developed by Axion’s process engineers to combine common-sense, practical measuring methods with the correct application of statistical formulae. The collected composition data is processed on-the-job, so exactly the right sample size can be taken to remove background variability.

 

This means that optimum sampling can be carried out in the minimum required time, yet still gives the customer high confidence in the validity of the results obtained.

 

Providing a rapid and factual analysis of mixed material streams, the MASS service can be accessed as a standalone package; or it can follow on from the more comprehensive MRF Health Check that helps managers get the best from their waste sorting operations.

 

Axion’s extensive experience over the past decade encompasses sampling and analysis techniques covering diverse waste streams, from plastic pots and trays to mixed bread, cakes and doughnuts.

 

“We believe many MRF operators and owners are not carrying out statistically valid sampling and analyses of their infeed and output streams,” explained Axion Director Keith Freegard. “As their main task is to recover valuable materials at high purity from comingled waste, it is essential to know exactly what they’re dealing with to gauge precisely their plant’s overall performance.

 

“The composition and volumes of these complex material waste streams changes over time. That’s why accurate and representative measurement is vital to identify any necessary responses to optimise operational efficiency – and maximise profits,” he added. Download the MRF MASS Service brochure 

Closed-loop recycling of post-consumer and retail waste plastic films could become a full-scale commercial reality within four years, predicts Axion Consulting, following

Closed-loop recycling of post-consumer and retail waste plastic films could become a full-scale commercial reality within four years, predicts Axion Consulting, following the outcome of successful feasibility trials.

Refuse sacks, external hoardings, shelving and in-store displays are among various new products that could be made from waste supermarket plastics and either sold or used within their store networks, says the Manchester-based resource recovery specialist.

Axion worked with three leading manufacturers – CeDo, Centriforce Products and Protomax Plastics - on a series of demonstration trials of post-consumer films sourced from a leading retailer’s front and back of store collections.

Axion’s research, funded by WRAP, shows it is technically possible to manufacture commercially useful products for the retail sector from mixed post-consumer film packaging. You can view the report here

According to Axion Director Roger Morton, the ‘great potential’ shown by the studies should give manufacturers confidence to invest in production capability, which in turn would stimulate Local Authorities to accept waste plastic films in their recycling collections. He predicts this could happen within two to four years.

“This is a tremendous step in the right direction to really grow film recycling capacity in the UK over the next few years,” says Roger. “Consumers want to see their plastic waste given a new second life as they’re now far more conscious of what they’re throwing away. Ultimately, consumer demand will drive this whole closed-loop recycling process.”

The trial at CeDo’s Telford facility produced refuse sacks that met existing product specifications using 100% UK-sourced recycled content from household waste. Previously European recyclate had to be used due to waste quality issues here. CeDo is now working with retailers to launch new products.

According to David Brookes, CeDo’s Technical Development Director, retailers are showing increasing signs of wanting to manage their plastic waste derived from their own supply chain and retail stores back into products they sell.

“The WRAP study run by Axion demonstrates technically that this is possible,” he says. “Of critical importance is to develop upon this technical foundation to deliver economic solutions.”

David adds: “CeDo are firmly behind these initiatives and will continue to develop the technology to provide an economic closed loop model for our key customers in the UK and the wider EU.”

The other two successful manufacturing trials with Centriforce and Protomax focussed on boards made from comingled film waste that could be used for a variety of applications, such as hoardings, security panels and shelving. Both firms are continuing to work on product specifications and with retailers to open up market opportunities.

Developments in these types of products, which can effectively incorporate post-consumer mixed-packaging plastics, are on the increase. One example is Protomax, a manufacturer of a plywood substitute from waste plastics, whose foamed-core plastic board and panels are being used successfully in many construction applications.

Roger adds: “While the financial viability of these potential products needs to be explored further, we believe the real interest shown by the retail sector could lead to exciting developments in the future. To that end, Axion is continuing its research into innovative closed-loop recycling solutions to divert thousands of tonnes of plastic packaging waste from landfill.”
 

The UK is missing a ‘massive opportunity’ by failing to capture embedded value from ‘high-tech’ critical materials in waste that could support new

The UK is missing a ‘massive opportunity’ by failing to capture embedded value from ‘high-tech’ critical materials in waste that could support new jobs and economic growth in sustainable businesses here.

Wholesale exports of low-grade comingled polymer materials from our commercial and domestic waste streams are depriving the nation of valuable resources that could be re-used in high-quality, higher-value goods, said Axion Polymers Director Keith Freegard.

Developing techniques to identify and extract rare elements, such as platinum, palladium and indium, from
currently-landfilled shredder and WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) residues was another key issue to address in the face of rising worldwide demand, rocketing prices and dwindling supply.

Speaking at the recent launch of the KTN Materials Security Special Interest Group, Keith called for stronger legislative frameworks to drive business innovation and safeguard rare materials for processing at home.

“Why sell waste for a few hundred pounds to economies without robust checks on what happens to mixed recyclables when we could keep it in our economy, support hi-tech businesses, create ‘green’ jobs and end up with materials that can be re-manufactured into new goods worth five times as much,” asserted Keith. “We seem to be missing a great opportunity to capture and hold that much-needed upgrade in economic value within our own country’s GDP.”

With the continued rise in electronics waste tonnages and short-life products containing complex components, the big challenge in the next decade is to overcome predicted shortages of rare elements and potentially prohibitive materials prices by developing sophisticated extraction and recycling techniques to recover these elements from diverse waste streams.

Keith added: “I don’t think we’ve even yet begun to really scratch the surface in terms of knowing in which items of WEEE they exist or how we might go about the complex task of recovering them. Having said that, quite often the very tiny concentrations of rare elements in a big pile of electrical scrap are still richer than those found from mining thousands of tonnes of ore just to get a useable amount of the element.”

Knowledge Transfer Networks (KTNs) are national networks set up for specific areas of technology or business, which bring experts together to promote innovation in research and development and knowledge sharing.

Climate change and the need to reduce the amount of harmful emissions are issues that affect us all. In 2008, the UK Government made a commitment to reduce 80% of greenhouse gas (GHG)

Climate change and the need to reduce the amount of harmful emissions are issues that affect us all. In 2008, the UK Government made a commitment to reduce 80% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on 1990 levels by 2050. Various initiatives, such as the Carbon Reduction Commitment and Climate Change Agreements, have been introduced to hit this target, with more likely to follow. Allied to more stringent legislation and the prospect of mandatory emissions reporting, rising numbers of ‘ecoconscious’ consumers voting with their wallets will inevitably force firms down the ‘low-carbon’ route.

Widely-reported consumer surveys have revealed around two thirds of consumers are more likely to buy a product if they know action is being taken to reduce its carbon footprint. So firms who commit to implementing an effective carbon management programme can boost their brands and market share in the eyes of environmentallyconsciousconsumers.

Fuel and energy price increases are further key reasons cited by a growing number of companies across diverse manufacturing, industrial and commercial sectors that are interested in carbon footprint assessments of their products and processes.

Saving energy and reducing emissions offer other major benefits too. Carbon is the new currency; as significant carbon emissions are associated with the manufacturing, distribution and consumer use relating to the Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector, companies can potentially save thousands of pounds of year – cost-savings they can pass onto their customers and suppliers.

This is leading more firms to inquire about measuring their carbon emissions as sources of high carbon emissions invariably point to high cost and leads to understanding the opportunities for savings. Carbon footprint analyses are a means by which clients can gain a greater understanding of their supply chain and can indicate areas for improving efficiency.

In 2010, Axion became the first UK polymer producer to gain a Carbon Footprint label for our Axpoly PS13 grade polymer derived from plastic retail packaging waste. Having completed the carbon assessment process ourselves, we are passing on this expertise by offering a range of carbon calculation services to firms seeking to improve efficiency and reduce costs. We are also on target to reduce our carbon emissions by 10% in 2012 and 15% by 2015.

Our experience means we understand the processes and methodology involved to provide carbon measurement services specifically tailored to our clients’ requirements. Our team can deliver an accurate and robust footprint of any product or process, from a single item or process to a multi-national corporation or complex product group.

Three levels of service are offered depending on clients’ requirements. These range from a rapid ‘Hotspot’ carbon analysis where a calculation of carbon emissions for a product or process is carried out for an organisation’s internal purposes right through to an externally-audited Carbon Footprint Label for a product or process using Footprint Expert™ software.

As the drive towards a low carbon economy in the UK accelerates, companies that act now to measure and reduce their emissions will be well ahead in terms of efficiency savings, legislation mitigation, market differentiation and enhanced consumer reputation.

Axion Consulting and independent waste management experts 360 Environmental have launched a unique ‘health check’ service to help Material Recovery Facilities

Axion Consulting and independent waste management experts 360 Environmental have launched a unique ‘health check’ service to help Material Recovery Facilities managers get the best from their waste sorting operations.

Thought to be the first of its kind in the waste sector, the concept was developed after positive delegate feedback from Axion’s highly successful MRF optimisation event in May.

Conducted by senior waste management professionals, the MRF health check service is a fast, low-cost package enabling MRF owners and managers to identify opportunities to optimise performance and increase profits.

During a two-day visit, various areas of a MRF business are assessed and evaluated to identify any problems and opportunities for improvements. Key aspects examined range from management and performance objectives to systems, strategy and staffing.

Axion designs and builds innovative process plants for companies in the recycling sector, advising on plant design and equipment selection. Its specialist team has particular expertise and experience in mixed waste plastics and biofuels.

Axion Director Keith Freegard says their joint approach combines Axion’s recycling, resource recovery and engineering expertise with 360 Environmental’s operational, regulatory and legislative compliance skills to deliver fully comprehensive assessments and implementation proposals.

“We believe there is an unmet need in this marketplace for the appliance of good process engineering science to gauge a MRF’s performance and suggest areas of improvement,” explains Keith.

“Given the significant levels of investment in sophisticated equipment at many UK MRFs, it makes sense to ensure that they are operating as efficiently as possible to achieve the best market value for recovered materials and therefore maximise profitability. By aiming to improve the ‘health’ of these facilities, you could call us the MRF Doctors!” he adds.

360 Director Vicki Cooper comments: “Operators sometimes find it difficult to stand back and objectively assess their processes. Our experience shows that there are often significant profit optimisation opportunities.”
 

For more information, please call +44 161 426 7731

MRF health check service brochure

As part of its drive to improve energy efficiency and reduce its carbon impact, Axion Polymers has signed up to a ‘Demand Response’ system that cuts its factory energy

As part of its drive to improve energy efficiency and reduce its carbon impact, Axion Polymers has signed up to a ‘Demand Response’ system that cuts its factory energy usage at times of peak demand in return for a participation incentive payment.

Axion Polymers is one of the first plastics recyclers in the UK to take part in the power-saving initiative, which is administered by EnerNOC for the National Grid.

By switching off production at times of electricity grid overload, Axion reckons it will save around £6,000 a year on its fuel bills. Measuring equipment provides live data on power demand, enabling Axion to monitor its energy efficiency online. In addition the company earns a cash bonus for complying with the request.
Since becoming the UK’s first polymer producer to gain a certified Carbon Footprint label for its Axpoly® PS13 post- consumer recycled polystyrene derived from retail packaging waste, Axion has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 10% in 2012 and 15% by 2015.

“When the grid’s getting overload, we get 20 minutes notice to turn off some of our power and if we can do that successfully, we get a big reduction in our power costs,” explains Axion Polymers’ General Manager Gary Welsh. “Achieving the required 200 kilowatt reduction is not always possible, but we managed 241 Kw for one hour recently and this all helps our savings.”

He adds: “It’s payment by results. At most times we can switch off for an hour or so because we’ve got well designed shut down and restart software and the extruders remain hot, so this doesn’t affect our plastics recycling process. By dropping demand, this helps to prevent firing up another power station somewhere at short notice. Environmentally and economically, it has to be a good thing.”

Axion Director Keith Freegard comments: “ We really like the scheme because as well as helping to reduce our carbon emissions, we get a ‘double-whammy’ financial bonus - we save money by reducing our annual energy consumption and receive a cash payment each time we comply with the demand reduction request.”

If you are interested in taking part in the scheme, please call Simon Wilkinson, Axion Consulting +44 161 426 7731 for further details.

Axion Polymers supported the Environment Agency with its promotion of the use of Quality Protocol-approved plastics across diverse business sectors at the Plastics Design &

Axion Polymers supported the Environment Agency with its promotion of the use of Quality Protocol-approved plastics across diverse business sectors at the Plastics Design & Moulding Exhibition at London’s ExCel Centre in May.

Axion Director Keith Freegard and consultant Neil Quinn spent a day each highlighting how the use of Quality Protocol recycled plastics can benefit plastics moulders and manufacturers in terms of increased efficiencies, greater competitiveness and lower material costs.

Using Axion case studies and samples of Axpoly PS13, derived from recycled fridge plastic, the pair demonstrated how finished moulded components made from 100% post- consumer recycled plastic can look and perform as well as those made from virgin polymers.

Axion Polymers’ General Manager Gary Welsh designed shut down and restart software and the extruders remain hot, so this doesn’t affect our plastics recycling process. By dropping demand, this helps to prevent firing up another power station somewhere at short notice. Environmentally and economically, it has to be a good thing.”

Axion Director Keith Freegard comments: “ We really like the scheme because as well as helping to reduce our carbon emissions, we get a ‘double-whammy’ financial bonus - we save money by reducing our annual energy consumption and receive a cash payment each time we comply with the demand reduction request.”

If you are interested in taking part in the scheme, please call Simon Wilkinson, Axion Consulting +44 161 426 7731 for further details.

The Environment Agency’s Quality Protocol for non- packaging plastics, to which Axion Director Roger Morton contributed, was finalised in April 2011. The QP determines when ‘end-of-waste’ criteria can be applied to plastics and allows for some approved re-grind chips to count as ‘non-waste’. This ‘elevated’ QP status establishes clarity about when plastics, such as polystyrene and PVC, can be considered fully recovered and used in new items; thus stimulating recyclate markets and potentially diverting many thousands of tonnes of plastics from landfill annually.

“We fully support the QP concept as it will have a positive impact on the future use of waste plastics. Manufacturers can lower their carbon footprints, improve their environmental performance and become more competitive in a greener marketplace,” commented Keith.

Neil added: “From the inquiries we had, we felt many visitors welcomed the high quality that can be achieved in recycled plastics and learned more about the diversity of their applications in new products.”

Download the Quality Protocol from the Environment Agency website or click here

These targets include 800,000 tonnes to be re-used in all European countries by 2020 - with 700,000 tonnes mechanically recycled and the rest using new technologies for
more

These targets include 800,000 tonnes to be re-used in all European countries by 2020 - with 700,000 tonnes mechanically recycled and the rest using new technologies for
more difficult-to-recycle or
contaminated PVC.

“While these targets are ambitious, Recovinyl has demonstrated proven success under Vinyl 2010; particularly in the UK which, as a star performer, has contributed to 20% of overall EU PVC recycling so far,” commented Jane.

Last year, 254,000 tonnes of PVC was recycled in Europe through Recovinyl – easily beating its original 200,000 tonnes target by 2010.

Moving forward, Jane explained there would be a shift towards a ‘pull’ market involving both the existing recycling network and convertors, who will be encouraged to increase the use of recyclate in their products. This is already happening with recycled PVC-U being used in new window profiles, reinforcements and fascia products. There will also be greater focus on the quality of recyclate produced and a move towards a certification process.

Jane concluded: “Although a new programme for Recovinyl to deliver these targets is still being finalised, the PVC industry continues to work with the value chain to achieve sustainability.

“Recovinyl has been a tremendous boost for the PVC industry in promoting the sustainability of PVC-U, which can be recycled many times without losing performance. Encouraging more companies to recycle, rather than landfill, their PVC waste has great economic and environmental benefits.”
 

Axion Polymers has echoed industry concerns over increasing shortages of usable plastics waste in the UK and joined calls to curb export of UK-sourced materials that could potentially

Axion Polymers has echoed industry concerns over increasing shortages of usable plastics waste in the UK and joined calls to curb export of UK-sourced materials that could potentially harm recycling businesses here.

Processing UK-collected raw materials into high-grade recyclate at home is more sustainable, adds value to new goods with recycled content and safeguards employment in a young and growing recycling industry, says Axion Director Keith Freegard.

Commenting on concerns over supply issues and output quality from MRFs expressed recently by the BPF’s Recycling Group (BPFRG), Keith says these concerns are shared by processors across the country.

“Getting the right quality is a real issue and many share serious concerns over valuable resources being lost to our industry through export,” he says. “There is also the issue of maintaining confidence with the 70% or so of households that are diligently collecting and sorting their plastic waste for recycling. As consumers, we are all accountable for how sustainably we re-use our waste materials.”

Keith argues: “Usable plastics waste should be delivered into our own recycling sector, thus protecting jobs and future employment in an industry that is still in the early stages of growth.”

Pointing out that WEEE recycling is being funded by electrical equipment manufacturers and paid for by consumers when they buy new electronic items, he continues: “In my view, they should be getting some benefits back in terms of being able to access UK-produced high-quality, carbon-traced recovered materials processed with the minimum carbon impact.”

Keith concludes: “Greater credence should be given to the WEEE sector in finding the correct balance between the value and quality of ‘real’ recycling, ie: getting it back into products rather than just exporting waste tonnage. This has to be the best sustainable and responsible route for preserving valuable resources.”

Near Infrared (NIR) sorters should not be treated as ‘black boxes’ that do not require attention. Their sophisticated technology must be optimised to maximise recycling

Near Infrared (NIR) sorters should not be treated as ‘black boxes’ that do not require attention. Their sophisticated technology must be optimised to maximise recycling yields and purities from household plastic packaging in the UK says Axion Director Roger Morton. Roger was addressing the recent Envirolink event ‘The Role of MRFs in Modern Day Waste Management’ held at Biffa Waste Services in Manchester.

Drawing on the results of research carried out by the company, Roger said that Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and Plastic Recovery Facility (PRF) operators should understand the process variables associated with NIR sorters and optimise these parameters to suit their particular operations.

Now available, the Near Infrared (NIR) good practice guidance for existing and potential recyclers (produced by Axion on behalf of WRAP [Waste and Resources Action Programme]) advises users to make the most of their NIR technology providers’ knowledge to help improve recovery rates and quality of materials from their NIR sorting facilities.

The guidance is based on research undertaken last year at six sites to identify NIR good practice in the UK and mainland Europe. MRFs and PRFs should both be capable of achieving similar product purities when using NIR technology to sort plastic packaging. Polymer stream purities achieved by NIR sorters typically range from 80 to 95%. High performing and well-configured systems can achieve over 95% purity.

In addition to MRF experts from across Europe, Roger Morton will be explaining NIR good practice and optimising techniques at the forthcoming Axion-sponsored event – Designing, Building and Operating a Modern MRF, lessons from practical experience - in Birmingham on May 25.

“NIR optical sorting technology is being used increasingly to separate plastic packaging and other plastic wastes by polymer type. This produces high quality materials that can substitute virgin material in the manufacture of new items,” says Roger. “Effective and reliable NIR sorting operations are fundamental to achieving high purity segregated polymer streams, and ultimately maximum market value for products.”

Axion Senior Engineer Simon Wilkinson will discuss sampling and analysis techniques, including sample size, frequency, methodology and analysing data to improve purity, yield and separation efficiency.

Roger added: “It is clear that the implementation of good practice can bring a wide range of benefits - in particular, improved quality and quantity of plastics that are recycled, which in turn supports the sustainability of UK plastics recycling operations.”

Download the Near Infrared (NIR) good practice guidance
from the WRAP website link CLICK HERE

Look out for further details of the ‘Designing, Building and Operating a Modern MRF’ event on 25th May and keep the date free!

Positive procurement-based encouragement, rather than burdensome legislative enforcement, is the way forward to increase volumes of Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment

Positive procurement-based encouragement, rather than burdensome legislative enforcement, is the way forward to increase volumes of Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) recycling across Europe, suggests Axion Polymers.

We believe that UK and European Governments could learn lessons from their USA counterparts, whose EPEAT (Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool) measuring system is having a greater impact on recycling levels over there. A large number of branded OEMs have already signed up to this system of product assessment.

“EPEAT is more of a positive driver to encourage more WEEE recycling in the USA,” asserts Axion Director Keith Freegard. “A ‘carrot rather than stick’ approach is what’s needed if we are to create the positive drivers that make products containing recycled content much more sustainable and attractive to potential purchasers.

It’s a pulling-through approach to increasing recycling volumes that will optimise re-use and preservation of our valuable resources.”

A listing of the large number of equipment manufacturers who have signed up to the EPEAT scheme can be seen at www.epeat.net/Companies.aspx

Calling for action, Keith says: “Axion would strongly encourage the UK Government to create and support a similar positive procurement policy for ALL government departments and right across the public sector. For example, imagine how much is spent on buying electronic equipment in the NHS, the MoD and local authorities and how this could impact recycling volumes?”

His comments came after speaking on Axion’s latest material recovery techniques at the 10th International Electronics Recycling Congress IERC 2011www.icm.ch

More than 450 experts from industry, authorities and academia attended the Salzburg event to share the latest information on the WEEE recycling business and the challenges it faces.
Echoing the viewpoints of several other key speakers, Keith highlighted the success of the EPEAT method, which uses various measures such as levels and sources of recycled plastic content, in determining a product’s sustainable credentials. Government procurement bodies are encouraged to purchase the highest-rated products, such as printers or computers. In turn, this incentivises manufacturers to incorporate more WEEE-derived content in new goods.

“OEM producers focus on how products are scored positively as those with a top ‘Gold’ award are most likely to get purchased by big organisations,” explains Keith. “It’s an example of a ‘carrot-type’ approach to encouraging more WEEE recycling, rather than what we tend to do in Europe - which is too much legislation that is often difficult to enforce.” Arguing against introducing any further red tape that would create further recycling barriers, Keith concludes: “The levels of small domestic appliances being recycled across Europe are still quite low when compared with the estimated arisings. Maybe a lesson we could learn is to use positive purchase- based methods of encouraging markets, rather than always just setting legally-enforceable target levels that everyone must achieve.”

Axion Polymers has won another accolade for its ground-breaking Axpoly PS13 - the UK's first polymer to gain a carbon footprint. At the 2010 IChemE award ceremony, Axion scooped

Axion Polymers has won another accolade for its ground-breaking Axpoly PS13 - the UK's first polymer to gain a carbon footprint. At the 2010 IChemE award ceremony, Axion scooped the Sustainable Technology Award.

Axion consultant Barry Menzies accepted the trophy on behalf of the company.

Axion Director Keith Freegard says: “We’re thoroughly delighted to win this prestigious award, especially as the IChemE awards celebrate and reward chemical engineering innovation and excellence. As professional chemical engineers, to have our skills recognised by our own industry sector is a particular honour.”

IChemE CEO David Brown said: “The IChemE Awards are globally recognised and attract entries from all over the world. Winning an award really does demonstrate work of the highest standard and there are plenty of winners from previous years that have used their success at the IChemE Awards as a springboard to greater things.”

It was the first time Axion had entered the IChemE Awards, which are organised by the Institute of Chemical Engineers and highly regarded throughout the international chemical, process and biochemical engineering community. It fought off stiff competition, including entries from two universities and a biofuels processor, to take the award.

 

Axion Polymers has won another accolade for its groundbreaking Axpoly PS13 - the UK's first polymer to gain a carbon footprint. At the 2010 IChemE award ceremony, Axion scooped the Sustainable Technology Award.

The Sustainable Technology category recognises the project or process that best demonstrates innovation in waste reduction, recycling, reuse or the lengthening of product lifecycles.

In June, Axion became the UK’s first polymer producer to gain a certified Carbon Footprint label for its postconsumer recycled polystyrene derived from retail packaging waste. This material goes back into products such as new coathangers, office trays and horticultural pots and trays.

Axion Polymers is seeking new sources of waste plastics feedstocks amid forecasts of strong growth for the plastics recycling sector in 2011 and beyond.

Axion

Axion Polymers is seeking new sources of waste plastics feedstocks amid forecasts of strong growth for the plastics recycling sector in 2011 and beyond.

Axion Polymers is building on a successful year by expanding its range of high-grade recycled polymers made from WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and other post-consumer waste streams. Main sources of plastic waste recycled at its advanced Salford plant derive from televisions, computer monitors, retail garment hangers, games consoles and fridges.

Director Keith Freegard comments: “Axion is still growingand we thank all our suppliers and customers for their continued support. We’re hungry for more raw materials - PS, HIPS, PP, PC/ABS and PE - to meet our expanding reprocessing capacity and that’s why we’ve launched our mutually-beneficial New Deal for suppliers.”

Under this deal, suppliers can share in Axion’s success in developing high-value, stable markets for the compounded resin. Long term orders for output products make the business more stable and Axion wants to pass on this benefit to its suppliers by placing three-month forward orders for raw material plastic feedstocks. Under the New Deal offer, suppliers are given a three-month forward purchase plan for volume call-off of waste plastic and a competitive price agreement based on the average market rate for the preceding six months. In return, Axion secures consistent feedstock supply to grow its product range. This smoothes out market volatility and removes the risks associated with the monthly ‘auction’ approach on the spot-market.

Keith adds: “Sustainability and consumer awareness is driving growth in reusing our valuable resources. We now want to build in more stable working relationships with our suppliers and share some of those benefits back down the supply chain.”

For further details, contact Maxine Brown or Edyta Onych at Axion Polymers on 0161 737 6124

Axion is one of the first companies to sign up to a new industry-led initiative - SIMPL (Safety in Manufacturing Plastics) - formed to improve health and safety in the sector.

Axion Polymers is the first polymer producer in the UK and Europe to offer customers a product with the Carbon Reduction Label - Axpoly® PS13 post-consumer recycled polystyrene

Axion Polymers is the first polymer producer in the UK and Europe to offer customers a product with the Carbon Reduction Label - Axpoly® PS13 post-consumer recycled polystyrene derived from retail packaging waste.

Axion gained PAS 2050 certification and The Carbon Trust’s labelling in June following a comprehensive evaluation of its product’s carbon footprint. Other products in the range will now follow.

Axpoly® PS13, made from recovered garment hangers, creates just 17% of the emissions associated with the full supply chain for oil-based virgin polymer. Based upon current, but increasing, production levels, Axpoly and Axfoil sheet grades save around 15,000 tonnes per annum of CO2 emissions when compared to the same volume of virgin polystyrene and Axion Polymers has committed to reduce its carbon emissions further by 10% in 2012 and 15% by 2015.

Axion staff took part in training courses at the Carbon Trust on specialist carbon calculation software that enabled them to complete a full ‘cradle to gate’ life-cycle analysis on its operations and those of its raw material supplier.

Axion’s Director, Keith Freegard comments: “As the UK’s most innovative converter of waste engineering plastics into polymer compounds that are ‘as good as virgin’, we are very pleased to gain this key environmental accreditation which proves our commitment to carbon reduction.”

Keith says carbon labelling is the best way to signal the full environmental impact to the consumer: “The UK retail market for consumer goods has recently begun to appreciate the importance of ‘carbon impact’ as part of the marketing strategy for any new product. The purchaser’s final buying choice is often influenced by the relative ‘greenness’ of any product.”

Keith adds: “Recycling plastic is about using a rapidly growing waste resource in new and exciting ways; viewing it as a fresh, sustainable and renewable source of materials for use back in new goods that consumers want to buy. Our aim is to provide sustainable products with a long term future.”

General Manager of The Carbon Trust Footprinting Company, Euan Murray comments: “Axion
Polymers has taken a lead in the UK polymer industry and joined our stable of brands committed to reducing their carbon footprint.”
 
"By adopting the Carbon Reduction Label, Axion Polymers has committed to reduce the carbon footprint of its Axpoly PS13 product in two years. Not only does that make environmental sense it makes economic sense, because of the energy and waste reductions it will help to deliver."
 
“We applaud also that Axon Polymers will use the Carbon Reduction Label to communicate to business customers the importance of assessing the carbon impact of their own products that use this material. This will influence further carbon benefits along the supply chain.”

 

(Left - example Footprint logo)

Having become the first UK polymer producer to offer a carbon reduction labelled product, Axion Consulting is launching a new service for others wanting to follow a similar route

Having become the first UK polymer producer to offer a carbon reduction labelled product, Axion Consulting is launching a new service for others wanting to follow a similar route and carbon footprint their own products or processes.

Axion became the UK’s first polymer producer to gain a certified Carbon Footprint label in June for our Axpoly® PS13 post-consumer recycled polystyrene derived from retail packaging waste. This material goes back into products such as new coathangers, office trays and horticultural pots and trays.

Axion has several Footprint Expert™ registered consultants on its team and is launching a range of
new services to help companies calculate the environmental impact of their products or processes.
Axion can help in many levels of footprinting from rapid ‘hotspot analysis’ to comprehensive and certified
footprints for external communication.

Keith Freegard, Axion Director, foresees rising demand as firms recognise the marketing benefits of
demonstrating sustainability of their products or processes and communicating their environmental
impact to end-users.

“The UK is the first country in the world to set legally binding ‘carbon budgets’ with the aim of cutting UK
emissions by 34% by 2020 and at least 80% by 2050 on 1990 levels. To achieve these ambitious targets,
action is needed now,” says Keith.

“Companies offering a certified product or process that demonstrates low carbon impact manufacturing can
gain a tangible and significant competitive edge in today’s eco-conscious environment. Our commitment
to providing sustainable recycled plastic products with a long-term future led us down the carbon labelling
route and to providing this service for a wide range of other companies."

Using carbon footprinting also allows a manufacturer to gain a valuable insight into the economics of their
process and make cost-savings, says Keith.

“Typically a carbon footprint is driven by energy and transportation costs. Understanding and reducing the
carbon footprint will ultimately lead to awareness and reducing the company’s processing costs,” he adds.
For more information, contact Axion’s Carbon Footprinting team on 0161 426 7731

Axion Engineering is showcasing its technical expertise and capabilities at the forthcoming K Show 2010 in
Dusseldorf, where it is co-exhibiting with German machinery

Axion Engineering is showcasing its technical expertise and capabilities at the forthcoming K Show 2010 in
Dusseldorf, where it is co-exhibiting with German machinery partner, Pla.to GmbH on Stand 10E48.

Axion is the UK’s approved agent for supply of Pla.to’s dry-cleaning equipment, a highly specialised system for the removal of surface dirt and labels from shredded waste plastics. Pla.to developed its novel dry-cleaning process to tackle the plastic washing problems that arose from the German DSD waste recycling system. The innovative technology has been incorporated in a number of successful recycling solutions devised for clients across a range of plastics recovery tasks.

At the K Show, Axion will be building on its longstanding partnership with Pla.to and introducing a wider
range of recycling and recovery services it can now offer under the Axion Engineering banner. Case studies
demonstrating specific examples of resource recovery and recycling solutions for clients from the automotive, bio-fuels and metals sectors will be available to visitors on the stand.

During the show Keith Freegard will be giving a talk on 'Understanding the plastics recycling industry value
chain’ at the BPF-organised Sustainable Manufacturing Forum on November 1st. His presentation will focus on the importance of controlled sorting and separation at the earliest possible stage, thereby increasing the
value of the final product. Tracing, tracking and recording methods will also be covered as part of the
overall contribution to ‘added value’ along the supply chain.

Keith comments: “Recycling plastic is about using a rapidly growing waste resource in new and exciting
ways; viewing it as a fresh, sustainable and renewable source of materials for use back in new goods that
consumers want to buy.”

“More and more firms are now recognising the marketing benefits of demonstrating sustainability of
their products or processes and communicating their environmental impact to end-users,” adds Keith.
Visit Axion Engineering at the K Show, 27 October – 3 November, Dusseldorf. Hall 10 Stand E48.

Axion Polymers has been shortlisted for Processor of the Year in the prestigious Plastic Industry Awards 2010. This top category recognises overall excellence and leading performance

Axion Polymers has been shortlisted for Processor of the Year in the prestigious Plastic Industry Awards 2010. This top category recognises overall excellence and leading performance across a number of business areas.

Axion was selected as a Finalist for demonstrating that its recycling process delivers excellent polymer product quality to customers demanding ‘as good as virgin’ standards.

Axion Director Keith Freegard said:
“We’re thrilled that our substantial achievements have brought us so far. Fingers crossed we can repeat our success when we last won the Award for Best Environmental Programme in the Plastic Industry Awards 2008!”

Next step is for a judge to visit Axion’s Salford reprocessing facility in early August when a supplementary report will be produced for the judging panel.

Winners will be announced by organisers Plastics and Rubber Weekly at a glittering ceremony in London on October 1.

 

Axion Polymers has won the coveted Chemicals Northwest Environmental Technology for the Chemical Industry Award for its commitment to reducing carbon impact, providing sustainable

Axion Polymers has won the coveted Chemicals Northwest Environmental Technology for the Chemical Industry Award for its commitment to reducing carbon impact, providing sustainable recycled high quality plastics products with a long-term future.

The award recognises efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of chemical manufacturing through the development or use of innovative clean technology or products. Chemicals Northwest is a not-for-profit organisation jointly funded by the NWDA which supports the region’s chemical industry.

Axion has now gained carbon impact certificate approval under PAS 2050 from Bureau Veritas for its Axpoly PS13 product, derived from retail packaging waste.

“We’re absolutely delighted and honoured to win this prestigious award which helps to highlight Axion’s committment to the delivery of low carbon polymers and ultimately a sustainable future for all,” said Simon Wilkinson, Axion’s Senior Chemical Engineer, who is leading the firm’s carbon reduction project. “It also helps to raise our profile further in attracting the brightest academic talent from the region’s universities to advance their careers with us and our commercial success with manufacturers and retailers incorporating recycled plastics that consumers would choose to buy. We will now move on to certify the rest of our Axpoly and Axplas product range.”

Simon received the trophy from Rebecca Turner, Envirolink Northwest’s Head of Knowledge Management, who said: “We are delighted that Axion Polymers has won the Environmental Technology Award, which is testament to their commitment to developing solutions that support environmental and financial benefits for their customers.”

Axion’s submission highlighted several case studies of closed-loop recycling of plastics reclaimed from waste consumer goods, such as Axpoly PS02 made from end-of-life TV sets being used to make back-panels for new flat-screen display panels by a world-class brand leader and Axpoly PS01 made from recycled fridge plastic being used to make injection moulded parts for Indesit washing machines.


 

Axion Consulting has been appointed manager for Carpet Recycling UK, a not-for-profit scheme set up in 2008 to develop commercially viable recycling solutions to carpet waste.

Axion Consulting has been appointed manager for Carpet Recycling UK, a not-for-profit scheme set up in 2008 to develop commercially viable recycling solutions to carpet waste. Carpet Recycling UK is an industry-backed association at the forefront of research and development into new methods for recycling and reusing carpet. The scheme does not offer a recycling service itself but aims to support and develop the emerging carpet recycling industry in the UK.  
Jane Gardner, Axion Senior Consultant, comments: ‘We are delighted to become manager of Carpet Recycling UK. We are looking forward to the challenge of increasing carpet recycling facilities across the country and diverting significant quantities of it from landfill’.  

As part of its new remit, Axion is organising the second
annual Carpet Recycling UK Conference “The Carpet
Recycling Challenge – 25% by 2015”. The conference will be held at The Institute of Engineering & Technology in Birmingham on Tuesday July 6 2010. The conference will share thoughts and progress on efforts made to boost the current carpet recycling rate from 2% to 25% and speakers will address how to stimulate investment and build sector capacity to meet the challenge.

As well as networking opportunities and a Question Time session with a panel of industry experts, more than 100 delegates will hear disseminations of the latest research projects and how these are contributing to advances in carpet recycling. These include case studies highlighting the use of Near Infrared (NIR) sorting technology to determine the recyclability of different types of carpet, carpet re-use
and polypropylene recovery and second life products.

Laurance Bird, Director and co-founder of Carpet Recycling UK, says the event will give both members and non-members of Carpet Recycling UK the chance to share expertise and knowledge on how to take the initiative forward.

He says: “At just 2%, carpet recycling is still in its infancy in the UK. This event offers businesses across the supply chain the chance to hear about breakthroughs, successes and how they can work together to achieve this target. It’s early days yet, but there are firms who see huge opportunity in preventing waste carpet going to landfill with potential for material recovery from a difficult and largely ignored waste stream.”

For further information about Carpet Recycling UK or to attend the conference, call 0161 440 8325 or visit
www.carpetrecyclinguk.com

At this month’s annual meeting of the ECVM (the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers), members met to discuss the progress and future of the Vinyl 2010 initiative. Established

At this month’s annual meeting of the ECVM (the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers), members met to discuss the progress and future of the Vinyl 2010 initiative. Established in 2000, the voluntary commitment was set up to promote and increase vinyl recycling and set the target of recycling 200,000 tonnes of PVC per year across Europe (over and above recycling that occurs as a result of regulation such as WEEE and packaging) by 2010. The Recovinyl scheme was introduced in response to the 2010 challenge.

Attendees at the meeting were pleased to note that through Recovinyl around 186,000 tonnes of PVC were recycled in Europe in 2009 and that the 200,000 tonne target for 2010 looks set to be met and maybe even exceeded.

Jason Leadbitter, Group Sustainability Manager, Ineos Chlor Vinyls, commented on the huge success of the UK Recovinyl scheme: “What has been achieved by Recovinyl in the UK is highly credible and our contribution to the volume of PVC recycled under the scheme in Europe is second only to Germany. This is a remarkable achievement and a credit to Axion Consulting, UK agent for the Recovinyl scheme.”
Jason stressed that it is important to stay focussed on the target and to continue to work to increase and promote PVC recycling: “We must give it our best effort for this year to achieve and maybe even exceed the target of 200,000 tonnes.”

Following on from the 2010 targets, the ECVM is looking to continue to support and promote PVC recycling and is drawing up a follow-on commitment, Vinyl 2020. Roger Mottram, Head of Environmental and Regulatory Affairs, INEOS Chlor and INEOS Vinyls, and ECVM council member explains:
"During this final year of the Vinyl 2010 programme the PVC industry is now considering new targets for the follow-on programme, Vinyl 2020. There are many questions to answer - for example, what new recycling target would be challenging yet achievable, and how can demand for recycled products be increased? The industry will need to find answers to these and other questions in order to put forward a programme that will maintain the momentum of its sustainable development progress."

Roger Morton, Axion Director adds: “We are pleased that the 2010 commitment is delivering on its objectives. It is exciting that the industry is confident to develop new initiatives such as Vinyl 2020 which will address different pressures than the 2010 agreement. Now the pressure is not simply on recycling PVC. Issues such as responding to REACH and carbon impact are now higher up the agenda, pressures which face all plastics recyclers.”

For further information visit the Vinyl 2010 website: www.vinyl2010.org/

 

Axion has joined forces with PROjEN plc in a strategic partnership to develop business opportunities in the biofuels, advanced thermal waste processing, specialty chemicals

Axion has joined forces with PROjEN plc in a strategic partnership to develop business opportunities in the biofuels, advanced thermal waste processing, specialty chemicals and mineral processing sectors.

Axion’s joint venture with PROjEN, one of the UK’s leading industrial project management companies, brings together the complementary skills of two highly-experienced and professional consulting companies, as well as providing both firms with exciting possibilities for growth.

Through this alliance, clients can access a broader portfolio of expertise that combines Axion’s strong process design and development capabilities with PROjEN’s proven project management strengths.

The two companies forged links several years ago when Axion helped Greenergy Biofuels to select PROjEN as its preferred supplier of project management services for its fuel storage facilities and
large-scale biodiesel production plant.

Axion Director Roger Morton says the collaboration brings benefits to the clients of both businesses with the ability to offer a wider range of specialist skills, best practice business processes and increased resources – particularly for larger or more complex projects.

“We have complementary skills, therefore it made perfect sense to develop this strategic alliance in carefully defined areas with PROjEN; a company we already know well and trust through our existing work,” says Roger.

PROjEN’s Managing Director Martin Seabrook comments: “At PROjEN we have a set of values and culture that we all share. Our success has been built on working closely with our clients and by ‘doing what we say we will do’. As such, it is vital that when we align ourselves with a partner they must share our business ethos. After many years of working with Axion on an informal basis, it became totally logical to progress to a more collaborative way of working.”

Axion Consulting has recently completed a project for NEPIC (North East of England Process Industry Cluster) to develop a business plan for a 500,000 tonnes per annum oilseed rape

Axion Consulting has recently completed a project for NEPIC (North East of England Process Industry Cluster) to develop a business plan for a 500,000 tonnes per annum oilseed rape crushing operation in the North East region and to identify the benefits it could bring to the biofuels industry, the agricultural industry and the animal feed sector.  The proposed plant would crush oilseed rape, to produce oil for use in biofuel manufacture and rapeseed meal for use as feedstock for the animal feed industry.

One North East, the Regional Development Agency for the North East of England, has commissioned NEPIC to deliver the Regional Strategy for Transport Biofuels.

Axion’s study included:

    •    Supply chain analysis, focusing on the markets for oilseed rape, oil and rapeseed meal;
    •    Financial analysis, establishing the cost of feedstock materials and pricing of the outputs;
    •    Detailed transport analysis including costs;
    •    Assessment of the proposed facility including location, capital and operating costs; and
    •    Financial forecasts.

Axion identified three major factors that would be critical to the success of a crushing plant in the North East region:

    1.    Establishing firm agreements with biofuel companies.  Biodiesel production is the only currently viable market for the oil, as existing oilseed rape crushing facilities produce enough rapeseed oil to serve the entire UK food industry;
    2.    Securing the availability of feedstock for the crushing operation.  Currently, UK oilseed rape production largely matches demand and the proposed crushing facility would be in competition with other companies wishing to purchase the feedstock material.  Axion examined possible solutions including increasing domestic production of the crop by either switching arable land use, contracting ethanol wheat growers to sow rape as a rotation crop, increasing yields using new farming techniques and seed strains or importing oilseed rape from countries that grow large volumes, such as Latvia, Poland and Romania; and
    3.    Maintaining adequate profit margins given the fluctuations in the price of seed, meal, oil and biodiesel and competing oilseeds such as soya and sunflower.  Axion found that, although subject to some fluctuation in price and demand, there is likely to be an adequate domestic market for the rapeseed meal that would be produced by the crushing facility.

Axion has completed its report and it is available to read on line at:

www.northeastbiofuels.com/reports/ Click on: ‘Business Plan for OSR Crushing Operation in North East England.’

Tables and chairs made with waste coffee take the cappuccino experience to a whole new level thanks to a unique coffee-aroma polymer developed by Axion Polymers for Re-worked,

Tables and chairs made with waste coffee take the cappuccino experience to a whole new level thanks to a unique coffee-aroma polymer developed by Axion Polymers for Re-worked, a London-based industrial design and product development enterprise.

Axion blended mixed WEEE and post-consumer retail waste plastics with spent coffee grounds collected from the capital’s offices, cafes and factories to make ‘aromatic’ pellets.  Re-worked had these moulded into plastic sheeting to create Çurface (pronounced Surface) - a revolutionary and versatile hard surfacing product with a faint coffee smell.

Axion believes it is the first time waste from coffee has been used in this way.

Re-worked commercially launched the ‘tactile’ material - described as a cross between dark leather and wood – in March at Ecobuild 2010 where its debut as furniture made from recycled materials attracted considerable interest.

Re-worked Director Adam Fairweather hopes his idea will catch on, particularly with catering establishments for which it has particular relevance. Inspiration came to him (literally) during a coffee break while researching ways to add a new high perceptual value to non-recycled waste such as coffee.

“Coffee is a globally-traded commodity and highly-regarded in contemporary culture; so it was an obvious choice to use the waste product as a way of communicating a big message in sustainable and functional design,” he explains. “It’s a great talking point that really engages the consumer with the product’s environmental story.”

Adam reckons there is great potential for Çurface, especially given its considerable source waste stream that would otherwise be landfilled. Spent coffee grounds are cleaned and sterilised before being mixed and turned into sheeting.

He adds: “Every month the UK imports 14,000 tonnes of coffee from which there is plentiful waste, often in a pure form that can be separated easily for recycling. We’re working with Axion on various composite coffee products to extend the Re-worked philosophy into exciting new areas.”

Steve Bell, Senior Product Development Supervisor at Axion Polymers, says this success opens up possibilities for other ‘smelly’ applications in recycled plastics.

“We have the capability to do clever things with recycled materials and we’re not aware of anyone else using coffee in this way,” he adds. “It certainly gives the polymer a different appeal….and we were smelling coffee in the factory for two days afterwards,” he adds.

For further information about Axion Polymers’ custom-made polymers, please contact the Axion Sales team on 0161 737 6124

Axion Engineering is now looking to work with a partner on a bid following the Scottish Government’s recent announcement of a £5 million capital grant programme to

Axion Engineering is now looking to work with a partner on a bid following the Scottish Government’s recent announcement of a £5 million capital grant programme to develop plastics reprocessing infrastructure in Scotland.

The Zero Waste Scotland initiative aims to divert a minimum of 20,000 additional tonnes of plastic waste from landfill each year. Currently only 15,000 tonnes of Scotland’s annual 200,000 tonnes of household plastic waste is collected for recycling.

“This scheme offers exciting potential to recover far more plastic waste for re-use in new products and to reduce the environmental impact and cost of its disposal,” comments Director Roger Morton. “Given our considerable experience in this sector and success with solutions for mixed waste plastics, we are very interested in partnering with – or advising - companies who want to pursue this valuable opportunity.”

Contact Roger to discuss this opportunity:
Tel: 0161 426 7731
 

The winner of the Axion Polymers Green Product Design Competition is Gary Poolman with his design ‘Wazzon’. This innovative gadget enables swift and efficient drying

The winner of the Axion Polymers Green Product Design Competition is Gary Poolman with his design ‘Wazzon’. This innovative gadget enables swift and efficient drying of sandwich bags, allowing them to be washed and re-used. The Wazzon can also be used to dry other types of bags and items such as rubber gloves.   

Keith Freegard, Director, comments: “This is the first time we have run a design competition and we wanted designers to engage with our recycled materials and to respond to Axpoly’s environmental profile.”
Keith is pleased with the response: “Some really exciting, novel designs were entered with designers responding well to the brief. We had over 20 entries from as far afield as California and Columbia!”

“Designs included collection and sorting of recyclables and several for furniture. We were also pleased to see some innovative improvements to existing products,” comments Keith. “Generally the entries were well presented; most had thought quite hard about the brief and contacted our polymer technologist Chris Newman, prior to submitting, for advice on manufacturing and tooling costs.”

“The winning entry impressed the judges as an innovative ‘green’ idea with the capacity to alter people’s behaviour. Gary’s design was very well presented and he had clearly thought about the whole concept, including using minimal, recycled packaging” says Keith.

Picked from a shortlist of 5 by a panel of external judges including Claire Curtis-Thomas, MP for Crosby and Member of the Associate Parliamentary Group for Design and Innovation; Martin Charter, Director for the Centre of Sustainable Design, University College of the Arts (UCA), Roy Miller, Social Reponsibility Advisor at B&Q and Bob Shaw, experienced industrial designer; Gary Poolman will be presented with his £500 cash prize, together with an opportunity to work with Axion Polymers to take his product to market, at the Envirolink event ‘Why recycled materials make good business sense’ to be held on 16th March at Haydock Park Racecourse.  

Claire Curtis-Thomas comments:
“I'm delighted to be involved in a competition which showcases the best of this country's design talent. In the twenty-first century, young designers have to face the challenge of making innovative products which are both attractive and responsibly made. The winning product will show that this is possible and help bring that message of low carbon design to a huge audience.”

Ground-breaking trials by Axion Consulting have shown waste polypropylene carpets can be recycled into good quality polymer pellet for re-use in new applications, such as injection-moulded

Ground-breaking trials by Axion Consulting have shown waste polypropylene carpets can be recycled into good quality polymer pellet for re-use in new applications, such as injection-moulded products.

The findings could stimulate the UK’s fledgling carpet recycling industry and develop new markets for PP recyclate with associated environmental and economic benefits.

The project was initiated by Carpet Recycling UK which secured funding from Envirolink NW to investigate recycling options for post-consumer carpets and possible new end-use markets for PP products made from recovered material. Processing stages involved size reduction, screening and extrusion.

Tests showed that while post-industrial extruded polymer had potential for use in a range of applications including injection moulding, further work was needed to verify its suitability. Post-consumer material could be recycled for medium to lower grade applications such as plant pots, compost bins or buckets.

Axion’s demonstration trials and laboratory tests at its Salford plant concluded that while the economics of the recycling process ‘look promising’, the next steps would require large-scale trials to assess commercial viability.

Axion Director Roger Morton says:

“We believe this is the first in-depth study of its kind in the UK and are very pleased with the positive results. Carpet recycling in the UK is currently limited with only a few companies involved and recycling processing in development stages. So this successful study shows exciting potential and promise for material recovery from a difficult and largely-ignored waste stream.”

Axion also found that correct identification and segregation of post-consumer carpets into an entirely PP fraction is critical to the viability of a commercial process to recycle carpets. Mixed polymer carpet material is not suitable for extrusion, so their end market is still likely to be other applications.

Currently very few recycling processes exist to handle the UK’s 500,000 tonnes of carpet waste that is sent to landfill each year. The UK’s carpet industry recycling rate is under 2% - an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 tonnes – so developing reprocessing infrastructure could significantly reduce the environmental impact of carpet disposal.

Carpet Recycling UK was formed as a not-for-profit association of companies from the carpet industry to take a lead in waste reduction by co-ordinating research and development and has built up a significant knowledge base. The organisation is now seeking further research funding and wants to pursue commercial scale carpet recycling trials as Chief Executive Kate Chappell explains:

“This study shows there is great potential to reclaim valuable material from carpet waste and re-use it in new products in a variety of end markets. We are actively pursuing fresh sources of funding to take this exciting breakthrough to new levels.”
 
Dave Taylor from Envirolink Northwest comments:

“By funding trials to help divert post-consumer waste carpets from landfill, Envirolink is actively supporting the Government's directives to reduce landfill, while building a low carbon economy in the region. This successful outcome will have both environmental and economic benefits, as future growth in the region's recycling sector will help to create and safeguard jobs.”

For further infomation, contact Jane Gardner at Axion Consulting tel: +44 (0) 161 426 7731

Axion Consulting has recently completed a series of trials of the most promising techniques for difficult WEEE separations and the full report is now available to download from

Axion Consulting has recently completed a series of trials of the most promising techniques for difficult WEEE separations and the full report is now available to download from WRAP. Click here to download.

The trials were commissioned by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) following an earlier Defra funded study in to new and emerging separation techniques.

The new study focused on techniques that have emerged over the past three to four years since the UK began to reprocess significant volumes of WEEE materials. Techniques with the potential to improve the effectiveness and commercial viability of WEEE recycling processes were selected for the project.

The trials demonstrated techniques that could be used to separate and process mixed WEEE plastics and evaluated the techniques in terms of their ability to sort material by polymer type, colour and/or remove impurities. The suitability and economic performance of the techniques was assessed.

Axion trialled four categories of techniques:

• Sensor based separators;

• Shape and density separators;

• Separation by impact milling; and

• Effect of particle size distribution.

Following extensive trials, five techniques were identified as producing good quality separations of their target WEEE materials.

• TITECH Near Infrared (NIR) ‘Polysort’ sorter;

• Visys laser sorter;

• Delft University Kinetic Gravity Separator;

• Holma Wilfley wet shaking table; and

• Allmineral ‘Allflux’ upflow classifier.

Axion evaluated the economic potential of the five techniques and estimated that, (with certain conditions), the TITECH NIR sorter would recoup its initial investment within three years, and the Delft University Kinetic Gravity Separator, the Holman Wilfley wet shaking table and the Allmineral Allflux upflow separator would pay back their initial investment within two years. The Visys laser sorter, whilst producing a concentrated circuit board fraction with good separation efficiency, was found to be not economically viable at the present time, given the low current market value of circuit boards.

Axion Director, Roger Morton, comments on the trials: “We expect the results of these trials will be of great use to both primary and secondary WEEE processors facing the technical and economic challenges of reprocessing WEEE materials. The information on the demonstrated techniques will help to improve the efficient and effective reprocessing of this potentially ‘difficult to handle’ waste stream”.

Rising interest in the use of more sustainable materials by plastic goods manufacturers in the East is reflecting that shown by Axion Polymers’ European customers making

Rising interest in the use of more sustainable materials by plastic goods manufacturers in the East is reflecting that shown by Axion Polymers’ European customers making items such as components for household appliance and electrical goods.

Axion Polymers has already started work with a Chinese processor in Cixi and is now looking for several more potential partners that can meet its polymer quality specifications.

“This processor was already successfully blending polystyrenes and ABS with virgin material to produce quality recycled polymers that are used locally in high-grade applications by international branded-goods producers,” explains Axion Director Keith Freegard.

Keith was speaking at the recent China Replas 2009, a major plastic recycling exhibition and conference in Hang Zhou, China.  As one of only a few European firms exhibiting at the event, Axion’s participation was welcomed by the organisers who say they’re looking forward to developing more international plastics recycling trading partnerships: “We see this as a very positive start and are happy to provide the necessary support to help Axion Polymers establish new business in China. We wish them success for the future,” says Jason Wang, Vice Secretary General of PRC-CPPIA.

Keith says: “As a result of very strong interest experienced at this show, we are actively pursuing partnerships with similar companies whom we could supply with raw materials from our existing European sources.”

High specification recycled polymers are key to supplying this market, given greater prominence of sustainability issues coupled with stronger consumer demand for eco-friendly appliances, he points out.

“I think there’s little point in being a ‘me-too’ exporter of plastics as the margins are too small and there’s nothing new to this idea. Bringing value to the partnership with recycled material meeting the same high quality UK specifications and sharing the benefits is what really counts,” he observes. “Our aim is to continue selling in Europe, but with a fresh focus on the Asian sector where we see real potential for growth.”

Keith adds: “Some 70% to 80% of the UK’s plastics which are collected for recycling are actually exported, so developing stronger trading partnerships is vital if we are to improve both the quality and the proportion of recovered materials used in new goods, many of which are manufactured in Asia.

“Huge amounts of agricultural and industrial films, post-consumer and WEEE plastics are exported to China because sufficient recycling capacity does not exist here in the UK to recover these materials economically. Focusing on partnership processing of tradable materials with our Chinese colleagues has to be the best way forward in terms of reducing environmental impact and increasing global levels of material recovery. This, I believe, is what fits best with our world-wide manufacturing markets.”
 

To mark the launch of its new 100% recycled polystyrene sheet product – Axfoil® - Axion Polymers has launched a design competition with a £500 cash prize to find

To mark the launch of its new 100% recycled polystyrene sheet product – Axfoil® - Axion Polymers has launched a design competition with a £500 cash prize to find the best innovative and sustainable product design using its sheet or Axpoly® compound.

In the first competition of its kind organised by the company, the winner will also have the opportunity to work with Axion Polymers on developing and taking their successful design to market.

Axion is seeking designs for a novel household product with mass market appeal that could be manufactured from its Axfoil or Axpoly products, which are derived from 100% recycled refrigerator plastic, TV casings or post-consumer electronic games consoles. Entries must be submitted by January 31st 2010.

Ideas could be completely unique or based on improving an existing product on the market, but the crucial element is that they embody the ‘green’ credentials and environmental profile of the material.

“Environmental impact, sustainability and potential for energy-savings are key considerations and of increasing importance for designers,” comments Axion director Keith Freegard. “Legislation, such as the European Eco-Design Directive 2005/32/EC aimed at the environmentally-friendly design of energy-using products, and its recent extension to include items with an indirect impact on energy use, such as windows, construction and water-using products, requires designers to consider these issues.”

He continues: “A product made from 100% recycled plastic, such as Axpoly®, that can be recycled at the end of its useful life, will have an immediate environmental advantage; saving 90% of CO^₂ emissions in its initial manufacture and reducing carbon impact over the product’s lifecycle. It’s an exciting and progressive concept!”

Keith adds: “Axfoil is a new product, so we are fascinated to see what can be made from it. Our customers use Axpoly grades to make products as diverse as horticultural pots, office letter trays, parts for domestic electrical goods and even camera parts. With that in mind, we’re looking forward to receiving some really imaginative product ideas.”

Download the full competition details here:

Axion Polymers' 'Green' Product Design Competition details

 

Download a competition poster here:

Axion Polymers 'Green' Product Design Competition Poster

For more information, contact Axion Polymers on 0161 737 6124 
 

Axion Polymers has launched Axfoil® - its first new 100% recycled extruded sheet product to meet the demand for a quality and sustainable alternative that offers huge CO2 impact

Axion Polymers has launched Axfoil® - its first new 100% recycled extruded sheet product to meet the demand for a quality and sustainable alternative that offers huge CO2 impact savings.

Available in varying widths and thicknesses to suit customer requirements, Axfoil is manufactured to the same ISO 9000 quality-controlled standards as proven Axpoly recycled polymers. The product is being launched as a black polystyrene sheet, but Axion expects to add further polymer types and colours in response to customer requirements over the coming months.

Axfoil is also a genuine ‘green’ plastic product. When made in polystyrene material recovered from WEEE plastic waste, it requires 93% less CO2 in its manufacture compared to virgin polymer. It can also be made from PP plastic.
Ideal for a variety of thermo-forming or sheet conversion applications, Axfoil is supplied in reels up to 950mm wide, up to 2 mm thick and in various colours. As a ROHS-compliant and REACH-ready product, it comes with full specification data sheets and has undergone stringent quality testing. Potential uses range from horticultural pots to in-store POS displays and collation trays that can eventually be recycled again.

Axfoil’s introduction marks an important market extension for Axion Polymers, as Director Keith Freegard explains: “A lot of thermoformed products go into markets where environmental awareness among the end-users is very high, such as cosmetic and horticultural products. The introduction of Axfoil sheet takes the values and benefits of our recycled polymer range one step closer to the end-user, where sustainability is increasingly becoming a key deciding factor at the point of purchase.”

Keith adds: “Additionally, we can thermoform samples of moulded items in our laboratory, so clients can have a ‘preview’ of how their product will look in a fully recycled sheet that is 100% suitable for their manufacturing purposes.”

For more information, contact Axion Polymers on 0161 737 6124 or download the Product Specification Sheet at www.axionrecycling.com/products.cfm

Two of the country’s leading flooring manufacturers, Altro and Polyflor, have launched the UK’s first vinyl flooring recycling take-back scheme.

The

Two of the country’s leading flooring manufacturers, Altro and Polyflor, have launched the UK’s first vinyl flooring recycling take-back scheme.

The new industry-funded Recofloor scheme will increase the recycling of waste vinyl flooring in the UK. Through the scheme, safety flooring offcuts and smooth vinyl offcuts from the installation process will be recycled back into new flooring. Uplifted, or end-of-life material, will be used in the manufacture of traffic calming products, such as traffic cone and road barrier bases.

Axion Consulting is the agent for the Recofloor scheme, which has developed from a WRAP-funded (Waste & Resources Action Programme) trial to increase the collection and recycling of vinyl flooring.

As a free-standing industry scheme, the target now is to create a sustainable, cost-effective and efficient collection system. Waste flooring is accepted from all types of sources, from individual contractors to large construction projects.  Axion’s role involves co-ordinating and managing Recofloor collection systems.

Registered Recofloor participants will be provided with bulk bags which can be collected from site when filled with vinyl flooring, or they can drop off waste at one of 19 designated sites across the UK. Recofloor is keen to increase the number of drop-off sites across the UK and to recruit distributors to provide a drop-off point for vinyl flooring waste.

Recofloor Project Manager Jane Gardner, of Axion Consulting, said both manufacturers have invested a lot of time and cost into developing internal recycling processes for vinyl flooring and they feel the time is right to set up an industry collection scheme.

“We are very pleased that Altro and Polyflor, as founder
members of Recofloor, have made this huge commitment to the sustainability of vinyl flooring. It is a major achievement and an important step for the industry,” she says.

“Increasingly customers are keen to see their end-of-life flooring recycled. Recofloor participants benefit from compliance with Site Waste Management legislation and receive a ‘certificate of commitment’ to recycling. Providing their ‘green’ credentials can help them gain new contracts,” adds Jane.
According to Polyflor, its products have on average 25% recycled content. “This is great considering the vast number of ranges available and the volumes which are produced,” says Environmental Market Manager Sonia Baker. “In 2008, Polyflor manufactured and sold around 20 million square metres of vinyl flooring, with 12,005 tonnes of post industrial waste and 736 tonnes of post consumer waste being recycled back into new product. Through Recofloor, we are aiming to increase the amount of post consumer waste that is recycled back into our flooring, across all ranges.”

Richard Kahn, Chief Executive of Altro, comments: “At Altro, responsibility is at the heart of everything we do.  We constantly look at ways to reduce our environmental impact in both production processes and how the organisation is run. Thanks to the installation of the world’s first in-house safety flooring recycling system we have not sent any waste PVC to landfill since mid 2007, and now recycle 100% of our factory waste PVC.”

“The Recofloor scheme is the latest breakthrough in our recycling programme. Not only will this allow us to increase the amount of recycled content in our safety flooring products, it will also reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, lower operating costs and offer contractors a tangible competitive advantage when tendering for projects.”

For more information, contact Axion ‘s Recofloor team on +44 161 355 7618
 

Axion Consulting has been engaged in a WRAP-funded (Waste & Resources Action Programme) technical study aimed at identifying improved segregation techniques used to process

Axion Consulting has been engaged in a WRAP-funded (Waste & Resources Action Programme) technical study aimed at identifying improved segregation techniques used to process construction waste, with a view to increasing the quality and volume of waste which can be recovered. The study focuses on new, improved and emerging segregation technologies for separating and recycling construction waste at Material Recovery Faclities (MRFs).

The study has been split into two phases. Phase one of the study identified technologies that have the potential to be widely used in the UK.  The project focussed on the recovery of non-inert waste from the waste stream. As Jane Gardner, Axion Senior Consultant explains: “We undertook a characterisation study in order to assess, measure and categorise typical mixtures of materials handled by construction waste MRFs. We worked with five MRFs to obtain samples of material and sorted this material by hand into key categories.”

The initial phase of the research study confirmed that most construction waste MRFs are very effective in recovering inert material but improvements can be made for recovery rates for the non-inert fractions.  In addition, it provided a detailed inderstanding of the in-feed materials at construction waste MRFs and assessed output streams to identify contaminants in output materials. As Jane Gardner explains: “Wood is a particularly problematic stream for MRFs, as it tends to become distributed across all output streams. The study also indictaed that increased screening of material is likely to help improve the separation of the non-inert fraction.”

The second phase of the study involves demonstration trials of the following technologies, identified during phase one of the study:

    •    Redox Windshifter
    •    Bezner Bucket Screen
    •    Bezner inclined sorting Machine
    •    IFE heavy duty waste screen

Trials of these technologies have now been completed at MRFs using them in Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. Samples have been taken and are currently being analysed in more detail to obtain information regarding the output purity and separation efficiency of each of the technologies.

In addition to trialing these technologies, Axion is looking at the effect of improving the working conditions for pickers on sorting lines at MRFs to assess the impact on productivity and landfill diversion. As Jane explains:
 
“We observed that the conditions on the sorting line at construction waste MRFs can be very poor: sorting sheds are often very draughty, dusty and noisy with poor lighting conditions. Although the picked material streams are pure, a lot of recyclables still end up in the residue fraction which is sent to landfill.”

Axion is currently running a trial at a construction waste MRF, putting in place improvements to the sorting line environment in order to see whether enhancements to the welfare of the workers has a direct influence on the efficiency and quality of the manual sorting process and quality of output materials. These improvements include:
 
    •    Lighting making it easier for operatives to distinguish the different materials to be picked;

    •    Music through a radio specifically designed for noisy environments such as factories and construction sites; and

    •    Anti-fatigue matting to reduce the vibrations felt by the operatives at the picking line and helps to prevent physical fatigue and swollen joints.

The technical study is due for completion in the Autumn.

WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) has recently begun a scoping project with the aim of enabling retailers and brands to use recycled polypropylene plastic in food

WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) has recently begun a scoping project with the aim of enabling retailers and brands to use recycled polypropylene plastic in food packaging.

Polypropylene is regularly recycled into industry plastics application (such as buckets and pallets), but until now, recycling it into food grade packaging has not been possible. WRAP has commissioned Axion Consulting, in partnership with Greenstar WES, Fraunhofer IVV and Pira Consulting, to undertake the scoping study to test the process of recycling polypropylene, and the commercial viability of it in food grade packaging. Using polypropylene instead of virgin plastics, for food packaging also presents significant environmental benefits that can be enjoyed by retailers, brands and consumers.

Polypropylene makes up a significant proportion of plastic packaging in the household bin in terms of food pots (e.g. yoghurt pots), food tubs (e.g. margarine), and sauce bottles (e.g. brown sauce), and developing a process to enable it to be recycled is an important next step towards sustainable packaging.

Paul Davidson, WRAP’s Special Advisor on Plastics said: “Developing a commercial process for food grade polypropylene is widely seen as the next big challenge for food grade recycling technology.  WRAP recognises that the retailers, brand owners and packaging companies all want polypropylene to be available for food grade packaging.  However with its many different grades and colours used in packaging, developing such a process will be demanding. We are pleased to be working with experts in this area to help scope this work, and enable the industry as a whole to move towards more sustainable packaging.”

Roger Morton, Director of Axion Consulting said: “This is a fascinating and technically challenging development project, which will involve us gaining a more in depth understanding of the issues associated with the feasibility of recycling polypropylene for food packaging. The project will also test whether the food grade High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) recycling process already in existence can be used to recycle polypropylene which meets food grade standards. The findings will help to identify what further technical requirements exist to developing a successful food grade recycling process for polypropylene and what recommendations need to be made to achieve this.”

The scoping study ends in late August 2009 and WRAP will be making findings available in the autumn. 

Axion Polymers’ Director Keith Freegard is calling for a fairer system to reward manufacturers using recycled polymers from waste electricals in new products. This would

Axion Polymers’ Director Keith Freegard is calling for a fairer system to reward manufacturers using recycled polymers from waste electricals in new products. This would also help to satisfy growing consumer demand for ‘greener’ goods.

Keith would like to see the inclusion of stronger financial incentives to boost the use of recycled plastics in new products to be introduced as part of the European Commission’s proposals to revise the WEEE Directive. The Department for Business (BERR) has invited UK industry views on the proposals by mid-May.

“More weight and value should be given to those equipment manufacturers who can demonstrate they are using recycled plastics derived from waste electrical and electronic equipment,” says Keith. “Current revisions of the WEEE Directive and UK regulations that govern it present the ideal opportunity to do this.”

Keith suggests a ‘credit’ system whereby producers could offset every tonne of recyclate used in new goods against their obligated tonnage of old electrical items sent for recycling.

This would act as an effective driver to stimulate collection and high-quality recycling of a useful stream of materials from WEEE – helping the Directive to deliver what was originally envisaged at its UK launch nearly two years ago.

“If producers can claim a rebate for every tonne of recycled WEEE material proved to be used in new electrical equipment, this would give added benefit and credence to the fundamental aims of the WEEE Directive,” continues Keith.

“Ultimately, we are seeking to encourage the re-use of materials by people in the street. Consumers are far more aware of companies’ eco-credentials in the production of new equipment, such as washing machines and electrical products. So by reducing the burden on manufacturers, we are also helping the end-users and ultimately the environment.”

Axion Polymers is taking a pioneering approach to getting recycled polymers specified at the start-of-life for new products. Axion’s innovative Material Information

Axion Polymers is taking a pioneering approach to getting recycled polymers specified at the start-of-life for new products. Axion’s innovative Material Information Cards assist designers with sustainable material choices.

Axion Polymers is trialling the concept, which was developed for Axion by Rosie Hornbuckle of Kingston University. The card aims to improve awareness among product designers of the creative, technological and environmental merits of using 100% recycled polymer in new goods and encourage them to consider its use over virgin materials.
As a ‘passport for materials’, the document provides a convenient and easy-to-use source of essential technical information that designers need, to understand a material’s suitability for any given application, such as physical properties, applications, pricing and availability.

It also advises on sustainability benefits, such as
those offered by Axion’s 100% post-consumer recycled polymers recovered from fridges and waste electrical and electronic equipment. The ISO 9000 quality-certified polymers successfully replace virgin grade resin with 93% less CO2 impact and offer major production cost savings.

Axion is currently trialling the prototype cards for all its Axpoly grades, which are available to download on www.axionpolymers.com

The cards were developed in conjunction with project partners Kingston University, which was funded by London Remade and the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

“Developing innovative and exciting new products from recycled materials has to be the sustainable way forward in making the best re-use of our valuable resources,” says Axion director Keith Freegard.

“However raising the profile of recycled polymers as not just ‘green’ products, but materials that perform to exacting standards in their own right is crucial if they are to be more widely specified. Providing the necessary information and reassurance to designers is vital if we are to succeed in meeting the growing customer demand for sustainable products.”

Keith points out there are also real business benefits in using recycled materials over virgin materials in product manufacture. Advantages include cutting raw material costs, reducing energy requirements and making carbon savings. Axion’s 100% recycled polymer is now used in the annual mainstream production of Indesit’s 600,000 washing machine access panels.

Feedback on the new cards is welcomed from designers, as Rosie Hornbuckle from Kingston University explains: “It’s also all about changing designers’ perceptions, expanding horizons and getting past the emotional response to using recycled materials in new products. Eventually we hope the information card concept can be extended to all recycled materials for use in manufacturing new products in the UK.”

For further details, contact Keith Freegard
tel: +44 208 567 1425
email: info@axionpolymers.com

Moisture content can often be an issue in polymer manufacture but Axion Polymers has taken several steps to ensure that moisture levels are kept to a minimium in its award-winning

Moisture content can often be an issue in polymer manufacture but Axion Polymers has taken several steps to ensure that moisture levels are kept to a minimium in its award-winning product, Axpoly®.  Axion guarantees that the moisture content of its recycled polymers will be less than 0.25% and typically will be less than 0.2%.

Axion has achieved these figures by modifying its multi-million pound plant to include extra drying time and by employing strict quality standards to the storage and transportation of its recycled polymers. Axion’s materials are supplied in 1 tonne woven polypropylene sacks and all consignments are checked for moisture content before they leave the factory.

However, Axion ‘goes the extra mile’ to ensure low moisture content as Laura Winstanley, Logistics Manager, explains:

“If it is raining when the stock leaves the factory, or if the customer stores the material outside once it has been delivered, then it can be vulnerable to additional moisture content. To prevent this, we ship every order inside a durable, 70 micron plastic bag. The 2.5m-long plastic bags are placed upside down over the sacks of pellets, pulled down over the sides of the sacks and secured at the bottom.”

Axion’s customers are enthusiastic about the packaging of its products as the following customer comment demonstrates:

“Can I say without exception this is the tidiest well packaged delivery of reprocessed material I have seen?” 

As Laura comments: “Moisture content is an important issue as it can lead to watermarks when the pellets are injection moulded or extruded. We are using the bags at extra cost to ourselves but we think it is worth it.”

In addition to its careful packaging, Axion has strict procedures for the transportation of its products. Its 1 tonne big bags are strapped to the inside of delivery vehicles and photographs are taken before the material leaves the factory, as proof of secure dispatch. As Laura notes:

“Sometimes material can shunt in transit. If a vehicle arrives without the necessary straps, then we will not load it as we cannot guarantee that the order will not be safe. This helps us to ensure that all our orders arrive in good condition. It gives us and our customers peace of mind.”
Axion recently completed its second external surveillance audit, required to ensure its compliance with the ISO9000 quality award status. As Roger Morton, Axion Director, comments:

“Customer satisfaction is an important part of our compliance with ISO9000 and it is through procedures such as these that we are able to ensure that our customers remain happy with both our products and our service.”

The Recovinyl initiative has now been up and running in the UK for over 4 years. During this time the initiative has gone from strength to strength, building a network of accredited

The Recovinyl initiative has now been up and running in the UK for over 4 years. During this time the initiative has gone from strength to strength, building a network of accredited PVC recyclers and recruiting hundreds of collectors of post-use material across the UK. Currently there are 30 recyclers signed up to the scheme in the UK, providing coverage across the whole country.

The Recovinyl initiative was conceived to ‘kickstart’ PVC  recycling and UK agents Axion Consulting set about organising a network of recyclers who could accept the material, publicising the scheme and recruiting collectors of post-use PVC.  The past four years have seen impressive growth in the volume of PVC recycled under the scheme, from just over 6000 tonnes in 2005 to an estimated 50,000 tonnes or more in 2008 - helping to prove that PVC is a highly recyclable material. Recovinyl volumes are verified by independent auditors who provide quality, reliable data.

The success of Recovinyl has helped to improve PVC’s environmental credentials, ensuring that specifiers consider PVC to be a sustainable product. Under the scheme, a range of PVC products are recycled, including windows, pipes, guttering and fascias. More recently, volumes of flexible PVC, from cabling and flooring have been on a steady rise.

Since it began in 2005, the European initiative has expanded its programme and now operates in 10 countries across the continent. The UK has made a very positive contribution by collecting and processing over 38% of the total material recycled by the scheme in Europe.  As Roger Morton, Axion Director, comments: “The scheme is succeeding in ensuring that large volumes of PVC do not end up in landfill.”“It has been very satisfying to see the scheme make such a positive contribution to PVC recycling and to deliver the message that this is a sustainable building material.” adds Roger.

Most of the PVC recycled by the initiative is used to ‘close the loop’ and manufacture long life, high-grade products such as windows, pipes, conduits, flooring and safety products.

The weak pound may be bad news for importers and tourists, but it is helping UK-based plastic recyclers to be more competitive abroad, according to Axion Director Roger Morton.

Waste plastic from fridges and WEEE has been transformed into ‘greener’ Christmas gifts in a new partnership between Axion Polymers and an upmarket eco-conscious

Waste plastic from fridges and WEEE has been transformed into ‘greener’ Christmas gifts in a new partnership between Axion Polymers and an upmarket eco-conscious retailer.

High grade polymers from Axion’s advanced Salford processing plant have been turned into novelty, eco-friendly keyfobs by Smile Plastics Ltd, which specialises in turning waste plastics into a variety of unique, quality products.

Thousands of the stylised car, house and T-shirt designs were produced as £2.95 Christmas gifts for global retailer Muji, which has 14 stores in the UK including nine in London.

Manufacturing the keyrings from 100% recycled plastic represents a 50% saving in carbon emissions compared with using raw materials.

The concept fits with the Japanese company’s principle of developing new products by making the best use of materials while considering environmental issues – and one which all three companies believe could open up exciting new end markets and sales opportunities appealing to environmentally-aware consumers.

Axion’s Technical Director Roger Morton says it could unlock fresh business opportunities for gifts with recycled content.

Colin Williamson, Managing Director of Shrewsbury-based Smile Plastics Ltd and a founding member of the British Plastics Federation’s Recycling Council agrees, saying:

“Muji wanted to explore what products could be made from recycled plastic, and with Axion’s help, we were able to come up with the solution.”

“Axion is a technically-driven company run by chemical engineers who understand sustainability issues, the concept of quality recycled materials and the opportunities in the plastic recycling industry. Recycling is a process that starts as waste diversion and ends with someone buying a product that was originally manufactured from ‘waste’ in preference to one made from virgin materials.”

“We’re looking forward to developing new ideas and uses for recycled plastic in the future through this Axion, Smile and Muji partnership,” added Colin.


For further information, contact Keith Freegard or Laura Winstanley at Axion Polymers:

Tel: +44 161 737 6124
email:sales@axionpolymers.co.uk

More than 16 months after its launch in the UK, the WEEE Directive is still failing to deliver its original aims of high-quality recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment

More than 16 months after its launch in the UK, the WEEE Directive is still failing to deliver its original aims of high-quality recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) to produce a useful stream of materials for re-manufacture back into new E & E goods. In fact there is now an increase in the level of waste being exported to third world countries, which can be to the detriment of human and environmental health, claims Axion.
It can be argued that the export of untreated WEEE waste, or whole items labelled for ‘re-use’, to countries with a lack of control on disposal of unwanted material fractions, causes more environmental damage than EU landfill of whole WEEE items, Keith Freegard, Axion Sales Director, told a Brussels conference.

Giving his views on the Directive’s track record to date, Keith suggested that Europe should process the waste streams created by WEEE primary treatment inside Europe, under legislative controls which ensure that the environment and human health is protected. The producers of electrical equipment have been made responsible for their end-of-life waste products under this Directive and Keith Freegard believes that this should include ensuring that the by-products of primary WEEE treatment are handled in processes which uphold the principles of Duty of Care for waste.

“It’s clear that the WEEE Directive is failing to deliver what it originally set out to do; that is the best treatment, recycling and recovery techniques should be applied to maximise material re-use and to minimize risks to human health and the environment,” he said. “In reality what has happened is finding the cheapest way to smash up an electrical item. While the metal recovery from this route is a valuable benefit, there is a destruction of the potential value in circuit boards and plastic components, which end up in a highly co-mingled, very dirty WEEE shredder residue.”
 
The Directive allows the by-products of WEEE primary treatment to be exported for futher recycling to countries where the processing methods are claimed to operate under ‘broadly equivalent standards’. Evidence of the mass of material that actually ends up being recycled or the environmental disposal methods used for unwanted waste fractions is non-existent, in Keith’s view.

Calling for much stronger controls on the export of WEEE and how it is subsequently re-used or recycled, Keith added: “We may have got some things right, but my view is we got an awful lot wrong.”
 

Waste transfer stations (WTS) that accept vinyl flooring waste from smaller contractors are being sought by Recovinyl’s agent Axion Recycling to boost a permanent collection

Waste transfer stations (WTS) that accept vinyl flooring waste from smaller contractors are being sought by Recovinyl’s agent Axion Recycling to boost a permanent collection scheme for all types of vinyl flooring in the UK.

The Vinyl Flooring Recycling Scheme is the result of a six-month trial to pilot the collection and recycling of post-use vinyl flooring, which was commissioned by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) in 2007. During the trial, a total of 25 tonnes of material was collected from a wide range of projects, including retail construction sites, hospitals, distributors and individual flooring contractors.

With renewed support from WRAP, Axion is working with four leading flooring manufacturers – Altro, Gerflor, Polyflor and Tarkett to extend the scheme to include safety flooring off-cuts for recycling. Where possible, flooring is picked up by a participating manufacturer and the material is taken for processing at three recycling centres run by Polyflor in Manchester, Tarkett in Kent and Altro in Letchworth.

Jane Gardner, Axion’s Project Leader says setting up strategic collection points at waste transfer stations that will accept smaller quantities of material, will be crucial to increasing recycling rates.

Although Axion has set up collection schemes at four SITA UK sites, including the Campground Waste Transfer Station SITA UK runs on behalf of Gateshead Council at Wrekenton, it aims to expand the network of facilities across the UK.

“We particularly want to hear from more waste transfer stations that could accept vinyl flooring waste brought in by tradesmen,” she explains. “There is demand for this service as 22 flooring contractors we spoke to within a 10-mile radius of Gateshead said they would use the SITA UK service at the Campground site.”

Axion supplies flooring contractors with clear plastic bags as required for the collection of flooring material. WTS operators then record tonnages of waste material they collect. Contractors can save money by diverting this waste from landfill and they will also receive certificates of commitment to prove their ‘green credentials’ in recycling the material. This can help in gaining new contracts with environmentally-aware customers.

Ian Haswell, SITA UK’s Operations Manager at Campground comments: “It’s still early days, but we are confident that this will prove a convenient service for local flooring contractors who will not only save on disposal costs, but will help prevent much of this recyclable material from being landfilled.”

Recessionary times could be good news for plastic recyclers as manufacturers are under pressure to seek more sustainable and lower-cost solutions for products to remain competitive.

Recessionary times could be good news for plastic recyclers as manufacturers are under pressure to seek more sustainable and lower-cost solutions for products to remain competitive.

Greater recycled content in plastic goods could provide the answer amid a global financial crisis that has seen record oil prices continuing to force up the cost of virgin polymers, according to Keith Freegard, Commercial Director of Axion Polymers.
 
Commenting on a recent British Plastics Federation survey showing mixed views from plastics companies on the future for their businesses, Keith predicts the economic uncertainty could present plenty of opportunities for forward-thinking firms.

“People are recognising the value of plastic waste and there are a lot of drivers for the use of recycled plastic content in numerous everyday products, from plant pots to electrical appliances,” he observes. “This has to be a good thing as recyclate is not directly linked to the price of oil and consumers are demanding ‘greener’ products that conserve the environment and finite resources.”

“Retailers are also demanding new ways to differentiate their otherwise similar products, and an extra user-benefit, such as stronger environmental image, is used by consumers to make the choice of branded items in crowded and mature markets,” he continues.

“They want a low cost and sustainable solution, and that is what recycling delivers. I am getting a number of inquiries about our recycled polymers from companies of all sizes and along the polymer value chain, as a result of their customers asking for recycled content in new products.”

End uses for Axion’s polymer include a white goods component for a major household appliance manufacturer, internal parts for flat screen TV sets and till roll cores.

Environmental concerns and the rising cost of virgin polymers linked to high oil prices are being reflected in more inquiries from moulders seeking to use high quality substitutes, says Keith.

Speaking after Axion’s recent successful Interplas debut which generated dozens of promising leads, Keith said: “The show highlighted more moulding companies are experiencing demand from their clients for recycled content in new products. This is something they need to consider. For example, one moulder’s client had designed a product to be sold on its eco-credentials so the use of recycled content is crucial to its success.”
“We understand injection-moulders’ concerns about changing their material supply. But as experts in the recovery and re-use of post-consumer plastics, we can meet their requirements for IS09000, quality-assured and sustainable raw material that appeals to ‘greener’ customers. Our Axpoly® ranges of high-specification polymers made from waste fridge, television and electrical appliance plastics are already used in many new extruded and injection-moulded items, from containers to household appliances.”

Axion uses more than 20 individual process stages at its advanced award-winning Salford plant to turn mixed plastics of all polymer types into high quality recyclate suitable for re-use in injection moulding and extrusion processes. Producing Axpoly achieves a 93% reduction in CO2 emissions. All Axion’s finished products compete technically and commercially with virgin grade polymers.

For further information about Axpoly,
Tel: +44 161 737 6124
email: info@axionpolymers.co.uk

Processing waste plastics in the UK and Europe is still a better option than export abroad for environmental, ethical and legal reasons – particularly for waste electrical

Processing waste plastics in the UK and Europe is still a better option than export abroad for environmental, ethical and legal reasons – particularly for waste electrical equipment.

Commenting on a recent WRAP report which said shipping waste plastic bottles to China was an environmentally-friendly thing to do, Axion endorses the findings but argues that recycling waste plastic locally brings even greater benefits.
Axion Polymers operates the UK’s leading recycling plant for plastics from WEEE with the capacity to save around 3,000 tonnes per month of CO2 emissions for the nation based on current output – equivalent to around 30 million car-driving kilometres per month.

Using similar methodology to the WRAP study, Axion has calculated that collection and recycling of its waste plastic in-feed material generates a total of around 220 kg CO2 per tonne of polymer compound produced. This is only around 7% of the 3,400 kg CO2 produced in making one tonne of virgin polystyrene (as estimated by Plastics Europe). The transport and collection element of Axion’s carbon impact accounts for only about 63 kg of CO2 per tonne of polymer compound produced.

Roger Morton, Director, agrees with WRAP’s view that recycling, wherever it takes place, is much better from   
 a carbon point of view than landfill or incineration.

However he comments that it still makes even more sense to do the reprocessing close to the waste source in the UK as this saves yet more carbon and more importantly, ensures that any residues from the recycling process are disposed of responsibly at home rather than exported to another country.

“This is particularly true for WEEE, which contains complex mixtures of materials and additives,” he says. “While there is a carbon saving from shipping surplus plastic overseas for recycling compared to landfilling or incinerating it in the UK, by recycling this material at home, producers of plastic waste save even more carbon and can be confident that they have discharged their duty of care for its ethical disposal under UK-controlled legislative standards.”

“This has to be the most sustainable solution for the recovery and preservation of valuable resources for our home markets,” adds Roger.

Keith Freegard, Director, also comments on the benefits of close-to-source recycling of waste, saying:

“It is clear that by concentrating the waste material into useful output product such as high-grade polymer resin, the exported tonnage is then more densely packed into shipping containers and this consists entirely of material that will be converted into saleable goods. The potential CO2 impact of shipping a large proportion of unwanted waste, which is then disposed in uncontrolled ways such as open incineration, is incalculable.”

As Roger notes, many polymer companies are now becoming increasingly committed to improving their carbon impact. Axion Polymers are experiencing a growing interest in their material from an expanding number of large polymer companies across Europe, who are looking to blend recycled polymers such as Axpoly® with virgin polymers in order to reduce their environmental impact. 
 

Recovinyl is forecasting another record-breaking year with more than 50,000 tonnes of PVC set to be recycled by the end of 2008. This easily beats the 42,162 tonnes registered for

Recovinyl is forecasting another record-breaking year with more than 50,000 tonnes of PVC set to be recycled by the end of 2008. This easily beats the 42,162 tonnes registered for 2007 and reflects the increasing awareness of the need to recycle waste rigid plastic and the growth of the recycling infrastructure in this country, according to Recovinyl’s UK agent Axion Recycling.

Axion’s Commercial Director Roger Morton says it’s a fantastic achievement that demonstrates the PVC industry’s continuing commitment to sustainability and promoting its environmental credentials, such as the closed loop recycling of the material into new plastic building products. The scheme’s ongoing success has been helped by industry-wide campaigns, such as PVCaware.org and Fighting Back With Facts, that have been set up secure a prosperous future for PVC.

Contributory factors to the rising recycling rate also include growth in volumes of post-consumer windows being recycled and investment in new plant and equipment by many of Recovinyl’s 29 recyclers throughout the UK.

“As well as diverting PVC from landfill, recycling preserves natural resources with associated savings in energy and provides a significant reduction in carbon emissions compared to using virgin polymer,” says Roger. “Manufacturing a new building product from recycled PVC-U saves 94% of CO2 emissions compared to production using virgin PVC polymer.”

“Judging by the level of enquiries we have received from businesses wanting to recycle their waste PVC, we expect recycling rates to break new records again by the end of the year. We can put companies in touch with their nearest collection and recycling services that can help them save on disposal costs for their waste plastic,” he continues.

Axion calculated that the 40,000+ tonnes of end of life PVC that were recycled through the Recovinyl scheme last year will have saved more than 71,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. This is because the majority of this material will have been used in applications that directly substitute virgin polymer, for example cladding and cavity closers.

“We welcome the increasing use of 100% recycled PVC-U in new building products that clearly demonstrates the material’s sustainability and ability to be recycled many times without loss of performance,” adds Roger.

Recovinyl is also working with manufacturers who are keen to include high grade recycled content in their products, such as the DIY and computer sectors for example.

Record high oil and metal prices may mean in future it will be more profitable, and environmentally more responsible, for Western countries to ‘mine’ resources close

Record high oil and metal prices may mean in future it will be more profitable, and environmentally more responsible, for Western countries to ‘mine’ resources close at home in their own waste streams, according to Axion Recycling.

Axion argues that processing the WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) waste stream at home, rather than exporting it overseas, is the most sustainable and cost-effective solution for all; particularly given the world-leading capability in the UK recycling sector to handle it.

Roger Morton’s comments follow a recent article in The Guardian highlighting serious health and environmental problems in West Africa caused by the alleged illegal dumping of thousands of discarded computers from Europe and the US.

“Treating this valuable waste stream at home ensures responsible treatment close to the point of waste generation, thereby protecting people overseas from the damaging effects of its irresponsible treatment in developing countries. This waste stream is rich in valuable materials, particularly specialist metals such as copper and engineering plastics.

“Crucially, it also conserves resources in the UK and reduces our dependence on unstable areas of the world where much of the primary raw materials come from, especially given the recent phenomenal price increases in these commodities” asserts Roger Morton, Axion’s Commercial Director.

Stronger enforcement of waste export legislation would prevent much of this waste going overseas when it could be responsibly treated here by UK recyclers with the technology and skills to do so.

The company’s Axion Polymers division produces high quality branded polymers from mixed small WEEE, and waste fridge and monitor plastic at its state-of-the-art processing plant in Salford. The polymers are supplied to UK and European-based companies for use in a wide range of new sheet-extruded and injection-moulded products. Multi-million pound investment in sophisticated separation techniques is improving recyclate yields, helping to boost re-processing capacity in the UK.

About two tonnes of crude oil are needed to make one tonne of a typical plastic, such as polyethylene. At around $135 a barrel for crude, the crude oil content of one tonne of plastic is therefore about £950 per tonne before any refining or processing costs are added. Current selling prices for finished plastics are around this level, but are bound to rise in the long term as oil cost stays high.

In October 2007 with funding from WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), Axion, together with four leading manufacturers of PVC flooring: Tarkett, Polyflor, Altro and

In October 2007 with funding from WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), Axion, together with four leading manufacturers of PVC flooring: Tarkett, Polyflor, Altro and Gerflor, undertook a 6 month trial to pilot the collection and recycling of post-use vinyl flooring.

During the trial, a total of 25 tonnes of material was collected in 3 months from a wide range of projects including retail construction sites, hospitals, distributors and individual flooring contractors.

The scheme was well received by both construction companies and individual flooring contractors and the success of the trial has led to the launch of a permanent collection scheme for all types of vinyl flooring in the UK.

Jane Gardner, Project Leader, explains how the scheme works:

“The scheme has now been extended to all types of vinyl flooring including safety flooring off-cuts.”

“We have established 3 recycling centres in the UK for the reprocessing of vinyl flooring – Polyflor in Manchester, Tarkett in Kent and Altro in Letchworth. “

“Different collection methods are being trialled as part of the scheme. Wherever possible, flooring will be picked up using a backload system. If a participating manufacturer is delivering straight into a site or direct to a flooring contractor, then at the same time, they will collect post-use flooring and transport it back to the recycling centre. Alternatively, it may be possible to arrange an individual collection.”

In addition to individual flooring contractors, under the new scheme, material will be collected from:

Flooring distributors
Waste Transfer Stations
Construction sites

In the original trial, the main issue was the contamination of the material with general waste.  For the purposes of the scheme, material will be collected in clearly-labelled bulk bags and clear plastic bags.

Axion is looking for distributors who would agree to have wheelie bins/bags on site, so that flooring contractors can drop off off-cuts or uplifted flooring when they come to collect new material.

In order to be both economical and environmentally-friendly, the minimum collection will be 500 kg.

For further details or to arrange collection of your materials, contact Jane Gardner Tel: +44 161 355 7618 email: team@axionrecycling.com

Axion Polymers is a double award-winner – scooping prizes within a week in both the prestigious Plastics Industry Awards and the North West Business Awards for its pioneering

Axion Polymers is a double award-winner – scooping prizes within a week in both the prestigious Plastics Industry Awards and the North West Business Awards for its pioneering work in environmental and plastics recycling initiatives.

On June 20, Axion Polymers won the Award for Best Environmental Programme in the annual PIA Awards organised by Plastics and Rubber Weekly. This was awarded for the company’s successful development of a unique process for the recycling of WEEE plastics at its advanced Salford processing plant, which could deliver maximum environmental and economic benefit from the input material waste stream.

Six days later, the company’s innovative business approach to the environment won again with success in the North West Business Awards. The Environmental Innovation Award recognises excellence in the development and deployment of new and existing environmental technologies, processes and techniques, as well as collaboration between other businesses and research bodies.

Axion’s jubilant directors Keith Freegard and Roger Morton are delighted with their successes, saying:

“We are very happy and proud that our team have won both these awards, which represent how valuable our unique business is to the plastics industry and recognise the contribution that plastics recycling is making in reducing environmental impact in the UK.

“We’d also like to thank our whole team for their continued high level of effort and enthusiasm in helping to make the business a huge success.”

Commenting on the PIA award which he received at a ceremony at London’s Park Lane Hilton Hotel, Axion’s Technical Director, Keith says:

“This national award is an excellent recognition point for us, particularly up against the big name producers. It’s a huge feather in our cap and we see it as  another milestone on our road to future success.”

Winning the North West Business Award highlights an important local focus on recycling, says Keith, adding:

“Waste fridges are collected locally in the North West area and undergo primary treatment at a St Helens WEEE plant. The shredded fridge plastic comes to our Salford plant where it is turned into a high grade polymer for re-use in new parts for washing machines manufactured in Rhyl, North Wales.

“This demonstrates how the Axion process has delivered a technological solution to a waste recycling problem, while simultaneously satisfying the needs of the end-user market for the closed-loop recyclate product. It proves that local closed-loop recycling is the way forward!”

Axion Polymers’ state-of-the-art factory processes waste plastics from WEEE primary treatment plants into high-grade polymers. Axion’s innovative system uses over 13 individual sorting and separation stages, which combine to form a continuous process plant that can handle a dirty, co-mingled waste stream from shredded electrical equipment and upgrade the material into an extremely high grade polymer - Axpoly®.
 

The BRE (British Research Establishment) has published its Green Guide to Specification 2008. The Green Guide gives guidance to designers and specifiers on selecting construction

The BRE (British Research Establishment) has published its Green Guide to Specification 2008. The Green Guide gives guidance to designers and specifiers on selecting construction materials and components with the best environmental credentials. The Guide covers all planned building categories including commercial, education, health, industrial, retail, and domestic. It also includes all planned building elemental categories of external walls, internal walls, upper floors, ground floors, roofs, landscaping, windows and thermal insulation.

The environmental impact of the materials and components are calculated across their entire life-span and each material or component is awarded a rating on a scale from A+ - the best environmental performance/least environmental impact to E – the worst environmental performance/most environmental impact.

PVC windows have been achieved top ratings in the Green Guide gaining A+ for commercial windows and A for domestic windows. Tim Marsden of the BPF comments: “We are delighted with the ratings. This is a huge step forward for the industry. PVC-U windows have an essential role to play in sustainable construction, which the Green Guide has now acknowledged.”

“The British Plastics Federation (BPF) Business Groups have been very active in providing information to the BRE during its recent consultation phase and it is thanks to the continued and combined efforts of the Groups, that we are now seeing the benefits of PVC in the public arena” continues Tim.

Tim acknowledges that increases in PVC recycling, particularly through the Recovinyl scheme has helped to secure these A grades: “For the PVC industry especially, these results really go to show that the PVC industry’s Voluntary Commitment, Vinyl 2010, is bearing fruit in terms of efficiency gains during manufacturing, whilst also seeing Recovinyl register significant increases in post-consumer PVC recycling, with the UK achieving over 42,100 tonnes in 2007 – leading the way within Europe.”

The BRE Green Guide to Specification is available at www.thegreenguide.org.uk

Or call the BRE Green Guide Helpdesk +44 (0) 1923 664462

Axion has launched a new laboratory testing service which provides comprehensive, low cost, polymer sample testing and analysis using its wide range

Axion has launched a new laboratory testing service which provides comprehensive, low cost, polymer sample testing and analysis using its wide range of advanced testing equipment.

Recent changes in legislation such as REACH and the Waste Framework Directive have led to stringent demands from customers to identify polymer types, to understand the additive content of plastics and to test new sources of raw material supply. Plastics recyclers in particular have an increased need to be knowledgeable about polymer types and additive content and this can only be determined by thorough and detailed laboratory analysis. It is no longer acceptable to place goods on the market with a rough verbal indication of the polymer type or to claim ignorance about the levels of any undesirable additives. The sale of recycled plastics is changing from an environment of ‘buyer beware’ to one where the customer has the right to demand detailed specification and material data sheets concerning the product being supplied and the supplier has a legal obligation under REACH to supply this data and also specify the possible safe applications for the material.

Axion’s state-of-the-art laboratory services will identify polymer type, establish the presence of key elements within the material and measure the physical properties of samples as small as 1 kilogram. Assistance can also be provided with the preparation of material data safety sheets for recycled polymers. Axion can propose statistically rigorous sampling methods from bulk material streams based on industry recognised standards.
Axion can pre-test potential new sources of polymer feedstocks before you invest time, effort and money in full scale production trials. Its pilot-scale facility can duplicate a full-scale process from raw material separation right through to injection moulding of finished polymer resin.

Axion can offer:

• Polymer type identification by FTIR
• Sieve analysis
• Additive analysis by x-ray
• Tensile testing
• Impact testing
• Melt-flow index
• Density analysis
• Sample compounding
• Ash content
• Manual sorting

Please contact Mike Bennett, Mark Keenan or Steve Bell at Axion Polymers on +44 161 737 6124
or email lab@axionpolymers.com to discuss your requirements and for price quotations.

Download:

Laboratory Services Brochure

Laboratory Services Pricelist

According to new calculations by Axion Recycling, manufacturing new building products from recycled PVC-U has about 6% of the global warming

According to new calculations by Axion Recycling, manufacturing new building products from recycled PVC-U has about 6% of the global warming impact of using virgin polymer – offering significant environmental and raw material cost-saving benefits and strengthening the argument for greater use of recyclate in new items, such as PVC-U window and door profiles.

“An added benefit is that manufacturers can develop products to attract ‘eco-conscious’ consumers, as well as save on escalating raw material costs given the current record oil prices,” says Roger Morton, Axion’s Commercial Director.

Axion came to its conclusion on the global warming impact of collecting and recycling end-of-life PVC using updated information from DEFRA on CO2 emissions and data on power consumption and other energy uses at a typical UK PVC recycling facility.

Collecting and mechanically recycling one tonne of recovered PVC, which can directly substitute virgin polymer in a new application, will generate about 120 kg CO2 per tonne of PVC recycled. The latest eco-profile data from Plastics Europe for virgin PVC indicates that producing one tonne of virgin PVC from its primary raw materials (salt and oil) will generate about 1,900 kg of CO2 emissions. Using the recycled PVC chip therefore creates a 94% saving in CO2 emissions compared to production of virgin PVC polymer.

Most recycled PVC can be re-used as a clean chip to substitute virgin polymer so there are fewer melting costs. This helps to reduce the carbon impact of the recycled material compared to virgin.

The 40,000 tonnes of end of life PVC that were recycled through Recovinyl in the UK during 2007 will have saved up to 71,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions because the majority of this material will have been used in applications that directly substitute virgin polymer.

Roger says the carbon credentials of even virgin PVC are better than for other polymer types. “The carbon impact of making new PVC-U is lower than for other types of polymer because it is made partly from salt and partly from oil. Most other polymer types are made entirely from oil. Another advantage is that PVC is a long-life material that can be recycled up to ten times without any loss in performance, making it ideal for use in new building products such as window and door profiles, fascias and soffits.

“The technology exists to produce building products made from 100% recycled PVC-U, allowing the UK construction industry to demonstrate a truly sustainable way forward,” adds Roger.

Discrepancies in recently published collection data reveal that vast quantities of UK WEEE could literally

Discrepancies in recently published collection data reveal that vast quantities of UK WEEE could literally be going to ‘waste’ rather than being collected as a useful resource for reprocessing, claims Axion Recycling.

Revised figures issued by the Environment Agency for the collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment has prompted Axion to air concerns that tens of thousands of tonnes of WEEE could either be mixed into the normal waste stream going to landfill, or sent overseas, rather than being responsibly recycled.

Given the current climate of heightened environmental awareness, coupled with record oil and raw material prices, it is vital that greater attention must be paid to the efficient recovery of a valuable and sought-after material, argues Keith Freegard, Technical Director of Axion Recycling.

“The situation is confused. I’m concerned that the figures suggest much of this waste, particularly hard-to-recycle co-mingled plastic from small household WEEE, is being sent overseas where I doubt it can be reprocessed to our equivalent standards,  particularly for the separate removal of brominated flame retardants” he says.

His comments come after reported volumes from Producers show that around 800,000 tonnes of new E & E household goods were put on the market in the six months from July to December 2007. This vast tonnage of new E & E products would tend to confirm estimates of at least one million tonnes per year arising as ‘waste’ at end-of-life, even if only half of the new purchases is related to the disposal of an equivalent WEEE item.

“However, the last quarterly collection figures show only 83,500 tonnes collected from the household sector. This equates to about 330,000 tonnes a year - only a third of original annual estimates. So where is the rest
of this waste going?” asks Keith.

The increase in WEEE collected from smaller items of equipment is also ‘disappointing’. Keith says: “Given that some of the biggest contributors to collected  WEEE tonnages, such as CRT displays and fridges were already being recycled under previous legislation, the marginal increase is disappointing. Only about 15% of the 83,000 tonnes comes from WEEE categories other than LHA, refrigerators or displays.”

Axion’s market knowledge suggests that much of the plastic derived from the treatment of this collected material is either being exported or stockpiled. “Based on our experience of WEEE dismantling across all the categories, there should be around 15,000 tonnes of shredded plastic material being passed from primary treatment plants to approved reprocessors from the reported 83,000 tonnes collected in the October to December period.

“We know how much has been through our Salford factory in that period and there are currently not many other UK-based WEEE plastics reprocessors. So the majority of this volume must be going overseas – perhaps as much as 10,000 tonnes – or being stockpiled at AATF primary treatment sites,” he continues.

“If this is so, and given that the technology exists in the UK to process the plastics from mixed household WEEE, then this represents a tremendous waste of resources. Questions remain over whether the WEEE Directive will actually deliver what it was originally designed to do. That is good quality, high volume recycling with removal of the undesirable hazards to protect the environment and recovery of high grade materials to be re-used in the manufacture of new products.”

Axion’s purpose-built facility at Salford is one of the most advanced processing plants in Europe and produces high-grade polymers from mixed small WEEE, fridge and monitor plastic. Recent £500,000 investment in more sophisticated separation techniques is improving the yield of high-grade plastic material from mixed small WEEE. The new plant has also helped to boost much-needed re-processing capacity for the material within the UK, thus helping to reduce its export abroad.
 

Mark Burstall, Head of the BPF’s Recycling Council is advising plastics recyclers to prepare to pre-register substances they are handling in order to comply with REACH

Mark Burstall, Head of the BPF’s Recycling Council is advising plastics recyclers to prepare to pre-register substances they are handling in order to comply with REACH (Registration, Evaluation & Authorisation of Chemicals) legislation. As Mark explains:

“The current advice from the Recycling Council is that recyclers will need to consider pre-registering any monomers in the polymers they handle, as well as any other substances that they are aware of, e.g. stabilizers or performance enhancers, fillers, flame retardants etc. In the case of PVC, this will include cadmium and lead stabilizers.  They do not need to pre-register any additives that they buy and add during their process.”

“Currently it is not clear whether recyclers will have to complete full registration for all substances. It is possible that there will be some form of intervention and recyclers may still benefit from exemption from the registration process.”

However, as a precaution, the Recycling Council is urging its members to prepare for pre-registration. Mark continues:

“At this stage we need to start preparing for pre-registration but as yet, we don’t know if we will eventually have to go through to registration for these substances. Therefore, we are advising recyclers not to actually pre-register until the last minute, sometime in November, because there is the possibility that the situation may change and recyclers may not be required to go through this process. The advice to recyclers is to start thinking about what you’ve got. Make a list, establish what the CAS and EINECS reference numbers are for each substance and get that list prepared. This will not be wasted effort because that information will be required for data safety sheets anyway.”

Pre-registration will effectively ‘buy time’ for recyclers as pre-registered substances will benefit from extended registration periods – 2010, 2013 & 2018.

It is important to note that if it emerges that registration is required, but substances have not been pre-registered, then recyclers will not be able to sell material containing these substances from 2nd December 2008 until the process of registration has been completed.

Pre-registration cannot be carried out by industry bodies, it can only be done by individual recyclers. The EuPR (European Plastics Recyclers) is drawing up detailed guidance about the pre-registration process, what to do and how to go about doing it. This will be circulated to all members including all members of the Recycling Council in plenty of time.

If you are not a member of the Recycling Council, you can join by contacting Mark Burstall:
email: mark@burstall.freeserve.co.uk  tel: 01295 670497
 

Axion Polymers is now producing general purpose polypropylene at its state of the art factory in Salford. Axion has developed processes to enable it to recycle small items of waste

Axion Polymers is now producing general purpose polypropylene at its state of the art factory in Salford. Axion has developed processes to enable it to recycle small items of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) to produce the polypropylene. Notoriously difficult to recycle, small WEEE is now being successfully recycled by the company.

Martin Green, Sales Manager comments:

“We are very excited to be able to offer this popular material. The relatively high melt flow of 25 makes this product particularly suitable for injection moulding applications.”

PP01 series polypropylenes offer the designer and processor a high performance polymer with well-defined properties in a range of options to suit many applications.

The Axpoly® PP01 range of custom compounds are processed to a high purity and give consistent material properties during moulding.

Axpoly® is available in 1 tonne polyester big bags on a pallet, other formats possible on request. All grades are assessed to ISO Standards, are ROHS compliant and REACH ready.

Download the Safety Data Sheet:

Axpoly Grade PP06 5001

 

Eric Criel, European director of Recovinyl will be addressing the PVC 2008 conference next month, in Brighton. The 3 day conference is the largest and most well known of its kind.

Eric Criel, European director of Recovinyl will be addressing the PVC 2008 conference next month, in Brighton. The 3 day conference is the largest and most well known of its kind. Organised on behalf of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, the conference is supported by the British Plastics Federation (BPF), the European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM) and the Packaging and Films Association (PAFA). Day 1 will set the global PVC scene, with keynote speakers including Lord Taverne and other internationally renowned experts.  Day 2 and day 3 will be made up of a series of parallel sessions run in 3 venues. The conference programme includes:

    * Strategy/direction and markets
    * Profiles
    * Pipes and fittings
    * Plastisols and flexible areas
    * Processing technology
    * Heat stabilisation and lubrication
    * Additives - property modifiers, fillers, flame retardants, pigments and plasticizers
    * Sustainability
    * Recovery and recycling
    * Polymerisation and production


Eric Criel will present the Recovinyl scheme in a session entitled: “Recovinyl: A concept to Stimulate the Collection and the Recycling of Post-Consumer PVC”. The session will form one of the ‘Recovery and Recycling’ sessions held on Thursday 24th April. Other sessions include: ‘Where in the world can you Recycle Vinyl Flooring’ presented by Pete Thomas of Tarkett Ltd and ‘PVC recycling in Japan’ by Y Kano and S Seki, two members of the Japanese Vinyl Environmental council.

Details of the sessions and registration details can be downloaded from:
www.eventsforce.net/iom/frontend/reg/thome.csp

Stronger promotional links between local authorities and private sector companies can really help to make a positive difference to improving

Stronger promotional links between local authorities and private sector companies can really help to make a positive difference to improving household recycling levels, according to the results of a project carried out by Axion Recycling.

An average 5.2% increase in household recycling rates over and above forecast levels was reported across 13 participating councils following a unique joint initiative with ‘Coca-Cola’. It is thought to be the first time a major manufacturer has taken such an innovative approach to use its influence and well-known branding to inspire recycling behaviour.

The 12-week ‘Talent from Trash’ campaign, which ended last November, targeted young male football fans and their families employing their love of football as a means of motivating them to recycle and earn money for their clubs’ youth development programmes.

Axion’s team managed specific aspects of the ‘Coca-Cola’ campaign where the consultancy’s experience of waste management and of working with private companies, local authorities and public sector organisations to develop recycling was directly relevant to the programme.

A total of 13 local authorities and their local Football League clubs across England and Wales took part in the three-month scheme, which also included participation surveys assessing the recycling habits of a whole community through a representative sample of over 1,000 households in each area.

Axion’s project team then measured the results of the programme in two ways; through the percentage increase in tonnes of recyclable material collected and the increase in the number of households participating in recycling collections during the period.
“Overall, an average 5.2% increase in recycling tonnage was achieved, representing an additional 6,378 tonnes, which is very positive,” comments Roger Morton, Axion’s Commercial Director. “The project achieved its aims of raising awareness of the tangible benefits of recycling in line with Government targets, as well as highlighting the local authority collection schemes in each area.”

“Crucially, it has also forged on-going links between local authorities and their local Football League clubs as they have recognised the opportunities to work together to promote recycling. This is a very significant legacy outcome and the campaign’s success demonstrates how the public and private sector can really make a difference to recycling rates in both practical and imaginative ways,” adds Roger. “Projects are also being developed with other local councils, such as Cardiff, looking at waste composition surveys to help determine their future recycling strategies.”

One of the most successful participating clubs was Accrington Stanley FC, whose local area saw a 19% increase in recycling over the three months compared to the same period in 2006. This beat forecast targets by 15%.

The campaign has also achieved lasting success in Norfolk, as Andrew Cullen, Marketing Manager for Norwich City FC, explains: “Following the conclusion of the campaign we met with Norfolk Waste Partnership to understand how we could work more closely together for the benefit of the community. We will attend their Recycling Officers Group Meetings where we look forward to learning more and identifying opportunities so that Talent from Trash has a lasting legacy in Norfolk,” he adds.

Liz Lowe, Citizenship Manager at Coca-Cola Great Britain says: “’Talent from Trash’ was a tangible step forward to demonstrate our commitment to encourage customers to recycle more. It’s been a genuine learning experience and we are heartened by the response from fans, clubs and local authorities. We have seen the positive effect that a brand like ‘Coca-Cola’ can have in making recycling more relevant to a hard-to-reach audience.”

“Working with 13 councils, with 13 different recycling collection strategies, has undoubtedly been challenging, but this initiative is helping inform our plans for 2008. The partnership approach will be at the heart of this.”
 

New legislation requiring Site Waste Management Plans for construction and demolition projects will be a great opportunity for Recovinyl recyclers, claims Jane Gardner, Axion

New legislation requiring Site Waste Management Plans for construction and demolition projects will be a great opportunity for Recovinyl recyclers, claims Jane Gardner, Axion Recycling. Site Waste Management Plans, mandatory from 6th April 2008 for all construction and demolition projects worth over £300,000, are aimed at reducing illegal fly tipping and encouraging recycling.

Site Waste Management Plans will force companies to look for outlets for recyclables. Under this new legislation construction companies have to record the type and quantity of waste that has been reused, recycled, sent to landfill or otherwise disposed of. They will have to know what the Waste Transfer Station is doing with the waste.  This is a very good opportunity for recyclers to market the fact that they can collect post use PVC for recycling. PVC will be one of the materials in which there will be increased interest as construction companies will have to be aware of it and consider how they will deal with it. Any waste generated on a construction site has to be handled according to the plan. It is the duty of the main contractor to check that all subcontractors know where the plan is kept on site and that they comply with it and deal with the waste responsibly, so proving that it is recycled. This legislation is relevant for all Recovinyl members – window companies, Waste Transfer Stations and recyclers.

The legislation should help to stimulate the market for recycled building products. Even before the Site Waste Management Plan is drafted, construction and demolition companies will have to record any decision taken on the nature of the project, its design, construction method or materials employed in order to minimise the quantity of waste produced on site. Jane comments: ”So it will also be important that they use materials with recycled content . If any recyclers have an application for their PVC that can be used on construction sites, this will be another selling point for them.”

Read details of the legislation at www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080314_en_1

New legislation, due to come into force by April 2008, will require construction and demolition companies to have a Site Waste Management Plan for

New legislation, due to come into force by April 2008, will require construction and demolition companies to have a Site Waste Management Plan for all projects over £250,000. Designed to combat illegal fly tipping and to encourage recycling, the regulations will force companies to make detailed plans for the waste generated by each project, including details of how this plan will be implemented. During the project, companies will be required to keep detailed records and will need to monitor and evaluate their Site Waste Management Plan. Failure to comply with the new legislation could result in fines or even a criminal conviction.

Axion has launched a new service providing a comprehensive solution for companies’ site waste plans. On behalf of construction and demolition companies, Axion can produce a Site Waste Management Plan that will fully comply with the new legislation.  Axion is offering a ‘total solution’, including writing the plan,  carrying out a waste audit, managing the waste and organising the collection and recycling of different waste streams, and monitoring and evaluating the plan.

Alternatively, Axion can advise on, or implement, a particular aspect of the plan such as finding suitable outlets for recycling certain waste streams or it can evaluate a company’s own plan. Jane Gardner, project leader, is enthusiastic about this new service. As she comments: “So far we have had very positive feedback from construction companies and there is a lot of interest in this service. Proving particularly popular is the fact that we can offer companies an advice hotline for the duration of each project, providing advice on materials that have been traditionally difficult to recycle and finding outlets for those materials. Recently a company contacted us to find out where they could recycle a rubber running track. We can put companies in touch with reliable waste management companies anywhere in the UK”

As part of the service, Axion can liaise with individual contractors on a project to ensure that their waste is recycled and that the routes used are traceable. As Jane notes: “In order to be able to claim that waste has been recycled, the legislation requires companies to specify exactly where it has gone.  We can provide these traceable routes. Axion is well placed to launch this service. People like the fact that between them, our consultants can offer over 100 years of practical experience in the waste management industry.”

For further information, contact Jane Gardner
tel: 0161 426 7731
email team@axionrecycling.com

The Epwin group has produced a PVC-U window made entirely from recycled PVC. Due to be unveiled this month at the Ecobuild exhibition (Earls Court Feb 26-28th), the group are claiming

The Epwin group has produced a PVC-U window made entirely from recycled PVC. Due to be unveiled this month at the Ecobuild exhibition (Earls Court Feb 26-28th), the group are claiming a ‘world-first’. The window has been manufactured solely from post-consumer waste, collected and processed by its recycling operation, Recovinyl recycler, Dekura.

The waste has been recovered from a social housing refurbishment project where old, single-glazed first generation PVC-U windows were being replaced. Producing a new window from the recovered material posed a number of technological challenges including the successful removal of all contaminants including wood, concrete, sealants and paint. Using the latest technology, Dekura recycled the waste and a polymer of near virgin quality was produced.

David Wrigley technical director at the Epwin group said: “PVC-U in itself is hugely recyclable, in fact research suggests it can be recycled up to 10 times without losing performance – based on a BRE recognised lifespan of 35 to 40 years and each product could have an overall lifecycle of up to 400 years.”

Dekura has invested in sophisticated technology, providing an advanced processing system capable of recycling a range of end-of-life, first generation PVC-U building products. David outlines the process:

“Post-consumer waste is first processed in our size reduction equipment. Once broken down, powerful magnets remove and separate out ferrous metals. Following further manual inspection, shakers help to sort material sizes ready for shipment for reprocessing. This begins with more refined processing to remove any remaining debris, for example tiny fragments of metal or rubber.”

“This is followed by colour sorting. The equipment used to do this is incredibly advanced and can be calibrated to pick out even the slightest variation between individual fragments. This completes the process and the material is ready to be compounded into pellets or pulverised material ready for use in a new generation of advanced products.”

Epwin’s fully-recycled PVC-U window is a great example of ‘closed loop’ recycling. As David Wrigley comments: “PVC-U is now sustainable in the truest sense. Old products can be recycled, reprocessed and recovered material used in a new generation of advanced sustainable and energy efficient products.”

For further information email Dekura: enquiries@dekura.co.uk or tel:  0800 652 7585.
 

Axion Polymers has developed a new flame retardant impact styrene formulation with high recycled content following successful laboratory trials.

Axion’s new WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) funded trial to prove the recyclability of PVC flooring has got off to a great start with material now being collected

Axion’s new WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) funded trial to prove the recyclability of PVC flooring has got off to a great start with material now being collected from many sites across the UK. As Jane Gardner, Axion’s Project Leader for the scheme comments: “We are now collecting post-use material from over forty three different projects including construction and demolition projects as well as collecting directly from flooring contractors and distributors.”

Jane is anticipating accumulating large volumes of uplifted flooring from many of these projects. As she comments: “We have collected several tonnes of material already and the potential yield at some of these sites is impressive. For example, post-use uplifted flooring is being collected from a whole ward refurbishment at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, the demolition of a major retail site in Wembley High Road, London and the refurbishment of a large department store. Off-cuts are being collected from flooring installations at 9 new stores – part of the expansion of a well known major retailer.”

Construction and demolition companies have shown a keen interest in the scheme. As Jane explains: “We have had a particularly good response from construction companies who are members of the Considerate Construction Scheme and this has resulted in several new collection sites for the collection of uplifted flooring. Companies such as General Demolition and Wates Retail (part of the Wates Group) have been very co-operative, as have Morgan Ashurst who are carrying out the Addenbrookes Hospital ward refurbishment.”

The material is collected either in bulk bags, drop-front refurbished wheelie bins or skips, depending on the most appropriate collection option for the site.

Overall, the project is aiming to collect at least 30 tonnes of material by the end of March 2008, in order to demonstrate that recycling PVC flooring is economically viable. Jane is confident that this target will be exceeded. As she comments: “We have found that there is a lot of material out there to be collected. This is already a key result of this trial. Production trials to recycle the material will begin in February.”

Collected material will be used in recycling trials by Polyflor, Altro and Tarkett Marley, 3 of the UK’s leading flooring manufacturers and incorporated into both new flooring and other long-life applications outside the flooring sector.

Contact Jane Gardner 0161 426 7731 email:jgardner@axionrecycling.com

Axion Polymers has achieved ISO 9001:2000 quality management accreditation covering all aspects of recycling operations at its £3 million

Axion Polymers has achieved ISO 9001:2000 quality management accreditation covering all aspects of recycling operations at its £3 million state-of-the-art Salford processing facilities.

The plant is one of the most advanced recycling facilities in Europe and uses a unique recycling process to handle the polymer waste stream produced by the primary treatment of WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment).

Fully opened from February, the plant can take co-mingled plastic waste containing various contaminants and convert it into high quality polymer compounds using on-site processing equipment. These high specification polymer resins can be used for new injection-moulded components, ‘closing the loop’ for end-of-life electronics scrap.

Praising the team’s efforts, Axion’s commercial director Roger Morton says: “This was a tremendous achievement, especially as the certification was gained within six months of starting up the plant. The quality framework system covers all aspects of the plant’s operation, from manufacture to supply, and means our customers can be assured of the highest, consistent product quality standards.”

Axion Polymers offers polystyrene and HIPS injection-grade materials based upon raw materials sourced from primary WEEE treatment plants for fridges and televisions. The range of available grades is now growing from a wider variety of input raw materials from mixed household electrical goods and business equipment waste.

Roger adds: “Along with sourcing new supplies of input materials, we are also seeking brand leaders to help develop highly specified compounds that can be used to produce new electrical consumer goods.

“More companies are recognising the benefits of using recyclate in new products that not only improves their products’ ‘green’ credentials, but also saves costs on using virgin polymers.”

Axion have launched a new trial, supported by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), to prove the recyclability of PVC flooring.

Arrangements are in place

Axion have launched a new trial, supported by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), to prove the recyclability of PVC flooring.

Arrangements are in place to collect material from 10 individual flooring projects including distributors, hospitals and retail sites around the UK.  Four major flooring manufacturers have signed up to the project: Tarkett-Marley, Gerflor, Polyflor and Altro.

Jane Gardner, Axion’s Project Leader, explains why the companies have got involved:

“Polyflor, Altro and Tarkett are taking part in order to demonstrate the feasibility of making a commercially viable flooring project with recycled content.  Gerflor do not have a manufacturing base in the UK but are helping us collect material and put us in touch with major projects as members of the Resilient Flooring Association. The project is clearly important to them and they want to support it.”

Hazel Cook, Marketing Manager at Gerflor, is enthusiastic about getting involved in the project. She comments:

“We are delighted to be able to help with the project. We are keenly aware of the need to make it economically viable if it is to succeed.  The economics of the project are as important as environmental concerns in terms of success.”

Hazel praised Axion’s involvement in the scheme. She comments

“We have been impressed with Axion’s willingness to attend joint customer visits. We can promote schemes such as the Recycled Vinyl Flooring Project but people need to be led through the practicalities of how the whole thing is going to work.  That’s where Axion comes in.”

The project aims to collect 30 tonnes of PVC flooring material by the end of February.  Materials included in the scheme are post-installation off-cuts, uplifted flooring and Altro safety flooring off-cuts.

Jane Gardner explains:

“We are trying to demonstrate the feasibility of sustainable collections. We are keen to be put in touch with anyone who is involved in uplifting PVC flooring. If any waste transfer stations receive uplifted PVC flooring in their waste stream, we would be very keen on them separating out that material and we would be very willing to collect it.”

For the duration of the trial, material will be collected free of charge.

Can you help? Please contact Jane Gardner on 0161 427 7731

A series of feasibility trials to encourage small and medium sized businesses to recycle their waste have been launched across the UK, funded by

A series of feasibility trials to encourage small and medium sized businesses to recycle their waste have been launched across the UK, funded by the Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

The overall aim of the trials, which will run for six months, is to develop convenient and cost effective services to make it easier for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to recycle.

Forming part of WRAP’s SME Recycling Programme, the trials will assess recycling schemes for the construction and commercial food industries, site-specific services for business parks and industrial estates and collection schemes for small retailers and offices.

The trials will evaluate a range of issues involved in providing SMEs with effective recycling schemes. Factors assessed will include effective ways to recruit SMEs on to recycling services, collection techniques and frequencies and charging mechanisms.

The results will build on the knowledge gained during the first series of trials undertaken last year.

Liz Morrish, WRAP’s SME Recycling Programme Manager, said:

“SMEs cover a vast range of businesses that all have different recycling needs - either because of the relative low quantity of recyclable materials they produce, the space available to store materials or their location. These feasibility trials will give us a much better picture of the kind of recycling services that will work cost effectively for SMEs and therefore encourage these businesses to start recycling their waste.”

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Axion Polymers’ new state-of-the-art plastics recycling facility in Salford has been purpose built to deal with a range of waste plastic

Axion Polymers’ new state-of-the-art plastics recycling facility in Salford has been purpose built to deal with a range of waste plastic streams, a large proportion of which will be generated from products covered by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive. Axion Polymers will be reprocessing plastics derived from refrigerators, television cases, computer monitor cases, mixed household WEEE, as well as industrial waste plastics such as large bore plastic piping, conduits, crates and stillages. 

Products manufactured from the waste plastics by Axion Polymers will be branded under the name of either AxPoly - technically based polymer compounds specifically formulated to support customer needs, or AxPlas – general purpose recycled polymers for less demanding applications.  AxPoly products will be suitable for use by WEEE manufacturers, providing cost effective alternatives specified to match the performance of virgin polymers. AxPoly products will offer an environmental advantage; being manufactured from traceable recycled polymers. AxPlas products will have a wide range of potential applications such as in the garden products and window industries. 

For further information, please contact Keith Freegard at  Axion Polymers:

Tel : 0161 737 6124    
email: info@axionpolymers.co.uk

Axion is working with three leading flexible flooring manufacturers who have agreed to trial the production of new flooring products with recycled

Axion is working with three leading flexible flooring manufacturers who have agreed to trial the production of new flooring products with recycled content. It is also liaising with a network of installers throughout the country who will collect old flooring and offcuts for recycling.

Jane Gardner, Project Co-ordinator, Axion Recycling explains: “We shall be visiting installers working on major floor projects, whether it’s a big department store, hospital or school, to set up the best options for sustainable collection systems.

“Depending on where they’re based and local collection facilities, these will either be bulk bags or cages to store the offcuts and old flooring material before it is sent for recycling.”

According to Jane, the scheme has the potential to divert tonnes of valuable and recyclable material from landfill and turn it back into new products, thus saving the environment as well as valuable raw materials.

She adds: “Ultimately, we hope the trials will result in a sustainable, nationwide collection system for waste flexible flooring that will provide a consistent stream of material for manufacturers to re-use in a commercially viable product.”

Tarkett-Marley Floors Ltd is taking part in the scheme. Pete Thomas, Environment & Quality Manager at Tarkett-Marley comments: "We are delighted to be members of this project and are committed to increasing both the amount of vinyl flooring which is recovered for recycling and the amount that is actually incorporated back into new floorings."

Installers wishing to take part in the scheme can contact Axion Recycling on 0161 426 7731

Recovinyl members stand to benefit from increased volumes as a result of new legislation governing the disposal of non-hazardous waste. Part of

Recovinyl members stand to benefit from increased volumes as a result of new legislation governing the disposal of non-hazardous waste. Part of the Landfill Directive,  the new legislation comes into place on 30th October 2007, banning the landfill of non-hazardous liquid waste and requiring producers of non-hazardous waste to pre-treat the waste before it is landfilled. Waste can be pre-treated by any of 4 different processes; physical, thermal, chemical or biological to

• reduce its volume or
• reduce its hazardous nature or
• facilitate its handling or
• enhance recovery.

In its guidance to producers, the Environment Agency suggests that recycling will be one of the easiest ways to comply with the Directive, advising collection and separation of individual waste streams to enable recovery.  Waste management companies can carry out treatment on behalf of producers before waste is sent to landfill.

The Environment Agency advises producers that it will be ‘good practice’ to produce documentation that can be incorporated in the waste transfer notes to state the treatment used and the amount of waste sorted for recycling. Currently, landfill operators are responsible for ensuring that only treated waste goes to landfill but the government is considering altering the duty of care regime to include waste producers and holders.

As Roger Morton comments ”The new directive will act as a driver to encourage recycling of a range of waste streams.  A simple and easy way for people to comply with the legislation will be to sort out PVC profiles, flooring, roofing, and cables and ensure they are recycled through the Recovinyl scheme.”

Read the Environment Agency’s Guidance notes at:
publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO0207BLWJ-e-e.pdf