Mechanical Recycling Additives and Plastic Compounds

Mechanical Recycling

Mechanical recycling is a process used to recover and reuse plastic materials without altering their chemical structure. In this method, post-consumer or post-industrial plastic waste is collected, sorted, cleaned, and then shredded into smaller pieces or flakes. These flakes are then melted and reprocessed - often through extrusion - into new plastic pellets or products. The quality and properties of the recycled material can be affected by contamination or degradation, so additives or blending with virgin material may be used to improve performance. Various additives like compatibilizers, chain extenders and impact modifiers can be incorporated into the process.

Additives and plastic compounds used for mechanical recycling

The Compound Company offers multiple Yparex and EcoForte additives for the mechanical recycling of solid plastic waste streams, such as PET or PLA based chain extenders, and maleic anhydride modified compatibilizers. These compatibilizers are very effective in increasing the performance of mechanically recycled material. Addition of just a few percent of this Yparex compatibilizer results in a significant increase in processability and mechanical performance of the mechanically recycled material. Yparex compatibilizers are developed for solid plastic waste mixtures containing two or more of the following plastics: polyethylene (PE), polyproplyene (PP), polyamide (PA), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). For sustainable applications we also have bio-based compatibilizers.

Applications of mechanical recycling

Mechanical recycling has a wide range of applications, for instance in building and construction, automotive and consumer goods.

Find the right product for your application

To explore our full range of mechanical recycling solutions please visit our product selector. It will help you identify the most suitable materials for your specific process and end-use requirements.