A NEW PROCESS TO RECYLE PET BOTTLE FLAKES FOR FOOD CONTACT APPLICATIONS

摘要

In the Bepex process ground and washed post-consumer polyester packaging (rPET) flakes are efficiently decontaminated and polymerized for food contact packaging applications. The hot processed flakes may be directly extruded into the bottles, sheets or films thereby eliminating several energy, capital and labor intensive steps resulting in a cost-effective simplified process. Volatile contaminants in the polymer are removed by diffusion into the gas phase thereby purifying the polymer in the solid state under atmospheric pressure. The presence of small amounts of selected vapors in the gas enhances diffusion of the volatile components providing efficient decontamination without excessive molecular weight build-up.