Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. has announced the development of the industry's first plastic recycling system capable of separating flame retardants from used plastic while maintaining its original physical properties.
The company plans to release a commercial version of the system during fiscal 2003, which ends March 31, 2004.
The newly developed system recycles plastics containing flame retardants using the following process. The plastic parts are crushed, the pieces are heated until they become soft, and a liquid solvent is added. The solvent melts only the flame retardants, separating them from the plastic.
The process is performed at relatively low temperature, and therefore it does not change or damage the physical characteristics of the plastic. This means it is possible to use recycled plastic rather than virgin plastic for some parts of new products. Green Biz.com
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