E-waste plastics : URT Launches New Plastic Separation and Recycling System

The new Plastic Separation and Recycling System allows URT to produce clean granulated product that can be sold domestically. It utilizes multiple separation tanks and is designed to process 6,000 pounds of e-waste plastics per hour, while recovering 100% of all metal contaminants from the plastic stream.

The Plastic Separation and Recycling System is designed to separate targeted plastics by processing the material in a fluid of intermediate density. The material with a specific gravity higher than that of the intermediate fluid will sink while the other material with a lower specific gravity will float.

E-waste plastics account for a dozen or more different polymers and certain plastics contain flame retardants that need to be separated. The system focuses on the recovery of the following plastics: Polystyrene, ABS, Polyethylene, and Polypropylene.

URT began researching and investigating into a plastic separation system three (3) years ago. “We saw an opportunity in the market,” said Jim Cornwell, URT’s President, “and wanted to provide a stable and domestic e-waste plastic solution for our customers.” In 2019, URT built a prototype system that tested the design process and product valuation.

Due to changes in plastic export requirements listed in updated Basel treaty amendment standards, domestic solutions for e-scrap plastic recycling are top of mind for US based processors. Jeff Gloyd, URT’s Vice President of Sales, shares that the system, “allows URT to own our destiny related to plastics recycling. This helps us stabilize value, which, in turn, helps us better service our diverse base of customers”.