Plastic Recycling : Large containers, minimal impact: IBC recycling at Dansk Emballage in Denmark

With over 30 years of experience, Dansk Emballage specializes in trading new and reconditioned industrial packaging, including IBCs, drums, canisters, and pallets. The company collects, cleans, repairs, and recycles packaging through an ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified process. When reconditioning isn't possible, IBC bottles, plastic drums, and cans are sent for material recycling. The containers are sourced from chemical and food industry companies across Scandinavia.

"Every day, our employees work on a mission: to do something good for the environment. With our customized and intelligent solutions, we continuously optimize the recycling cycle for the benefit of our planet. Plastic is not a bad material but a good one when it is recycled and not burned or disposed of in nature," says Martin Schack Staffeldt, Managing Director of Dansk Emballage in Vamdrup, Denmark.

The WEIMA W5.18 single-shaft shredder is ideal for shredding large quantities of plastics. It has a V-rotor with a diameter of 500 mm and a rotor length of 1,800 mm. The Siemens PLC control system with intuitive touch panel makes the shredder easy to operate. A large inspection hatch provides easy access for maintenance. The owners are also impressed with the material feed: "The swing ram transports the IBC containers to the rotor very quickly and thoroughly. Some of these are 16-kilogram IBCs, and within a short time, shredded plastic pieces measuring 60 mm are coming out. We are very pleased with the result," says Martin Schack Staffeldt.

The shredding process at Dansk Emballage is optimally adapted to plastic applications. Before shredding, all lattices, pallets and valves are removed from the cans, drums or IBCs, leaving only pure plastic.

An integrated and automated water injection system in the shredder's cutting chamber pre-washes the containers during the shredding process. This cleans the containers of coarse residues and significantly reduces the risk of fire.

Dansk Emballage has also opted for additional rotor wear protection. This ensures that the rotor is well protected against foreign objects and abrasive materials. A camera installed inside the shredder allows continuous monitoring of the process.

The pre-shredded material is then transported to a granulator for further size reduction. This is followed by a friction washer. The combination of granulator and friction washer provides effective shredding and cleaning of plastic waste. The granulator further reduces the size of the material, while the friction washer removes contaminants to provide clean granules for further processing. These two processes are critical to the quality of the recyclate and the efficiency of the overall recycling process.

Dansk Emballage uses 35% of the recycled material to produce new IBCs – a closed-loop system that is highly appreciated by customers.
The decision to choose WEIMA was made after a thorough evaluation of various suppliers. "We looked at many different potential suppliers for the shredder and ultimately chose WEIMA. And we are very satisfied with it," says Martin Schack Staffeldt.

The comprehensive service and support from the local WEIMA representative in Denmark have significantly facilitated the implementation and operation of the shredder.