Limpeza química do pet pós-consumo visando uma reciclagem diferenciada.

Abstract

In order that PET can be properly recycled it is usually necessary to remove the contaminants that are present both in the packaging itself (adhesives, labels and pigments) and also products that are adsorbed during the use of the product (organic, sand, metal). The removal of these contaminants is difficult, since the properties of PET should not be affected by the removal procedure. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficiency of cleaning solutions based on sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid to remove contaminants from PET bottles. The choice of the most efficient solution for cleaning took into consideration factors such as: efficiency of removal of contaminants, changes in the properties of PET, ease of operation and cost in existing recycling plants. The removal of contaminants was achieved ranging up parameters such as concentration and exposure time of the cleaning solution.