It’s time to recycle
more than 16%
Why is so little plastic actually recycled?
In a world full of good intentions, genuine mass-scale global recycling is a myth. Currently, only about 16% of the world’s plastic waste is recycled, along with varying amounts of other hydrocarbon waste. The rest goes to landfills, ends up in our oceans, or is burned. Why? Because most of the world’s recycling infrastructure is based on a form of recycling called mechanical recycling. Mechanical recycling requires almost 100% pure recycling feedstock–free from any contamination and separated into pure batches of the exact same plastic. This is very difficult to do, and often uneconomical.
Mechanical Recycling
Mechanical recycling processes require an almost completely homogenous source of plastic, such as 100% water bottles, achieved by sorting out any other type of plastic. Then, the plastic needs to be cleaned from any impurities, such as dirt, labels and residues.
Additionally, the plastic needs to be shredded into small chips before it can be processed and formed into pellets that can then be converted into new plastic products again. However, plastic can only be mechanically recycled a limited number of times before the physical properties become insufficient for further recycling.
The problem is that it is difficult to know which plastic has been recycled before and how many times. Mixed plastic waste and hard plastics are difficult and expensive to recycle, and so much of it still ends up in a landfill. In some countries, recycling tires or used motor oils and lubricants is fairly common, and in other countries, the recycling infrastructure is limited. So, only some types of plastic and other hydrocarbon waste are recycled globally. But now there’s a better way.
Vortechs Advanced Recycling
Vortechs advanced recycling technology involves an anaerobic thermal cracking process that recycles end-of-life plastic and other hydrocarbon waste from long-chain to short-chain hydrocarbon molecules. We call this resulting feedstock Eco, which can be recycled back to virgin plastics or other chemicals or products an unlimited number of times.
Importantly, Vortechs eliminates the difficult and expensive process of sorting, washing and shredding plastic waste, saving time, money, energy and carbon emissions. This technological combination allows Vortechs to process 80-90% of global plastic waste plus other hydrocarbon waste simultaneously. In addition, small amounts of organics such as food waste and some paper and cardboard waste are also permissible with the Vortechs technology.
This unprecedented flexibility to process almost any hydrocarbon waste – both solids and liquids, and small amounts of other waste – in a simple process with village-scale systems, represents a new era in hydrocarbon recycling and waste to sustainable energy.
What is the difference between mechanical and Vortechs advanced recycling? Here’s a quick guide.
Recycling
Recycling
What is the difference between mechanical and Vortechs advanced recycling? Here’s a quick guide.
| Mechanical Recycling | Vortechs Advanced Recycling | |
| No pre-sorting required | ✔ | |
| No washing required | ✔ | |
| No shredding required | ✔ | |
| Mixed plastics recycled | ✔ | |
| Hard to recycle plastics recycled | ✔ | |
| Mixed hydrocarbon waste recycled | ✔ | |
| Small amounts of organics permissible | ✔ | |
| Some paper / cardboard waste permissible | ✔ | |
| Similar CO2 net process emissions | ✔ | ✔ |
| Virgin plastic or other products created | ✔ | |
| Infinite recycling process | ✔ | |
| Printing and labels acceptable | ✔ | |
| Residual label adhesive acceptable | ✔ | |
| Closures acceptable | ✔ |
The Vortechs WasteNgine transforms almost
any plastic or hydrocarbon waste into
recyclable feedstock or sustainable energy.
How it
Works
Lower Carbon
Footprint
Differentiated
Solution
Energy
Options
Developing
Nation Options
Waste
Stream
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