Method for separation, recovery, and recycling of plastics from municipal solid waste

Abstract

A method for treatment of mixed wastes containing various plastics, such as municipal solid wastes, in which mechanical agitation and heat distortion of plastic films cause rupture and spilling of the contents of plastic film containers in the wastes. The wastes are introduced into a processing unit with means of heating and mechanical agitation of the contents. By the method in this invention, the plastics are separated and recovered as a mixture that may be recycled as a composite plastic used in the manufacture of various products or that may be further separated into identifiable types of plastics for recycling. The quantity of plastics recovered from MSW is greatly increased compared to previous processes using steam heat to achieve separation of the components of such mixed wastes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.