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US 5,169,588 AGranted
Solvent based plastics recycling process
OwnerGary N. Esteppinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solvent based plastics recycling process directly reduces large volumes of post consumer plastic waste materials by up to 500% by volume. Minimal sorting and no cleaning is required, and large percentages of contaminants are tolerated. The process yields a highly adhesive resin which cures to a hard wood or masonry type material. The reduced end product, an epoxy sludge, may be formed to provide a lumber or brick substitute. Large percentages of shredded paper and other waste materials, including metals, may be added to the plastic waste materials, if desired.
Claims15
A process for recycling plastic waste materials, the process comprising the steps of:
- collecting plastic and other non-plastic waste materials;
- separating polystyrene plastic waste materials from other plastic waste materials collected;
- shredding the other plastic waste materials until a substance having a pulp-like consistency is obtained;
- spraying the separated polystyrene plastic waste materials with a single solvent in a solvent mix tank to reduce the volume of the separated polystyrene plastic waste materials and form a sludge;
- adding the shredded other plastic waste materials to the solvent mix tank and mixing them with the sludge contained therein to obtain a liquid mass of volume reduced waste materials;
- removing the liquid mass of volume reduced waste materials from the solvent mix tank;
- removing any excess solvent from the liquid mass of volume reduced waste materials;
- forming the liquid mass of volume reduced waste materials to impart a desired shape and texture thereto;
- and
- hardening the formed liquid mass of volume reduced waste materials to obtain an end product.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.