Recycling cellulose esters from the waste from cigarette manufacture
AssigneeHoechst Celanese Corporation
InventorDavid A. Schiraldi
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Abstract
A process for recycling waste from the manufacture filtered cigarettes is disclosed herein. The process comprises the following steps: A waste stream from the manufacture of filtered cigarettes is provided. The waste stream includes tobacco, cellulose ester polymer, and paper. A substantial portion of the cellulose ester polymer is separated from this waste stream. This cellulose ester polymer is contacted with a sufficient volumne of fluid to extract contaminants therefrom. The fluid is under pressure and temperature conditions, such that the fluid is a supercritical or a near supercritical fluid.
Claims8
A process for recycling the waste from the manufacture of filtered cigarettes, said process comprising the steps of:
- providing a waste stream from the manufacture of filtered cigarettes, the waste stream including tobacco, cellulose acetate polymer, and paper;
- separating a substantial portion of the cellulose acetate polymer from the waste stream;
- and
- contacting the cellulose acetate polymer with a sufficient volume of fluid to extract contaminants therefrom;
- the fluid being under pressure and temperature conditions such that the fluid is a supercritical or near supercritical fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.