Apparatus and method for sorting post-consumer articles according to PVC content

A method of sorting plural post-consumer articles according to the presence of polyvinyl chloride in the articles, comprising the steps of:

• irradiating the post-consumer articles with ultraviolet light for separate first and second irradiation periods;
• after the first and second irradiation periods, detecting phosphorescent light emitted from the post-consumer articles in response to having been irradiated during the first and second irradiation periods;
• and
• sorting the post-consumer articles according to whether phosphorescent light is emitted therefrom, whereby the post-consumer articles including polyvinyl chloride emit phosphorescent light.

A post-consumer plastics sorting system that sorts post-consumer plastic articles including polyvinyl chloride from those without, comprising:

• an ultraviolet light source positioned to irradiate the post-consumer plastic articles with ultraviolet light;
• a conveyor for carrying plural post-consumer plastic articles irradiated by the ultraviolet light source to an inspection area;
• isolation means for preventing ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source from reaching the post-consumer plastic articles in the inspection area;
• a light detector in optical communication with the inspection area to detect therefrom phosphorescent light emitted from the post-consumer plastic articles including polyvinyl chloride in response to having been irradiated by the ultraviolet light source, the light detector generating a light signal corresponding to detected phosphorescent light;
• a processor receiving and processing the light signal from the light detector to identify the post-consumer plastic articles including polyvinyl chloride;
• a separator responsive to the processor for separating the post-consumer plastic articles including polyvinyl chloride from those without.