Post consumer scrap film recycling process

A method for processing post consumer scrap film into a near-virgin quality blown film product, the method comprising:

• providing one of a supply of multi-layer recyclable linear low density polyethylene plastic film and a supply of recyclable multi-layer low density polyethylene plastic film;
• removing metal from the supply of plastic film;
• shredding the supply of multi-layer plastic film after metal removal, wherein the plastic film is torn exposing delaminated surface area of film;
• discharging the shredded plastic film through a filter screen to a water bath;
• agitating the water in the water bath to further delaminate and wet all the surfaces of the shredded plastic film;
• removing the plastic film from the water bath;
• wet grinding the plastic film;
• washing the ground plastic film in a rotating friction washer, wherein contaminates are removed from the plastic film;
• separating at least two different types of the washed ground plastic film in a hydrocyclone, wherein lighter plastic film is separated from heavier plastic film;
• drying the washed ground plastic film so the film contains not more than 10%, by weight, water content;
• and
• compacting the dry ground plastic film without addition of water into granulated objects of near-virgin quality plastic film, wherein the granulated objects are one of stored and used as raw material in a blown film operation.

A method for processing post consumer scrap film into a near-virgin quality blown film product, the method comprising:

• providing one of a supply of multi-layer recyclable linear low density polyethylene plastic film and a supply of multi-layer recyclable low density polyethylene plastic film;
• removing metal from the supply of plastic film;
• shredding the supply of multi-layer plastic film after metal removal, wherein the plastic film is torn exposing delaminated surface area of film;
• discharging the shredded plastic film through a filter screen to a water bath;
• agitating the water in the water bath to further delaminate and wet all the surfaces of the shredded plastic film, the water bath including a surfactant additive including a detergent, an oxidizer, and a bleaching agent;
• removing the plastic film from the water bath;
• wet grinding the plastic film;
• washing the ground plastic film in a rotating friction washer, wherein contaminates are removed from the plastic film;
• separating at least two different types of the washed ground plastic film in a hydrocyclone, wherein lighter plastic film is separated from heavier plastic film;
• drying the washed ground plastic film so the film contains not more than 10%, by weight, water content;
• and
• compacting the dry ground plastic film without addition of water into granulated objects of near-virgin quality plastic film, wherein the granulated objects are one of stored and used as raw material in a blown film operation.