PMMA Recycling Case Study
At Plastic Expert we have vast experience with clients from multiple sectors, with one of our customers being an exhibition planner and distribution company. This business got in touch with us explaining how they had large quantities of redundant PMMA panels from their events: A rigid form of acrylic that is often used as an alternative for glass. This business was struggling to handle the large volumes of PMMA waste being generated, and were searching for a sustainable waste management company that could collect and recycle the materials.
How We Helped
Specialising in recycling PMMA/Acrylic waste, we knew the exact process involved in dealing with this plastic waste successfully. Acrylic is difficult to recycle due to the toxins that it contains, and without specialist assistance, people face the risk of emitting harmful fuels during the recycling process. However, using a process called pyrolysis, the team here at Plastic Expert ensured that the waste materials could decompose safely.
As we provide highly flexible services to suit the needs of our clients, we worked around a collection day that best fitted the company’s busy schedule to load and transport the PMMA. The collection consisted of using an arctic curtain sider lorry free of charge, meaning the curtains could be drawn back easily for speedy and efficient loading of the PMMA panels.
Collection and Recycling
Once collected, the recyclable waste was sent to our licenced recycling facility for the panels to be granulated down into small pieces. The next step of the process was to powder the plastic, which helps to reproduce the plastic waste into new products of different sizes. The materials can then be reintroduced into the plastic market and used for multiple products, allowing the waste to take a full cycle back into a useable product.
PMMA Waste Baled
Recycling Reports and Documentation
The full recycling documentation was given on the collection of the PMMA panels. This report consists of all legal documentation; including the weight of the materials and data to understand the collection and recycling procedure. The documents can then provide our clients with evidence on the environmentally-friendly recycling methods we use, and allow them to realise the great benefits of using our waste management services.
Environmental and Cost Benefits
Without the help of Plastic Expert, the event planning company would have spent over £1500 in order to dispose of the plastic waste themselves. Not only did we provide a cost-effective service saving them huge costs, but also an efficient, hassle-free full waste management service from collections through to recycling. Because of the large volumes of PMMA waste the company was creating, it was incredibly important that their waste materials were disposed of safely. Acrylic plastic is so widely used across multiple industries and is difficult to dispose of, often finding its way into landfill sites. Here, high levels of methane gas and Co2 are emitted, contributing to the rapid speed of global warming. By using Plastic Expert’s recycling service, we could assure them that their business was managing the waste sustainably; limiting pollution and deducting raw materials & energy from being used in the production of the plastics.
