AIJU investigates the safe recycling of plastic waste from appliances, toys and textiles

ALICANTE, 19 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Technological Institute of Children's Products and Leisure (AIJU) investigates, within the framework of the PRecycling project -financed by the European Union--, the safe recycling of plastic waste from and for use in sectors such as household appliances, children's products and toys and textiles.

Specifically, it works on the development of an "easy methodology" that improves the method of separation and analysis of recycled products, what types of contaminating substances it contains and how to eliminate them to contribute to the traceability of this recycled material, as indicated by the institute. technology in a statement.

The European Plastic Strategy, through the Green Deal and the Action Plan for the Circular Economy 2.0, addresses the need to establish new methods to calculate, verify and report "reliably" the recycled content existing in each product, promoting, thus the use of recycled material compared to virgin material and the reduction in the production of plastic waste.

To this end, AIJU has been working on the collection and "exhaustive" analysis of product waste from toys, which makes it possible to verify that they meet the safety requirements to reintroduce said recycling into the sector and in manufacturing, through extrusion, of materials that are not degraded and that have "acceptable quality, reproducible, traceable and economically viable."

The person responsible for the project at AIJU, Asunción Martínez, explained that in the work package led by the technological institute they have determined the technical characteristics for the use of these recycled materials, which "guarantee the conformity of the final products." "We have done it for specific applications such as electricity and electronics, home, toys, leisure or sports," she said.

"We have also estimated that there is a sufficient amount of recycling of different types of plastic to be able to use them safely, since the recycled materials must meet specific technical characteristics to be used in the indicated applications," he noted.

The aim of the PRecycling project is to ensure "constant" quality of recycling and safe use in products for household appliances, toys and textiles, showing that "unique and high-quality" materials made from such waste can be reused, both within of the same supply chains as in new products.

Once the first results have been achieved, the partners participating in this European project focus on reviewing the methodology and best practices used in the industry and in EU Member States to calculate, verify and report the recycled plastic content in products. products.

"By the end of this year this objective will have been achieved. Furthermore, work on the proposal for a definition of recycling widely accepted in the EU is at a good stage and the related manual will be delivered at the end of the project," Martínez detailed. .