Distinction and Separation of Polyvinyl Chloride from Waste Plastics

To suppress dioxin emissions, it is essential to identify and separate polyvinyl chloride from waste plastics contained in municipal waste. In the present study, the composition of municipal waste was analyzed, and the fraction of polyvinyl chloride in waste plastics was determined. Basic experiments in polyvinyl chloride identification and separation from waste plastics in municipal waste were then carried out using a system combining the near-infrared and X-ray processes. The experiments revealed that this system is capable of continuously and accurately identifying and separating polyvinyl chloride from waste plastics. The minimum thickness and area of waste plastics from which polyvinyl chloride can be separated have been clarified. The experiment has also shown that PVC bottles, PET bottles etc. can be separated accurately from waste plastic bottles. A study was also conducted to determine the dependence of PVC bottle separation accuracy on the fractions of PVC bottles, PET bottles etc. contained in municipal waste.