Plastic recycling: Better sorting alone is not enough
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This discrepancy shows that the challenges in plastics recycling run deeper than often assumed. There is no shortage of promising solutions or the will to implement them. Nevertheless, the processes currently in use, which are intended to keep pace with the complexity of modern plastics streams, remain too limited.
Mechanical recycling forms the foundation of the plastics circular economy today. At the same time, it is heavily dependent on waste being as pure as possible. Only in this way can high-quality recyclates be produced and the well-known downcycling effect avoided.
Plastic sorting has made great progress.
Significant progress has been made in this area in recent years: Modern sorting systems increasingly utilize artificial intelligence to recognize materials in real time based on shape, color, and texture. Self-learning systems are continuously improving their accuracy, while robotic solutions selectively remove foreign materials. Combined, these technologies now achieve Sorting accuracies of over 95%.
And the technology is developing rapidly. Digital watermarks – for example, as part of initiatives such as “HolyGrail 2.0“– make packaging for machines uniquely identifiable. Advances in near-infrared sensors now even make it possible to reliably detect previously difficult-to-see materials such as black plastics. In addition, tracer-based approaches open up new possibilities for selectively marking materials and later separating them again.”
However, mechanical recycling is increasingly reaching its limits.
And yet, a structural problem remains. Despite all the progress, large quantities of plastic waste still exist that are difficult to recycle mechanically. This includes, in particular, composite materials, heavily contaminated plastics, and multi-layered packaging, such as that widely used in the food industry.
Even the best sorting technology cannot completely purify these materials to the necessary level. This is precisely where the systemic limitation of mechanical recycling becomes apparent: it is highly efficient but not universally applicable.
Dr. Albert Paparo sorting manually.
Chemical recycling is a necessary addition
To close this gap, chemical processes are increasingly coming into focus. Technologies such as pyrolysis or solvolysis come into play where mechanical processes are no longer effective. They break down plastics into their molecular components, thus making them usable again as raw materials.
The key advantage is that even mixed or contaminated waste streams can be processed. Ideally, this results in raw materials for new, high-quality plastics.
Chemical recycling does not replace mechanical recycling, but rather complements it effectively. Only through their interaction does a system emerge that truly meets the demands of today's waste streams.
Why only a holistic approach can work
The real challenge, however, lies not in individual technologies, but in the system as a whole. A functioning circular economy requires the interplay of many elements: from the pretreatment of waste and sorting to the combination of different recycling processes.
Equally important is the management of material flows and the question of how and where the recovered recyclates are actually reintegrated into the market. Without this holistic view, even the best individual technologies remain piecemeal.
What role does enespa play in this change?
This is precisely where enespa comes in. In recent years, the company has invested heavily in research and development, particularly in the field of pyrolysis. Now the next phase begins: the transition from test operations to industrial scaling.
Enespa sees itself not only as a supplier of individual systems, but as a partner along the entire value chain. Its range of services extends from the planning and construction of turnkey systems and support with permitting processes to employee training – and in certain cases, even to system operation.
At the same time, material flows are considered holistically – from the input of waste to the marketing of recycled products. This integrated approach is crucial to making recycling solutions not only technically but also economically viable.
We are seeing a turning point for plastics recycling.
Advances in sorting technology are impressive and an important step towards better recycling rates. However, they alone will not be enough to solve the global plastic problem. The future lies in the intelligent combination of mechanical and chemical processes – embedded in a system that takes a holistic approach to recycling.
The technological foundations are in place, and many solutions are ready to take the next step. This places us at a crucial turning point: it's no longer just about innovation, but about implementation and scaling.
Only in this way can the vision of a world without plastic waste become a reality.
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