Plastic Recyclate Impression Moulding Engineering (PRIME), a pan-European consortium that develops mixed polymer waste to produce products with ‘similar properties to timber or aluminium’, has seen its prototype rig manufacture its first ‘test barrier panel’ for use in flood defences.

The project, first announced in July 2012, came about after ‘experts in material science and innovators in manufacturing’ pooled resources to build a prototype rig to manufacture a ‘wide range of complex products’ such as flood barriers and marine and construction applications.

As part of the testing – expected to be completed in June 2013 – the consortium will produce a life cycle analysis (LCA), comparing panels manufactured from between 80 and 97 per cent mixed plastic waste with aluminium panels currently used in flood defence barriers. The final results of the project, including the LCA analysis, will be published ‘later in the year’.

PRIME's flood defence panels made from mixed polymer waste

According to PRIME’s website, the work came about as ‘one of the biggest challenges facing the European recycling industry is what to do with low grade mixed plastic waste’. Further, the consortium says that in order to develop ‘sustainable pathways to recycle this plastic, innovative technologies that can use it as a raw material and create something productive and beneficial are vital’.

Speaking of the project, Steve Morgan, Technical Manager at Recoup, a national charity that promotes plastic recycling, and PRIME’s Dissemination and Commercial Exploitation Manager, stated: “We have seen some very promising results in the manufacture of the panels, and this clearly demonstrates the increasing potential of using mixed polymer waste to create high-end products that can be used in many industries.”

Environmental testing on the panels including UV, humidity, moisture and flame testing are continuing, and further production trials are now to be carried out to manufacture a final prototype flood barrier.

The PRIME consortium is made up of 10 partners working in partnership with the REA (the European Commission’s Research Executive Agency) and includes Brunel University, mixed polymer manufacturer Acorn and flood defence specialists Caro.

The research leading to these results received funding from the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme managed by REA-Research Executive Agency.

Resource efficiency trend

PRIME’s flood defence programme is one of several projects currently underway to increase plastic recycling and promote resource efficiency.

Earlier this year, plastic manufacturer Closed Loop Recycling and sustainable cleaning products brand Ecover launched a joint initiative aimed at creating new packaging from waste plastic collected from the oceans, while nylon polymer manufacturer Aquafil, sock company Star Sock and the European Centre for Nature Conservation (ECNC) created a joint initiative aimed at recycling abandoned fishing nets into garments and fabrics.

Ecover’s Chief Executive, Philip Malmberg said: “As manufacturers we’ve got to take responsibility for sustainability very seriously – to take real action on climate change and the damage done by our over-reliance on fossil fuels, creating ‘green’ products that deliver more than a nod to sustainability.”

Speaking to Resource, Morgan added: “The use of recycled plastics as a raw material can add to companies’ environmental credentials, such as carbon footprint reductions, lifecycle analysis benefits or in developing its corporate social responsibility agenda. PRIME provides an impressive example of the versatility of used plastics packaging in new products and applications.”

Read more about PRIME.