Recycling of plastic materials and wastes
Originally conceived as a plastic-to-fuel technology for converting the non-recyclable fraction of plastic waste into a kerosene-like liquid hydrocarbon, CatC is now an innovative feedstock recycling process for recovering monomers and other basic compounds for the chemical industry through the treatment of plastic waste and materials.
CatC overcomes the environmental problems associated with the direct combustion of plastic waste, as well as achieving high levels of efficiency and performance in the production of high value-added raw materials.
The combined effect of the thermal energy and the catalyst used in the process enables CatC technology to break the bonds of treated plastic polymers, releasing the raw materials that form their bases.
The composition of the catalyst, together with the way it is used in the process, determines the high levels of effectiveness and efficiency expressed by CatC technology.
Tests carried out using waste Plexiglas (polymethyl methacrylate - PMMA) have demonstrated a methyl methacrylate (MMA) production efficiency of about 95% of the weight of the input material, and tests conducted by the Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics (DIIIE) of the University of L'Aquila have certified the high quality of the monomer produced.
The positive preliminary results obtained from the treatment of polystyrene for the production of styrene confirm the possibility of considerably extending the application of Cat-C technology, including potentially to the processing of other plastic matrices, such as polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE).
The first industrial prototype based on CatC technology, with an authorised treatment capacity of 5 tonnes/day of incoming plastic waste, has already been built at the Montorio al Vomano (TE) site.
Biorenova has been authorised to set up a research and experimentation plant for the recovery of non-hazardous waste (Leg. Decree 3.4.2006, no. 152 as supplemented and amended), issued by the Waste Management Service of the Abruzzo Region (Determination no. DPC026/30), and is in possession of a Fire Prevention Certificate issued by the Fire Department of Teramo (TE).
For the development and construction of the prototype plant, Biorenova has been made eligible for grants and soft grants under the "Smart&Start Italia" programme managed by Invitalia Spa and has also benefited from equity resources provided by Finanziaria Regionale Abruzzese - Fira Spa, manager of the "Start-Up Start-Hope" fund (POR FERS 2007-2013).
