Solvent-based recycling of polypropylene from waste carpets: an investigation on the leaching behaviour of carpet components

Abstract

Polyolefins, mainly polyethylenes (HDPE or LDPE) and polypropylene (PP) are major types of thermoplastics used in a wide variety of applications throughout the world. Polypropylene is used in a wide variety of products, ranging from packaging materials to textile products like carpets, and one of the major contributors to environmental pollution, which calls for the development of effective and efficient recycling methods. The aim of this study was to investigate the leaching behavior of waste carpets’ components in the proprietary solvent designed for selective dissolution of PP in order to determine the pre-processes required to obtain PP-rich feedstock material and high purity recycled PP polymer.