What is made from recycled PET bottles. Everything about recycling plastic bottles

Man produces a huge amount of garbage every year.

Harsh statistics give a figure of 200 kg per year, and a good third of this is made up of plastic bottles.

Some people know that such a bottle is valuable source of recyclable materials, others don’t, others just don’t think about it.

And multi-colored bottles fly together into ordinary trash cans.

IN Lately the organization of lines for PET bottles is moving from the realm of non-standard ideas into a very real and very profitable business area. People took care of providing raw materials for decades to come.

Refusal of cheap plastic packaging in favor of more environmentally friendly (and more expensive) materials is unlikely to be seen in the near future. IN natural conditions polymers take hundreds of years to decompose, so why not combine profit from own business with care for our home planet?

In Russia, no more than 6% of plastic bottles are recycled, while in the world this figure reaches 70-90%.

The pioneer in this type of business on Russian soil was the Plarus processing plant, near the city of Solnechnogorsk. The company operates according to a unique scheme "bottle to bottle" since 2007. IN this moment"Plarus" produces raw materials only for technical needs, but in the near future it is planned to launch the production of granules that meet the quality standards of the food industry.

At first glance, there should be no problems finding raw materials for processing. Landfills and trash cans are overflowing with abandoned PET bottles. However, in reality, the main problem that we have to face is precisely the underutilization of the production line. Monitoring of purchase and sale advertisements plastic waste will give an initial idea of ​​market conditions and prices.

It makes sense to consider installing one or more collection points for plastic bottles. Concluding an agreement with city landfills for the supply of raw materials will significantly expand business opportunities.

Landfill of a city with a population of 100 thousand people. can produce up to 20 tons of PET bottles monthly.

First steps

The specifics of business (we work for the benefit of society!) invite support from government authorities. It can be:

• subsidies;
• grants;
• provision of premises on preferential terms.

Perhaps, right now there are corresponding programs in the region. Registration required legal entity , individual entrepreneurship is not suitable for this type of business. The optimal form of organization is LLC. To obtain a license, an environmental report from the relevant examination bureau, permits from the SES and the fire service, you will need to spend from 30 thousand rubles.

Selecting a room depends on the planned scale of production.

A full-cycle line for processing plastic bottles consists of several large units, plus conveyor belts connecting them.

The total length of the installation is about 35 meters. Besides the actual production premises It is necessary to provide a place for storing raw materials and recyclables.

A plastic bottle is a voluminous and lightweight material that occupies a significant area. Such production will require a large hangar or factory workshop, preferably outside the city, in an industrial zone.

Mobile alternative to a stationary workshop: mini-factory, which is entirely housed in a 6-meter container. This option is great if you plan to collect raw materials in several small towns. Loading the processing line with initial PET raw materials is a top priority for successful business development.

In both cases, it is necessary to establish the necessary communications:

• electricity supply;
• water pipes;
• sewer for draining waste.

Technologically, the process is not one of the complex ones. All work can be completed in 2-3 days.

Production Line

The complete recycling cycle of plastic bottles consists of three stages, and a ready-to-work line of three main links.

Technology development recent years directed to overall reduction stages production cycle processing at all stages.

Previously, the process was much more complex and multi-stage.

Crusher

This includes waste already sorted by color, freed from caps and labels. The device operates on the principle of a blender and cuts entire bottles into small pieces.

Agglomerator

Plastic mass - flex- is subjected to finer crushing and subsequent sintering into small lumps.

Finished intermediate product - agglomerate- you can already sell, or you can move on to the next cycle to obtain higher quality and more expensive raw materials.

Granulator

The mixture is heated again and in this state is cut. After cooling, the final processed product is obtained - granules.

Process in numbers

Minimum budget to purchase a full cycle line for recycling PET bottles - 5.5-6 million rubles.($100 thousand). It is advisable to add 10% to this amount for installation and commissioning of equipment. The yield of the finished product is about 80% of the original raw material (800 grams of granules per 1 kg of waste).

A full cycle line is usually designed for round-the-clock operation. The operating mode is fully automatic, except for the sorting of raw materials.

Optional equipment

High-quality multi-stage purification of feedstock and flex can significantly increase the operating time of the extruder filter and improves quality final product(agglomerate, granulate). PTF Tekhprom LLC (Russia) claims quality that is not inferior to Western analogues.

The price of a line for washing and drying flex from this manufacturer is 5 million rubles. in the maximum configuration and 1 million in the minimum. Equipping the production line with the following additional equipment will significantly improve the quality and purity of the final product:

• hot washing bath (high-quality cleaning of flexible paper from dirt, glue, label residues using water and chemicals);
• one or two centrifuges;
• flotation washing (effectively separates materials with different densities. Contaminants remain on the surface, while flex having a different density settles at the bottom of the bath);
• pneumatic transport connecting the units;
• unified equipment control module.

When choosing models of processing lines, it would be a good idea to take into account the possibility of a modular design that allows you to supplement, change the order and arrangement of machines.

Each installation can be purchased separately to then assemble them into a production line. The Internet is replete with advertisements for the sale of used components and equipment. Regular price monitoring will allow you to choose the right ones for the price and technical specifications options.

Income, expenses, payback

The lines operate automatically, but raw materials need to be unloaded, sorted, loaded into units, and the finished product transported to the warehouse. Labor productivity per worker: 125 kg/h. Thus, 3-4 people will be required. Also needed:

• a master to monitor the operation of the line;
• accountant;
• manager-manager.

The functions of the latter can be taken over by the business owner himself, whose direct interests are the search for sales markets. When transferring production to round-the-clock operation, much more employees will be required, but productivity will also increase significantly.

Let's calculate the approximate expenses:

1. 6 million rub. for the purchase and installation of a production line;
2. 400 thousand rubles. for rent and utility payments;
3. 100 thousand rubles. - other expenses (obtaining a license, registering an enterprise, etc.);
4. 200 thousand rubles. to pay employees.

Total: 6.7 million rubles.
The line will allow processing up to 300 kg of raw materials per hour, producing PET flakes in a volume of 240 kg/hour.

Assuming an 8-hour working day and a 24-day working month, this is at least 1.5 tons of product per day or 36 tons per month. Let's round this figure to 30. The selling price of flex depends on the color of the plastic. Transparent is more expensive, painted - cheaper.

The cheapest plastic Brown, since it is not subject to subsequent painting.

In the world 1 ton of purified PET flakes sells for an average of $500. In Russia prices are lower, about 18-25 thousand rubles. per ton. Let's take the figure of 20 thousand rubles.

Let's calculate the approximate profitability of a processing enterprise:

• expenses: 6.7 million rubles;
• income before tax, per month: 600 thousand rubles.

Estimated return on business: about 1.5 years.

Sales of finished products

Potential buyers of the products will mainly be chemical industry enterprises.

Recycled PET is widely used in textile production.

Recycled polymers are significantly cheaper than virgin PET raw materials, making them attractive to manufacturers.

The scope of application depends mainly on the degree of contamination of the product.

Recycled PET containers can find a second life in the following areas:

• production of chemical fibers;
• production of nonwoven materials;
• production building materials and details;
• production of consumer plastic goods;
• as an additive to primary raw materials.

These types of production are represented in all regions of the country, therefore Demand for recycled PET is growing steadily. A developed sales market will allow, with minimal established connections, profitable sales of products at attractive prices.

Recycling plastic waste provides an opportunity to participate in environmental programs and effectively solve the important issue of PET recycling with the production of a product that brings significant profits.

All stages of the processing process plastic bottles are presented in the introductory video.

In contact with

Recycling plastic bottles is an extremely relevant topic for our country. The amount of PET containers produced is constantly increasing, and new recycling plants are practically not opening, despite the fact that recycled bottles are valuable recyclable materials. As a result, huge dumps of plastic waste are formed.

Plastic bottles are plastic containers for storing various kinds liquids(milk, beer, vegetable oils, motor oils, medicines, water, soft drinks, etc.). Plastic bottles have a number of advantages over glass containers. These advantages determine such widespread use in modern world plastic containers.

In the manufacture of plastic bottles, various raw materials are used, depending on the type of which certain markings are applied to the surface of the container. Thus, plastic containers are made from:

• HDPE, LDPE – high and low density polyethylene, respectively;
• PET – polyethylene terephthalate;
• PVC – polyvinyl chloride;
• PP – polypropylene;
• PS – polystyrene;
• other polymers.

Since polyethylene terephthalate is most often used in the production of beverage containers, further in the article we will mainly consider PET waste and the recycling of PET bottles.

In Russia, a technical condition has been developed, according to which all PET waste is sorted into several main groups by color: dark-colored waste (brown, black), blue and green waste, transparent and uncolored waste (yellow, cream and other colors) .

Note! In our country, several hundred thousand tons of PET waste are generated annually, most of which are plastic bottles.

Used PET bottles belong to waste hazard class 5 (non-hazardous), but this does not mean that such containers can be thrown into landfills in large quantities without harming the environment. The impact of plastic waste on the environment is discussed below in this article.

Harm to the environment

The main harm to the environment caused by plastic bottles is that plastic products do not rot (biologically decompose), they can lie in landfills for 100, 500 and even more years. At the same time, due to many other factors (low production costs, lightness of the material, etc.), a huge number of plastic bottles are produced today. After use, the containers become waste, the landfills of which occupy such large areas that their contours are visible even from space.

In the modern world, scientists are trying to solve this difficult environmental problem by obtaining new biodegradable packaging. However, implementation latest technologies costs for factories for the production of plastic bottles, unfortunately, are not yet affordable for most enterprises.

PET bottle recycling process

Recycling plastic bottles involves recycling them for reuse or making other materials. The technology is not complicated.

Recycling of PET bottles is carried out in stages. Let's look at each of the stages in more detail.

1. Collection and sorting of bottles. Perhaps the simplest stage in the whole process. The collection of raw materials is carried out by installing separate bins for plastic bottles in courtyards and opening plastic collection points throughout the city. The necessary containers are also collected from solid waste landfills.
2. Shredding bottles. At this stage, a processing apparatus such as a crusher is needed. The collected sorted bottles are placed in this installation, where they are crushed, resulting in flakes of a certain size, called PET flex. The resulting mass is washed, using caustic soda. Then the paper stickers are separated from the washed mass in a special centrifuge. Polypropylene labels and caps are removed by flotation. After this, the flex is washed again with plain water and transferred to a dryer, in which streams of heated air masses drying is carried out. The dried flex is unloaded and packaged. Such material may be sold. However, the process after the grinding stage can proceed using a different technology.
3. Agglomeration. Shredded bottles are exposed to high temperatures, resulting in the formation of small sintered lumps. Such agglomerates, like flex, can be offered for sale, but they can also be produced further processing– granulation.
4. Granulation. This stage is necessary to increase the purity and quality of raw materials, and, consequently, to increase their value. This stage is also called “briquetting”. The crushed mass is converted into pieces with a certain shape, into granules with same values weight and size. To do this, under the influence of slight pressure, the pieces are compacted, then deformation of the parts themselves occurs and their adhesion at the molecular level occurs. On final stage process, the pressure is increased. The result is granules with high strength.

What is made from PET bottles after recycling? The products obtained at various stages of the process are sold to factories for subsequent use as recycled materials in the production of polyester fibers (from which they make clothes, pillows), polyester sheets, bandage tape or new PET bottles.

Plastic bottle caps are also recycled at container recycling facilities. The resulting recyclable materials are used in the production of stationery (pen caps, files), disposable tableware, etc.

Recycling PET bottles as a business idea

How a business can be organized is a plant for processing PET bottles (or a mini-plant), provided that a business plan is well developed. What do you need to do to build a plastic bottle recycling business? Let's look at the main points.

First, an entrepreneur must register his organization. A necessary condition for starting an enterprise is obtaining a license. And, of course, we need to coordinate activities with fire services and the SES.

Next, you will need to find a suitable premises, preferably located outside the city. It will need to be divided into three zones in which the storage of raw materials and the finished product, as well as the production itself, will be carried out.

Necessary equipment for recycling PET bottles

Once the premises have been found, you need to start purchasing equipment for processing. An entrepreneur can choose either Russian or foreign devices. Imported equipment will require significantly higher costs than domestic equipment, but its quality will be better.

A complete PET bottle recycling line includes several main devices that are connected using conveyors. The line consists of:

• crushers;
• agglomerator;
• granulator

The cost of the devices varies; the price is significantly influenced by the equipment of the line, its power and the degree of automation. The average price for a complete recycling line for PET containers with good productivity from different suppliers is approximately 3 million rubles. It is clear that for many entrepreneurs such a price will be unaffordable even taking into account possible government subsidies. Therefore, when purchasing equipment, you can resort to some tricks. For example, it may be more profitable to buy individual devices and then assemble a complete line from them yourself. In addition, you can buy used devices, which also allow you to save a lot.

When starting a business, you can first purchase equipment only for the production of flex, and after “promotion”, you can purchase additional equipment (agglomerator and granulator) that make up the line for the complete processing of bottles. To produce flex, you will need equipment costing approximately 500 thousand rubles. It includes the following main devices:

• crusher;
• baths for washing plastic mass;
• centrifuge.

After purchasing everything necessary equipment you need to collect raw materials (this was discussed above in the article). Of course, to start an enterprise it will be necessary to find workers, the number of whom at the initial stage may be relatively small. It will also be necessary to find wholesale buyers of manufactured materials.

If everything was done correctly when opening an enterprise, then this type of business will quickly pay for itself and after a short period of time will already begin to generate good profits.

A clear example of successful business experience is the experience Western countries in recycling plastic bottles. This can be confirmed by the fact that most of the plastic waste in these countries is now being recycled to create new products and materials.

The following video explains how to open a PET bottle recycling business in our country and what needs to be done for the business to become successful.

Recycling PET bottles at home

Melting plastic bottles to create new products is highly discouraged, as this may be hazardous to health.

Of course, it is impossible to recycle bottles at home using the technology described above. PET bottles that have accumulated at home can be reused, while coming up with original uses for such containers. For example, you can use them to build bird feeders or make pots for flowers and seedlings, etc.

Is it possible to organize processing business at home? The question is ambiguous. However, there is a positive example in the world of how a man literally assembled a plastic recycling machine in his garage. The project, called Precious Plastic, was developed by Dutch resident Dave Hakkens. His own assembled car includes: shredder, extruder, injector and compressor. All devices are small in size and therefore mobile. Using such a machine allows you to create new plastic products.

Hakkens devices are not for sale. However, on the Internet he displays all his drawings for free, according to which any person with certain engineering knowledge can make it himself similar installation for recycling bottles and other plastic products. Having built such an installation, it will be possible to create home business for the sale of self-made plastic products.

Recycling plastic bottles at home is still a complex process, and if you do not want to build a business on this, then it is better to hand over the accumulated pile of plastic bottles to special items reception.

Where to take waste PET bottles

You can hand over waste PET bottles to collection points organized by licensed companies that collect and process recyclable materials. Organizations can also set garbage bins, designed specifically for PET bottles. Such companies either only accept waste for the purpose of selling it to factories as recyclable materials, or carry out processing themselves. You can also dispose of large quantities of plastic waste by directly contacting the company and drawing up a disposal agreement with it.

In some cases, upon reception, special requirements for packaging may be put forward, for example:

1. Bottles must be clean and dry.
2. Containers must be free of paint and any debris.
3. These should not be vegetable oil bottles.

Containers sorted by color are more expensive.

Different companies offer different amounts of money for raw materials. Thus, one of the Moscow companies purchases PET bottles for 18 thousand rubles. for 1 ton.

Recycling - rational decision many environmental problems, existing all over the world. Recycling plastic bottles is not only environmentally beneficial, but also financially beneficial. A properly structured packaging recycling business will be successful in Russia, since we have almost no competition in this industry.

The problem encountered in major cities- accumulation of a huge number of plastic bottles that do not decompose for several years. Of the 250 kg of garbage that, on average, 1 resident throws out annually, almost 30% are PET bottles.

Piles of such bottles can be found in vacation spots, but not everyone knows that you can make money by recycling them. The relevance of the business associated with the processing of recyclable materials will remain for about 30 years.

After recycling, plastic bottles are used for secondary production.

Benefits of Recycling

• energy saving (production of new plastic products from recycled plastic requires 60% less energy than production from raw materials);
• benefits from reuse (the use of recycled PET bottles produces environmentally friendly products, including clothing and finishing materials);
• space saving (recycling 1 ton of plastic bottles saves 7 m3 of space);
• beginners can start a business ( simple technology, no special knowledge required);
• not subject to licensing;
• high profitability (up to 25%);
• quick payback;
• support environmental projects(by authorities, residents).

Flaws

• difficult to open (obtaining permits takes about six months);
• high rent of production and warehouse premises;
• difficulties with the uninterrupted supply of raw materials (for processing) and the sale of finished products.

Processing company staff

Some operations are performed using manual labor (processing raw materials, removing waste, loading raw materials, unloading finished products), and 6–7 people will be required. It is better if the schedule is shifting. The workers' salary will be 140 thousand rubles. monthly.

Business registration, taxes

For and topic today building a plastic recycling business.

As you know, PET plastic bottles and other types of plastic are practically resistant to rotting; you cannot burn such material, as it brings great harm environment and as a rule, it is simply buried by tractors in city landfills.

At one time, I myself became interested in the topic of recycling recyclable materials and I conducted a kind of research on this issue.

As it turned out, not everything is as simple as I thought (in general, it’s always been like this), all landfills are controlled by special organizations and, as they say, everything is “captured”; I couldn’t get access to the garbage, no matter how funny it sounds, since this market has been divided for a long time and as they say, the channels are established.

Therefore, a newcomer to the plastic processing business may have problems right at the very beginning - these are the raw materials for processing. If you manage to resolve this issue, then your business is 50% successful.

You can, of course, set up plastic collection points, as well as place special garbage cans around the city, separating them into paper, glass and plastic (as is done in most countries of the world), but here again there is a problem with the mentality of the Russian person, he doesn’t care what and where to throw , so you can find anything in your plastic container.

This was a preface to the business plan based on my own observations.

PET bottle recycling business plan

Start off this business necessary with the official registration of the business, for this it is necessary. I suggest this as the best option.

When registering an LLC, you must select the type of activity:

37.20 Treatment of non-metallic waste and scrap

It is quite enough to indicate this group to engage in this business, but in general we are interested in a subgroup ( 37.20.2 Treatment of waste and scrap plastics), but this subgroup is included in the group that I indicated initially and therefore indicate it as much as you can if something happens, engage in all types of processing that are included in the group:

1. Rubber waste treatment;
2. Processing of waste and scrap plastics;
3. Processing of waste and scrap glass;
4. Waste treatment textile materials;
5. Processing of paper and cardboard waste;
6. Treatment of waste gemstones.

So if you choose OKVED 37.02, you can use all listed species activities.

Taxation on PET recycling

I would choose as a taxation system, this is due to the fact that UTII cannot be used, and there are not so many expenses in this business. Although it is still worth making calculations using the simplified tax system (15%), perhaps in your case such a tax will be more profitable. But I still lean towards the simplified tax system Income (6%).

Premises for organizing processing

Regarding the premises for processing PET plastic bottles, it must be found in the industrial zone. The area must be large enough to accommodate all equipment.

In some cities, targeted programs are carried out and businesses that process waste are given various discounts and preferences. You may even be able to rent premises from the administration.

The probability is certainly not great, but it’s still worth a try. In this case, the cost of renting the premises will be mere pennies, and in some cases it will be free. Since every city is interested in improving the environmental situation.

What equipment is required for processing?

After you find a location for your PET bottle recycling business, you should start choosing equipment.

Processing equipment can be purchased in modules, or you can purchase an entire processing line at once.

I would choose the second option. I also want to note that you should not purchase used equipment. It's better to overpay and get a new line.

Composition of the PET bottles recycling line:

1. Installation for removing paper and removing covers;
2. Crusher. Cuts plastic into small pieces;
3. Steam boiler. Eliminates unnecessary elements from the resulting mass (using hot water);
4. Polishing machine;
5. Rinsing machine;
6. Dryer. The cleaned plastic is dried in it. After all the procedures, a flex is obtained, which is placed in a special bunker.

Flex is a recycled material used to produce new PET bottles (looks like plastic flakes).

As I said earlier, I recommend purchasing a full-cycle line; almost every manufacturer also provides a supervision installation service. That is, specialists come and install the line, as well as start processing and receive the first batch of flex.

PET bottle recycling process

Before starting a plastic bottle recycling business, an entrepreneur should become familiar with the recycling process itself.

Let's look at what you need to know about the recycling process:

1. PET bottle distribution. Before entering the line, bottles must be sorted by color;
2. Bottle cleaning. Each bottle must be cleaned of debris: paper, rubber and other debris that may get on the bottle;
3. Delivery to the processing line. After the first two points, you can start the line for processing and pressing, the most interesting thing: the first 2 points are done manually.

Where can I get raw materials for processing?

I already touched on this issue at the beginning of the article, so let’s determine where you can get raw materials for your processing business:

• Enter into an agreement with the city landfill. Trying, as they say, is not torture, you may be able to do it, so try by any means;
• Reception points. Open collection points for PET bottles around the city; for little money you can start accepting raw materials this way;
• Bins for plastic. It is better to place several bins: for plastic, paper and glass, because otherwise they will throw everything into your lonely trash bin. It is necessary to place ballot boxes around the city in crowded places. Please coordinate this issue with the administration in advance. 90% of the time they will not mind, but it is necessary to agree.

Profitability of PET recycling business

Let's look at the profitability of such a business. It’s really quite difficult to do this, since there are many unknowns: rent (perhaps the administration will even give you a place for your activity free of charge), the supply of raw materials, the equipment you will purchase, the amount of employees’ salaries, etc. Everything may differ depending on the region in which you open a processing business.

So I'll give you the average cost for recycling plastic bottles:

1. Equipment (mid price category) – RUB 3,000,000;
2. Costs for raw materials for processing - 30,000 rubles;
3. Wage workers for 6 people - 120,000 rubles.
4. Costs for contributions to the Pension Fund, Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund, Social Insurance Fund - about 40,000 rubles.
5. Utility bills are about 10,000 rubles.

That's probably all! You can ask questions in the VK group, the link to it is at the beginning of the article, or you can simply ask directly in the comments to the article.

Happy business! Bye!

"Plarus" is the first Russian plant, which works using bottle-to-bottle technology. Recycled plastic is no different in quality from what comes to the enterprise. The finished raw materials are used to produce new plastic bottles.

Plastic bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate or PET. Statistically, it is the most recycled plastic in the world. The bottle recycling process includes three stages, for which three workshops are responsible at the plant.

Collection of raw materials

Raw materials are purchased from landfills, waste sorting plants and private collections. Purchase price: 25 rubles per kilogram. In one hour, the plant processes 1,200 kilograms of plastic bottles.

Recycling is a seasonal process. From May to September the number of used PET bottles increases due to natural reasons.

Sorting

The most labor-intensive process is sorting plastic by color. Plastic bottles fall into a drum, where dirt is beaten off and ferrous metals are separated. The computer then determines the color of the bottle and sends it to the appropriate bin.

There are only four colors: natural, blue, brown and green. After processing, you will get plastic of these colors. This is why recycled plastic is in great demand among packaging manufacturers: the raw materials are already colored and there is no need to spend money on expensive dye.

The dirtier the container, the more difficult it is to determine its color, so one bottle can go through the sorting stage several times. The plastic is then pressed into cubes weighing 200 kilograms each and sent to the second workshop.

Washing

In the second workshop, the cube is broken, the bottle again passes through the metal detector and ends up in a washer with cold water, where dirt and sand are washed off.

In a washer with hot water the label comes off. Already clean bottles fall onto the conveyor belt and are checked manually.

The flakes accumulate in the intermediate silo before the next wash. The process is reminiscent of laundry: the flakes are washed with lye and detergent, rinsed twice, and squeezed. Bottle caps float up and end up in another container, since they are a separate type of plastic that, after recycling, are purchased by household goods manufacturers.

The flakes undergo final sorting: the computer selects rejected flakes of a different color.

Granulation

In the third workshop, the flakes are cut in a grinder. Dust is completely sifted out mechanically, so workers do without respirators. Flex melts at a temperature of 280 degrees, harmful substances and large elements are drawn out of the molten material. Then a special machine (die) extrudes thin plastic threads (strands).

They are cooled and cut - transparent granules are obtained.

The granulate enters a 50-meter tower, where, under the influence of nitrogen and high temperature the plastic becomes cloudy, gaining mass and viscosity.

The product spends 16 hours in the tower, is cooled and packaged.

The finished product is packaged in bags, then the granules are sent to customers.

Recycled plastic is suitable for the production of packaging, building materials and non-woven fabrics. For example, to make one polyester T-shirt you will need 20 plastic bottles.