Plastic packaging is one of the biggest contributions to environmental degradation and wildlife habitat destruction in the 21st century. In the last 20 years alone, mankind has produced more plastic than in the entire 20th century. Almost half of this plastic is single-use, according to the research from ‘National Geographic’. If development remains unchanged, there could be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050. A shocking truth.

To counter plastic packaging waste issues, many global corporations are making genuine attempts to reduce the production of single-use plastic packaging, making their packaging more bio-degradable. The issue is, most packaging still isn’t actually recycled. In Mexico, like many other countries, the importation of plastics has increased alongside their own plastic consumption increase. Plastic waste consumption in Mexico is currently estimated at approximately 70kg per capita, per annum. With limited facilities dedicated to recovery of plastics, recycling rates are currently low and waste is building up, causing significant issues for local wildlife. This is a problem shared with Mexico the world over.

Stronga were pleased to collaborate with British company, ‘Enval Ltd’ (who have subsequently been acquired by ‘Greenback Recycling Technologies Ltd’), on a waste recycling project in Mexico City which is capturing global attention. We are pleased to have played a small role in a successful project contributing towards the recycling and recovery of valuable resources contained within food and drink packaging at a material recovery facility (MRF) near Mexico City. Learn more below.

Stronga’s work with ‘Enval’ – designers and installers of the modern plastic pyrolysis technology used in Mexico City – is aimed at reducing plastic waste and encouraging recycling and re-use instead. The chart below demonstrates that Mexico currently has one of the lowest global recycling rates which is significant because they also have the highest levels of imported waste in Latin America.

Positive local change was needed.

The graph below indicates the huge disparity between Mexico’s plastic importations compared to neighbouring countries in Latin America over a ten-year span (2012-2022). Latin America, and in particular Mexico, has become a dumping ground for plastics from the United States and other European countries. Between 2012 and 2022, Mexico received approximately 897,000 tons of plastic waste; very little of it was recycled in the same period.

Stronga and Enval equipment has enabled positive action to take control of a spiralling pollution issue.

With the aim of dramatically reducing plastic packaging waste in the region, a ground-breaking plastic recycling plant has been set up near Mexico City to reduce waste to landfill, instead using it for re-production of recycled plastic. The plant ensures that plastic packing, particularly plastic food packaging, is sorted and dried before it is input into Enval’s ‘microwave-induced pyrolysis’ process. Recognising the need for urgency, Enval’s plastic pyrolysis technology will allow 2,000 tonnes of Mexican waste to be processed annually.

Enval’s plastic waste recycling technology transforms plastic waste into oil, which returns to the raw material cycle as a basis for recycled plastics or as an energy source. Problematic waste is turned into valuable raw material. Discover the process:

1. Upon arrival at the plant, plastic is first shredded to ensure the material is homogeneous.
2. The shredded material is then conveyed to the Stronga FlowDrya where almost all moisture is removed on the continuous-flow drying bed (target dry moisture content - 5%). The dryer is critical to the overall success of the operation.
3. Once plastic waste has been successfully dried down to 5% moisture content, the waste is analysed before the chemical-reactive pyrolysis process. The purpose of removing moisture from the shredded plastic is to ensure useful gas and oil can be extracted in Enval’s microwave-induced pyrolysis process. Low moisture plastic ‘feedstock’ creates cleaner oil and gas output.
4. Gas output is used as a fuel for on-site electrical generators and other equipment while residual heat from the client’s on-site 'GenSet' is used in the FlowDrya, maintaining an energy-efficient process.
5. Pyrolysis oil is used as a ‘feedstock’, processed for recycled plastic production in a virtuous cycle.

Overall, the plastic waste recycling site is a complete circuit where plastic packaging is recycled and feedstock outputs are produced, avoiding the need for additional production of virgin plastics.

A key benefit of FlowDrya equipment is that, once plastic waste has been dried, it can be retained in the dryer which is able to act as a dry feedstock storage and feed unit for the pyrolysis reactor. On demand, dry feedstock is automatically conveyed to the next critical step in the process - the chemical reactor. As the animation below visualises, FlowDrya utilises residual gas engine heat from the on-site GenSet to operate, ensuring no extra energy is required for the waste drying process.

Stronga’s International-Series FlowDrya enabled this modern recycling plant to achieve their goals of reducing plastic waste through recycling packaging, preventing landfill disposal and importantly, in a highly energy-efficient operation, using available residual energy from the GenSet.

FlowDrya operates equally effectively in both batch and continuous modes, giving operators the flexibility to adjust settings on the DryStation™ HMI to achieve the desired dry output moisture content. One key benefit of Stronga’s continuous drying systems is the ‘stop-start’ operation which means the machine ‘sleeps’ in between floor strokes, extending the lifetime of the equipment over many years of operation, whilst reducing maintenance costs and costly downtime.

What’s more, the hydraulic PulseWave™ agitation system ensures the plastic packaging is thoroughly tumbled and mixed on the drying bed. The benefit of PulseWave™ is that the output shredded plastic material is uniformly dried to below 5% moisture content, ensuring minimal moisture enters the microwave-induced pyrolysis reactor, which reduces any associated operational complications.

The drying process was a vital component in ensuring the success of the microwave pyrolysis recycling process. Having worked with Stronga before, Enval approached our team to discuss scaling a dryer, optimised for the project. Familiar with our collaborative approach to working, Enval engaged in discussions with our green-energy team who tailored the continuous drying system to suit the properties of the plastic packaging and residual energy available.

As experts in plastic waste drying solutions, Stronga collaborated with Enval (Greenback) to ensure the best drying outcomes were achieved, which would positively influence the recycling process while enhancing separation possibilities. The client specified their desire to reduce the plastic waste moisture content below 5%; we are pleased to confirm these aims were successfully accomplished.

The trailblazing plastic recycling project in southern Mexico has had tremendously positive effects on local recycling rates, reducing environmental impacts while creating pyrolytic oil and gas. The achieved aims are as follows:
1. Reducing the amount of plastic waste in oceans, rivers and landfill.
2. Reducing the levels of wildlife habitat destruction caused by packaging waste.
3. Reducing demand for virgin plastic production and therefore reducing crude oil and fossil fuel consumption.
4. Reducing the amount of energy required for the production of plastics.

This optimistic project aligned with Stronga’s values and we were thrilled to play a small role in facilitating the positive outcomes through supplying the shredded plastic drying technology. Our team were delighted to work together with the client to supply the moving floor dryer for the shredded plastic packaging and help contribute to the circular cycle production.

Similar to ‘carbon credits’, plastic credit incentives reward those actively attempting to reduce their plastic footprint through producing recyclable plastic and actively recycling waste. Credits are measured in relation to weight of plastic recycled; they can be sold for additional income as further incentive for plants like this one in Mexico.

Drying plastic allows for optimised outputs from the microwave induced pyrolysis reactor with plastic re-production opportunities, allowing for increased financial returns from plastic credit incentives.

The microwave-induced pyrolysis solution offered by Enval is a ‘world-first’ for recycling plastic, allowing clients to increase the overall sustainability of waste recycled products. FlowDrya encourages reduced raw material use, increased SRF extraction rates, lower transport emissions and prolonged on-site equipment operations.

Be part of something progressive – enquire today about our plastic waste drying solutions – info@stronga.co.uk