The Basics of Chemical Recycling
The Basics of Chemical Recycling in Houston, TX
Chemical waste is a byproduct of many different industrial manufacturing processes. If your company disposes of large quantities of chemicals throughout the workweek, it may be time to explore chemical recycling options. For safe and effective solutions tailored to your operational demands, look to Excel Industrial Group in Houston, TX.
What Is Chemical Recycling?
Chemical recycling involves safely disposing of excess chemicals in a way that enables the materials to be reused or repurposed. In contrast to mechanical recycling procedures, chemical recycling does not simply reshape the materials. Working at a molecular level, chemical recycling breaks down waste and restores chemicals to their inherent form or subsequent useable materials.
The Significance of Chemical Recycling
Certain plastics are historically challenging in terms of proper disposal practices. Traditional mechanical recycling methods cannot be used for contaminated plastic waste and/or mixed-polymer waste streams. These subsets of plastic waste account for the majority of all plastic waste streams, raising the importance of incorporating effective chemical recycling procedures into your industrial operations.
The Benefits of Chemical Recycling
There is no substitute for effective chemical recycling. These tailored procedures are linked to many benefits, including:
- Reduced volume of landfill waste
- Natural resource conservation
- Greater sustainability, contributing towards a circular economy
- Minimize greenhouse gas and CO2 emissions
- Recycle and repurpose plastic waste that cannot be handled through mechanical recycling
Sulfuric Acid Recycling
Sulfuric acid is a chemical used in many industries. To recycle it, a processing plant must dilute and evaporate the liquid acid to produce a sulfur trioxide concentrate. The concentrate can then be reused for various applications.
Hydrochloric Acid Recycling
The operations of industrial manufacturing plants that work with steel materials often feature hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid can easily be treated and recycled once it has been used to purify steel. Pyrohydrolysis is the chemical recycling process for hydrochloric acid. This process involves concentration and evaporation procedures to separate the used acid into iron chloride components.
Chemical Recycling of Packing Materials
Polymers are large molecules that make up the chemical structure of various plastic products, including packing materials. Polymers have the potential to be reused for a wide range of applications. However, they are notoriously challenging to dispose of as they cannot be treated using conventional recycling procedures.
What Does Chemical Recycling of Packaging Materials Involve?
Plastic packaging materials account for the world’s largest waste stream. To minimize environmental impact and promote sustainable efforts across varying industrial sectors, chemical recycling processes are encouraged for contaminated and/or complex plastic packaging materials. These recycling demands commonly involve depolymerization achieved through a process called hydrolysis.
Depolymerization for Polymer Plastic Waste
Depolymerization is the primary method used to recycle and decompose contaminated or complex plastic packing materials. Depolymerization blends solvents, heat, and chemistry to break down polymers into their inherent monomer form (smaller molecules). Subsequent depolymerization and chemical recycling procedures include glycolysis, aminolysis, and alcoholysis.
Choose Excel Industrial Group
With decades of expertise, state-of-the-art equipment, and the resources to satisfy a wide spectrum of industrial demands, Excel Industrial Group sets the standard for non-hazardous and hazardous chemical recycling and chemical trading services. With a commitment to sustainability, trust in our certified experts for safe, effective, and compliant waste management solutions that align with your business.
Contact Us for Chemical Recycling Solutions
Excel Industrial Group is proud to be a premier choice for industrial waste disposal and recycling. Entrust your waste management efforts to our full-service non-hazardous and hazardous chemical waste recycling services in Houston, TX. For more information about our acid waste disposal, recycling, and chemical trading services, contact our team today.