{"id":9946,"date":"2025-02-28T07:02:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T06:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.recyclemachine.net\/?p=9946"},"modified":"2026-08-10T16:36:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T08:36:47","slug":"pvc-in-pet-flessenrecycling-inzicht-in-de-uitdagingen-en-oplossingen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.energycle.com\/nl\/pvc-in-pet-flessenrecycling-inzicht-in-de-uitdagingen-en-oplossingen\/","title":{"rendered":"PVC-verontreiniging bij recycling van PET-flessen: uitdagingen en oplossingen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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PVC contamination in PET recycling is difficult to correct after the bottles have been ground. PVC and PET both sink in water, so a standard float-sink tank cannot reliably separate the two polymers. A stable process removes PVC as early as possible, then uses flake-level sorting and quality checks to control what remains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

This guide explains where PVC enters a PET bottle stream, which detection method fits each process stage, and how to set up practical control points without treating one machine as a complete solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PVC Contamination Control at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Process stage<\/th>Typical PVC source<\/th>Preferred control<\/th>Main limitation<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Before debaling<\/td>Out-of-specification bales<\/td>Supplier specification and bale inspection<\/td>Inspection cannot find every hidden label or liner<\/td><\/tr>
Whole-bottle sorting<\/td>PVC bottles, sleeves, and safety seals<\/td>Manual quality control plus sensor-based polymer sorting<\/td>Dirty, overlapping, or black items can reduce detection accuracy<\/td><\/tr>
After granulation<\/td>PVC fragments and label pieces<\/td>Flake sorting or dry electrostatic separation<\/td>Moisture, particle size, and presentation affect separation<\/td><\/tr>
Finished PET flakes<\/td>Residual PVC missed upstream<\/td>Representative sampling and buyer-specific laboratory testing<\/td>A small sample may not represent an uneven batch<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why PVC Is a Serious PET Contaminant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

PET is processed at temperatures that can cause PVC to dehydrochlorinate. The resulting hydrogen chloride promotes PET degradation and can contribute to yellowing, black specks, lower molecular weight, and brittle output. A peer-reviewed processing study reported measurable PET degradation and discoloration with PVC contamination at 100 ppm, showing why a visually clean flake stream can still fail a customer’s specification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The acceptable limit is not universal. Fiber, sheet, strapping, and bottle-to-bottle customers can set different limits, and food-contact applications require additional controls beyond PVC alone. The operating target should therefore come from the finished-flake buyer’s written specification and a defined laboratory method, not from one generic ppm number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where PVC Enters a PET Bottle Stream<\/h2>\n\n\n\n