EPS plant in Aschersleben

ASL3-BEARBEITET

In Aschersleben (Saxony-Anhalt) we operate a recycling plant in which polystyrene regranulate is produced from polystyrene packaging using an extrusion process. The PS regranulate is used by numerous well-known manufacturers of insulation materials in the production of XPS insulation materials.

In addition, the manufacture of EPS regrind forms a second pillar. The product can be offered in different grain sizes depending on customer requirements.

The production facility in Aschersleben operates the recycling of expanded polystyrene packaging waste (EPS for short). The plant was built in 2003, and production finally began the following year. From the beginning, the goal of EPS recycling was to free the delivered EPS waste of contaminants by means of dry processing and then to regranulate it in the sense of material recycling using an extruder. The end product of the extrusion process is the secondary raw material polystyrene regranulate.

Initially, the production had only one processing line, which mainly processed non-compressed EPS molded parts. Compressed EPS bales and rods were rarely used for production. Over time, the emergence of EPS bales and poles increased, making it necessary to expand production in this direction. Mainly due to the increased degree of contamination of EPS bales, it was necessary to set up a specially designed treatment line. This made it possible to sort out a large amount of the impurities contained. This expansion led to the current status of development of the plant with two processing lines and an extruder. Currently, practically all forms of EPS can be processed, regardless of whether bales, rods, briquettes or, of course, still uncompressed EPS molded parts.

Today, a total of fifteen people work in the Aschersleben branch in production as well as in the office and a laboratory. The latter ensures the quality control of the input material as well as the regranulate produced and tests the substances to be processed, among other things, for various flame retardants, especially HBCD. The work is done in three shifts, five days a week.

The production of EPS regrind

eps-mahlgut

As early as 2014, the plan was made to produce a regrind from the unpressed EPS molded parts, which, depending on the size of the ground EPS grain, is suitable for various customer groups.

Packaging waste made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) is used as the starting material for the production of the regrind. The EPS molded parts are delivered in foil bags by truck to the factory and then manually removed from contaminants such as labels, wood, metal, cardboard or other foreign objects. The material is shredded to the desired grain size in a special shredder. Depending on the customer's needs, the EPS regrind can be bagged or provided loose in the silo.