TY - JOUR
T1 - Solvent-targeted recovery of all major materials in beverage carton packaging waste
AU - Wong, Ping Keung
AU - Lui, Yuen Wai
AU - Tao, Qingqing
AU - Lui, Matthew Y.
N1 - Financial support from HKBU Century Club C&C Charitable Fund Dr Chiu Chi Sing and Ms Yeung Woon Bing Sponsorship Scheme is greatly appreciated. Elemental analysis by London Metropolitan University and insightful discussions with Dr. Edwin Clatworthy are also acknowledged. Finally, the authors wish to thank Mil Mill and Mr. Harold Yip for providing key industrial insights and the samples used in this investigation.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s)
PY - 2024/3
Y1 - 2024/3
N2 - Liquid packaging boards are widely used for beverage packaging, but their complex composition poses challenges for recycling. These composites are occasionally recycled through hydropulping. However, this method only allows for partial recovery of the paperboard and produces a reject mixture of aluminium, plastics, and residual paper fiber. This study demonstrates the first process to purify all main components of beverage carton packaging waste derived from a commercial pulp mill using solvent-targeted recycling with multiple green solvents, such as p-cymene and ionic liquids. By utilizing this solvent-based process, all major components from the waste were recycled to their original forms in excellent purity, particularly aluminum—an essential industrial metal typically obtained through energy-intensive methods. Furthermore, the solvents used in our material recycling system can be recycled in high purity and reused in the fractionation process. The recovered paper fiber could be converted to the versatile platform chemical levulinic acid in good yield.
AB - Liquid packaging boards are widely used for beverage packaging, but their complex composition poses challenges for recycling. These composites are occasionally recycled through hydropulping. However, this method only allows for partial recovery of the paperboard and produces a reject mixture of aluminium, plastics, and residual paper fiber. This study demonstrates the first process to purify all main components of beverage carton packaging waste derived from a commercial pulp mill using solvent-targeted recycling with multiple green solvents, such as p-cymene and ionic liquids. By utilizing this solvent-based process, all major components from the waste were recycled to their original forms in excellent purity, particularly aluminum—an essential industrial metal typically obtained through energy-intensive methods. Furthermore, the solvents used in our material recycling system can be recycled in high purity and reused in the fractionation process. The recovered paper fiber could be converted to the versatile platform chemical levulinic acid in good yield.
KW - Beverage cartons, Green solvents, Ionic liquid, Liquid packaging board
KW - PolyAl
KW - Tetra Pak
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85180368776&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107367
DO - 10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107367
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85180368776
SN - 0921-3449
VL - 202
JO - Resources, Conservation and Recycling
JF - Resources, Conservation and Recycling
M1 - 107367
ER -