Liverpool plastics firm installs bottle sorting technology

The new plant was provided by German company S+S Varisort at a cost of 110,000 and will allow Centriforce to buy in and separate HDPE and PET plastic bottles to make into new plastic products.

An S+S Varisoft machine of the type being used by Centriforce in Liverpool

Centriforce's sorting machinery will be capable of handling 10,000 tonnes of plastic bottles every year, the overall plant handles 15,000 tonnes of recycled plastic.

S+S Varisort have also provided a metal detection system to ensure that no contamination gets through along with the bottles.

According to Centriforce the investment was needed in order to obtain sufficient amounts of waste plastic.

Barry Keeling, sales manager at Centriforce, told letsrecycle.com: “We felt we had to make this change, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get hold of sorted HDPE but this allows us to but mixed plastic.

Mr Keeling explained that HDPE bottles were then processed on site, while the PET material was sold on, either in the UK or Europe.

Products
Centriforce produces plastic sheets from around 98% recycled material, which is then sold on to companies that turn it into equipment such as park benches and walkways.

” Closed loop recycling is a good way for the public to see what it is to recycle. “
– Barry Keeling, Centriforce
The company is now looking to work with local authorities on providing a closed loop system for plastic. The company buys material from a council, sells its materials to a company who then sell their product – made from the recycled plastic – back to the local authority.

Mr Keeling said: “Closed loop recycling is a good way for the public to see what it is to recycle. They can walk on it or sit on it. Local authorities are buying things that they would buy anyway, but they can buy products that their residents have provided the material for.

“We have been taking materials from a MRF in the Wirral, and many of the plastic bottles have ended up going back into a boardwalk at the site. True closed loop recycling,” he added.