(19)

*EP003858907A1*
(11) EP 3 858 907 A1
(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication: (51) Int Cl.:

04.08.2021 Bulletin 2021/31 C08J 11/04 (2006.01) B29B 17/00 (2006.01)

(21) Application number: 20154346.9

(22) Date of filing: 29.01.2020

(84) Designated Contracting States: (71) Applicant: GREEN UNION S.R.L.

AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB 20900 Monza, Monza e Brianza (IT)
GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO
PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR (72) Inventor: LORENZI, Micaela
Designated Extension States: I-20900 Monza, MONZA E DELLA BRIANZA (IT)
BA ME
Designated Validation States: (74) Representative: Long, Giorgio
KH MA MD TN Jacobacci & Partners S.p.A.
Via Senato, 8
20121 Milano (IT)

(54) PROCESS FOR RECYCLING POLYSTYRENE

(57) The present invention relates to a method for (a) compressing and grinding the waste and/or scrap pol-
recycling polystyrene, in particular polystyrene from con- ystyrene, of the EPS and/or XPS type;
structions, both as waste material and as a post-consum- (b) adding an antioxidant additive;
er material. (c) adding one or more strong bases;
In particular, the present invention relates to a meth- (d) extruding the polystyrene to form recycled polysty-
od for recycling waste and/or scrap polystyrene, of the rene in granulated form.
EPS and/or XPS type, comprising the following steps:
EP 3 858 907 A1

Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)

 1 EP 3 858 907 A1 2

Description ecule. A strong base would also tear the bromine from
the molecule itself, thus deactivating the flame-retardant
Field of the invention compound.
[0010] The large quantity of waste polystyrene or scrap
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for 5 panels would require recycling of such material, both of
recycling polystyrene, in particular polystyrene from con- the EPS and the XPS type. However, the recycling in-
structions, both as waste material and as a post-consum- volves mechanical processing which comprises the com-
er material. pression, grinding and re-extrusion of the material in or-
der to obtain reusable polystyrene granulate. Consider-
Description of the prior art 10 ing that the extrusion takes place at temperatures above
200°C, the dicumyl peroxide contained in the EPS poly-
[0002] Polystyrene (or PS) is used in large quantities styrene waste and scrap would decompose, thus gener-
to make building insulation panels, both as foam material ating radicals which would initiate the decomposition
(EPS technology) and as extruded material (XPS tech- phenomena described above. In particular, the polysty-
nology). In either case, panels of different sizes and thick- 15 rene chains would be broken and recombined, thus ob-
nesses are obtained, which can be used to thermally in- taining an increase in average molecular weight, such to
sulate homes or other enclosed spaces. make the polymer unusable. This substantially prevents
[0003] Because of their use, such panels must have the recycling of EPS polystyrene.
given fire resistance, i.e. they must comply with strict fire [0011] For XPS polystyrene, even if the stabilizers it
regulations, which differ from country to country. In order 20 contains would allow a first recycling process, the stabi-
to achieve the required flame retardant effect, HBCD lizer would soon be consumed, so continuous recycling
(hexabromocyclododecane) was normally added to the of this material is not possible.
polystyrene until 2015. [0012] Even the simple disposal of polystyrene panels
[0004] Since 2015, following the ban on the use of HB- produced before 2015 has considerable drawbacks. In-
CD, such a compound has been replaced with organic 25 deed, the material contains HBCD, which is considered
brominated molecules of a different nature. to be special toxic waste and therefore requires care and
[0005] Furthermore, various other substances are high disposal costs. Nor can it be recycled as XPS be-
added to the polystyrene, in particular, dicumyl peroxide cause the presence of HBCD bans it.
in the case of expanded panels and dicumene in the case [0013] There is a polystyrene recycling process which
of extruded panels. 30 involves the elimination of brominated compounds and
[0006] While the foam panel is made at a temperature the recovery of bromine derived therefrom but this proc-
of about 140°C, the extruded panel is processed at a ess is complex and expensive and therefore does not
temperature of over 170°C to over 200°C. Considering allow the direct recycling of such material.
that HBCD and the other brominated molecules used de- [0014] It is the object of the present invention make
compose at 185-190°C, that dicumyl peroxide decom- 35 available a process for the recycling of EPS and XPS
poses at 150°C and that dicumene decomposes at polystyrene, either containing HBCD or other brominated
210°C, it follows that only the production of expanded compounds, which provides mechanical processing and
panels, which takes place at 140°C, allows the use of is simple and cost-effective to implement.
additives without decomposition problems. Conversely, [0015] Such an object is achieved by a method as out-
for extruded panels, it is necessary to formulate the com- 40 lined in the accompanying claims, the definitions of which
position so that the decomposition products do not alter form an integral part of the present description.
the quality of the final product. If the aforesaid substances
are not stabilized, the decomposition products resulting Description of the invention
therefrom can cause various drawbacks, such as the
staining of the panel, decay of the mechanical properties, 45 [0016] The method according to the present invention
cuts and surface cracks, so that the panel is unusable. comprises the following steps:
[0007] Indeed, above 200°C, the flame-retardant mol-
ecule generates brominated radicals which, in the pres- (a) compressing and grinding the waste and/or scrap
ence of dicumene and peroxides, break the polystyrene polystyrene, of the EPS and/or XPS type;
chains and cause oxidative phenomena. 50 (b) adding an antioxidant additive;
[0008] In order to overcome these drawbacks, stabi- (c) adding one or more strong bases;
lizers are added to the composition of polystyrene, such (d) extruding the polystyrene to form recycled poly-
as weak acid scavengers, hydrotalcite or bromine cap- styrene in granulated form.
tors to block brominated radicals. Antioxidants are also
added to prevent the radicals in the polymer or brominat- 55 [0017] Steps (b) and (c) are not necessarily performed
ed compound from reproducing exponentially. in the order shown. For example, step b) may be preced-
[0009] The acid scavenger is a weak base capable of ed by step c), or steps b) and c) may be performed at the
capturing only the bromine which detaches from the mol- same time. Furthermore, it is also possible to perform

2
 3 EP 3 858 907 A1 4

steps b) and c) together with step d), i.e. to introduce the Claims
ground polystyrene to be recycled, the antioxidant addi-
tive and one or more strong bases in any order directly 1. A method for recycling waste and/or scrap polysty-
into the extruder. rene, of the EPS and/or XPS type, comprising the
[0018] Waste and/or scrap polystyrene comes from the 5 following steps:
processing or disposal of polystyrene panels which can
be used or are used in constructions. (a) compressing and grinding the waste and/or
[0019] Step a) is performed using conventional com- scrap polystyrene, of the EPS and/or XPS type;
pacting and grinding equipment in the plastic recycling (b) adding an antioxidant additive;
sector. 10 (c) adding one or more strong bases;
[0020] The antioxidant additive used in step b) is cho- (d) extruding the polystyrene to form recycled
sen from among antioxidants which can be used as rad- polystyrene in granulated form.
ical scavengers and is preferably chosen from sterically
hindered phenol, e.g. 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol, substitut- 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps
ed N-phenylaniline, sterically hindered aromatic amine, 15 b) and c), or the steps b), c) and d), are performed
phosphite ester, e.g. tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)phos- at the same time.
phite, inorganic phosphite or phosphate, e.g. potassium
mono-orthophosphate, and mixtures thereof. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the
[0021] The antioxidant additive is added to the poly- antioxidant additive used in step b) is chosen from
styrene to be recycled in a quantity preferably between 20 the antioxidants which can be used as radical scav-
0.3% and 5% by weight, more preferably between 0.5% engers and is preferably chosen from sterically hin-
and 5% by weight. dered phenol, substituted N-phenylaniline, sterically
[0022] The one or more strong bases used in step c) hindered aromatic amine, phosphite ester, inorganic
are chosen from alkali or alkali earth metal hydroxides phosphite or phosphate and mixtures thereof.
or oxides, such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydrox- 25
ide, lithium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the anti-
hydroxide, calcium oxide and mixtures thereof. Strong oxidant additive used in step b) is chosen from 2,6-
organic bases, e.g. 1,4-diazabicycle[2.2.2]octane (DAB- di-tert-butyl-p-cresol, substituted N-phenylaniline,
CO), either alone or in a mixture with one or more strong sterically hindered aromatic amine, tris(2,4-di-tert-
inorganic bases as defined above, may also be used. 30 butylphenyl)phosphite, potassium mono-orthophos-
[0023] The one or more strong bases are added to the phate and mixtures thereof.
polystyrene to be recycled in a quantity preferably be-
tween 0.3% and 5% by weight, more preferably between 5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the
0.5% and 5% by weight. antioxidant additive is added to the polystyrene to
[0024] The step of extruding d) is performed with a con- 35 be recycled in a quantity between 0.3% and 5% by
ventional extruder, e.g. a single screw extruder working weight, preferably between 0.5% and 5% by weight.
at a temperature higher than 240°C.
[0025] The function of the antioxidant additive is to sta- 6. The method according to any one of the claims from
bilize the radical forming compounds, in particular, di- 1 to 5, wherein one or more strong bases used in
cumyl peroxide and dicumene, while one or more strong 40 step c) are chosen from hydroxides or oxides of alkali
bases have the function of decomposing the HBCD, with or alkaline-earth metals and mixtures thereof or from
the formation of bromine salts and alkanes, which can strong organic bases, either alone or in a mixture
remain in the final compound without causing either func- with one or more hydroxides or oxides of alkali or
tional or environmental problems. alkaline earth metals.
[0026] The method of the invention, therefore, 45
achieves its purpose, since it allows the direct recycling 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein one or
of EPS and XPS polystyrene by means of a mechanical more strong bases used in step c) are chosen from
process comprising a step of extruding, thereby avoiding sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hy-
intermediate operations of bromine elimination and re- droxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide,
covery, which would require complex systems and con- 50 calcium oxide, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DAB-
siderably higher costs. CO) and mixtures thereof.
[0027] Obviously, a person skilled in the art may make
further changes and variants to the present invention all 8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein one
without departing from the scope of protection of the in- or more strong bases are added to the polystyrene
vention, as defined in the following claims. 55 to be recycled in a quantity between 0.3% and 5%
by weight, preferably between 0.5% and 5% by
weight.

3
 5 EP 3 858 907 A1 6

9. The method according to any one of the claims from

1 to 8, wherein the step d) of extruding is performed
with a single screw extruder working at a tempera-
ture higher than 240°C.
5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

4
 EP 3 858 907 A1

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

5
 EP 3 858 907 A1

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55