Sprues, flash, trimmings, scrap, and defective parts are among the plastic waste generated daily in numerous industries.
In any plastic product manufacturing process, a portion of the material may not end up becoming the final product.
Even though these materials may no longer be useful for the process that generated them, it does not necessarily mean they have reached the end of their useful life.
Proper management of industrial plastic waste makes it possible to sort, recover, and convert it back into raw material for manufacturing.
Where does industrial plastic waste come from?
Post-industrial plastic waste arises during various stages of manufacturing processes.
They may come from companies engaged in injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, or blow molding, among other activities.
In some cases, it involves material that is part of the production process itself but does not end up being incorporated into the marketed product.
In other cases, they are parts that have been discarded because they do not meet the specifications established by the quality department.
The goal of any manufacturer is to minimize these losses.
However, even with optimized production processes and rigorous quality controls, certain percentages of excess or rejected material can still arise.
Sprues and flash: material remaining outside the part.
In plastic injection molding processes, sprues and runners are necessary elements for conveying the material to the mold.
Once the process is complete, these parts are separated from the workpiece and cease to be part of the final product.
Something similar happens with the burrs.
Small amounts of excess material that may appear around a part and must be removed to achieve the required finish and dimensions.
Even though these materials do not form part of the product that reaches the consumer, they are still plastic.
They can represent a considerable volume when accumulated during continuous industrial production.
What happens to the defective parts?
Defective parts are another common type of industrial waste.
During quality checks, products may be detected that do not meet established parameters regarding aspects such as dimensions, color, gloss, hardness, or finish.
When a part cannot be reintroduced into the company’s own production process, it becomes plastic scrap or post-industrial plastic waste.
Properly managing this material prevents it from accumulating unnecessarily at the manufacturer’s facilities.
Furthermore, it allows for the exploration of a second avenue for utilization.
From waste to recycled raw material
The management of this waste begins with its collection, sorting, and separation.
It is essential to keep the different types of plastic separate in order to obtain a recycled material with the appropriate characteristics.
At Baidal Plastic, post-industrial plastic waste is selected, sorted, and stored separately before undergoing the shredding process.
We have specialized machinery available to produce crushed material in various diameters.
Subsequently, we package it in big bags ranging from 500 to 1,500 kg, ready for sale.
This separation is particularly important because not all plastics have the same properties or can be treated in the same way.
At Baidal Plastic, we work with materials such as PP, PE, PVC, PET, ABS, PS, and PC, among others.
An opportunity for the circular economy
Managing industrial plastic waste involves more than just removing material from a factory.
It can also be part of a circular economy strategy, in which waste from an industrial process becomes a resource for other processes.
Recovering sprues, runners, and defective parts makes it possible to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up as waste.
In this way, it promotes the use of recycled material in new industrial applications.
For the manufacturer, having proper scrap management in place can reduce storage requirements.
In addition to the costs associated with waste management.
At Baidal Plastic, we handle the management of these materials and add value to the plastic waste generated by companies.
Every piece of waste can have a new opportunity.
Sprues, flash, and defective parts are a common consequence of certain industrial processes.
But they do not necessarily represent simply a loss of material.
When proper sorting, recovery, and valorization take place, these waste materials can be reintroduced into the production cycle as recycled plastic.
Thus, what was initially a manufacturing byproduct can once again become a resource.
The professional management of post-industrial plastic waste is another component of an industry geared towards more efficient and circular production.