Polymeric feedstock from post-consumer and post-industrial plastic wastes for automotive interior applications

In this study, an economically-viable methodology is discussed where a blend of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics and post-industrial scrap (PIS) polymers is refined and used as the feedstock for manufacturing of interior structural products for automotive industry. A comprehensive thermo-mechanical characterisation suggest that feedstock obtained using a melt-filtering based refining process, offers performance on par with the virgin materials with reduced cost and environmental impact. Using both lab-scale prototyping and pilot plant trials, interior trim parts have successfully been produced to demonstrate the viability of using this new feedstock in mainstream polymer production processes such as injection moulding and thermoforming for automotive applications.