End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Recycling

PHASE I TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE

January 2018

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Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................... 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................... 4

GLOSSARY .......................................................................................... 5

BACKGROUND .................................................................................... 7

METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 9

PROCESS ........................................................................................... 11

EVALUATIONS................................................................................... 14

CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................. 33

APPENDIX A - ECONOMIC PRO FORMA ........................................ 37

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) would like to acknowledge everyone who contributed to
Phase I of the End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) recycling demonstration project. These participants and their
companies agreed to participate in this project, which took on an entirely new model for evaluating
recovery and end-market opportunities for a stream of materials that is not currently collected. The
goals were lofty at the offset, but the end results have been tangible. Each of the companies listed in
this report donated valuable time through attending meetings and calls, altering workflows to
accommodate collection, material processing trials and lab testing time. This was done without
compensation, demonstrating their commitment to the greater good of advancing recovering
opportunities for plastics.

Due to the success of Phase I of this project, this model is being replicated for other plastics feed
streams, and we hope it will serve as model that other associations and institutions will adopt.
PLASTICS is deeply appreciative of the faith, commitment and patience of the companies who
embarked on this journey with us.

PLASTICS End-of-Life (ELV) Vehicle Recycling Demonstration Project Phase

Company Members:

Asahi Kasei Midland Compounding & Consulting

Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) Milliken
Boston Auto Wreckers Noble Polymers
Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) Post Plastics
Erema North America Ravago Recycling Group
Fenix Parts Series One
Gary’s U-Pull It Standard Auto Wreckers
Geo-Tech Polymers Toyota
Innovative Injection Technologies (i2Tech) TPEI
Kal Trading

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Plastics are playing an increasingly important role in improving the safety and comfort of vehicles as
well as dramatically reducing emissions over the course of a vehicle’s life due to light weighting
potential. With plastics progressively becoming a material of choice for major parts and components,
PLASTICS set out to explore the feasibility of recovering plastics from end-of-life vehicles (ELVs).
Because no large-scale recovery system currently exists for plastics in ELVs, PLASTICS set out to
prove both the technical and economic feasibility of collection and reprocessing for bumpers in Phase I.
Bumpers were selected for their homogeneity in material as well as sheer size, at an average of 20
pounds per vehicle.

Because TPO is a higher value material, containing a valuable rubber package for improved impact and
durability, the pilot demonstrated the technical recovery of ELV bumpers from a broad range of
vehicles, and exhibited properties very similar to post-industrial bumpers reprocessed under the same
conditions. The recycler participating in Phase I was also able to create very high-quality TPO pellets at
a cost that is less than prime TPO. While the recycled TPO could not be a direct replacement for virgin
TPO in a high-demand application like bumpers, the material exhibits very good properties that could
make the material appropriate for non-critical applications on vehicles or feedstock for manufacturing in
other industry sectors.

This technology package details the experience of those participating in Phase I of the demonstration
project and the physical properties of the recycled TPO material. It also explores the economics of
collection based on key cost variables. Some initial end market exploration was also performed for the
TPO. This work ultimately resulted in the TPO material being specified for a non-critical part in a vehicle
by a large, U.S. auto manufacturer, marking a very important milestone for this project. All results and
learnings were promising in Phase I. Workgroup members therefore agreed that further demonstration
work was warranted to prove out replicability and scalability in Phases II and III.

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 GLOSSARY

Page 5
GLOSSARY OF TERMS

• TPO – thermoplastic polyolefin

• PCR – post-consumer recycled plastic
• PIR – post-industrial recycled plastic

ELV TPO bumpers

from scrap yards (PCR)
are sent to a recycler
and are shredded

Paint is removed Paint is NOT removed

PCR Shred TPO-paint PCR Shred TPO+paint

PCR Shred TPO-paint PCR Shred TPO+paint

is pelletized is pelletized

PCR Repro TPO-paint PCR Repro TPO+paint

TPO bumpers from

manufacturers (PIR) are
sent to a recycler and
are shredded

Paint is removed Paint is NOT removed

PIR Shred TPO-paint PIR Shred TPO+paint

PIR Shred TPO-paint is PIR Shred TPO+paint

pelletized is pelletized

PIR Repro TPO-paint PIR Repro TPO+paint

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 BACKGROUND

Page 7
BACKGROUND

Approximately 12-15 million vehicles are scrapped each year in the U.S. The average lifespan of a
vehicle is estimated to be 11 years, according to IHS Automotive, and increasingly those vehicles are
comprised of more and more plastics. Factors such as increased Corporate Average Fuel Economy
(CAFE) standards and the unparalleled design freedom afforded by plastics are accelerating the use of
plastics in new vehicle design. Recognizing the value of the plastics currently in vehicles, and the
increasing amount of plastics that vehicles will contain in the future, the Plastics Industry Association
(PLASTICS) sought to develop an effort to explore the recovery of plastics from end-of-life vehicles
(ELVs). When the members of PLASTICS considered the best starting point to test recovery, bumpers
were identified as an opportunity due to their significant volume per vehicle (approximately 20 pounds
per vehicle) and the homogeneity of the material, which is typically thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO).

Currently, very few plastics are recovered before an ELV is shredded. Some scrap yards do recover
bumpers for recycling, but this practice is few and far between across the U.S. and Canada. When a
vehicle is retired, it is generally shipped to a salvage yard where non-damaged parts can be pulled for
aftermarket sale. Once all resalable parts have been pulled, the car is then sent to an auto shredder,
where the entire car is shredded and sent through a series of magnets to remove metals. What remains
after metals recovery is called Auto Shredder Residue (ASR), which is landfilled. ASR is comprised of a
mix of plastics, rubber, wood and other non-metal residuals.

To further explore the potential of expanding the practice of recovering bumpers before shredding,
PLASTICS formed a partnership with the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA). The goal was to
identify an ARA member who operated an auto salvage yard that could test the practicality of bumper
recovery on a large scale. PLASTICS chose two pathways for testing ELV bumper material: shredded
TPO without paint removed (PCR Shred TPO+paint) as well as TPO after paint removal and re-
pelletizing (PCR Repro TPO-paint). Through cross-supply chain engagement, this effort aimed to
understand the opportunities and limitations of aggregating bumpers as well as end uses for the
resulting material. With this information, PLASTICS can further explore unlocking new end-market
opportunities and bridging the supply and demand gap to scale collection of bumpers across the U.S. If
successful, auto recyclers can create a new revenue opportunity, and PLASTICS members create a
new feed stream of TPO for remanufacturing.

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 METHODOLOGY

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METHODOLOGY

Recognizing that establishing new collection models and cultivating new end-market demand occurs in
stages and can take time, PLASTICS is approaching this project in three phases:

 Phase I goals:
o Test technical and economic feasibility of recovery at auto salvage yards.
o Understand how paint removal technologies that are widely used for post-industrial (PIR)
bumpers could be applied to PCR ELV bumpers.
o Understand what additional treatment needs to occur with bumper materials (i.e. metals
removal, further resin separation, etc.).
o Understand the resulting properties of the TPO once it has been thoroughly processed.
o Evaluating how bumper material performs if the paint is not removed.

 Phase II goals:
o Continue to demonstrate a viable collection process at auto shredding operations.
o Further test recycling of bumpers, without paint removal as well as utilizing other paint
removal technologies.
o Understand physical properties of the TPO processed under different conditions.

 Phase III goals:

o Seek potential end-market users of the recycled TPO from ELVs.
o Mold and test products utilizing the recycled TPO.
o Measure the potential demand for TPO across the U.S.

This report focuses on the learnings from Phase I, which was completed in November 2017, and offers
the initial material testing and physical properties of the TPO. Based on the preliminary material testing
of Phase I, the physical and mechanical properties of the material seem very promising.

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 PROCESS

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PROCESS

After outreach to the ARA and approval from their membership to partner with PLASTICS on this
demonstration project, the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) expressed interest in
simultaneously testing recovery and recycling potential for bumpers in Canada in partnership with the
Auto Recyclers of Canada (ARC). ARA identified a candidate member to test and perform bumper
recovery, which was Gary’s U-Pull It (Gary’s) in Binghamton, New York. The project officially launched
in July 2016, with a kick-off event and tour at Gary’s. The goals of that meeting included:

 Observe dismantling procedures,

 Provide real-time feedback on prohibitive items in the bumper shipment,
 Allow auto recyclers and plastics recyclers to ask questions, and
 Validate our target volumes and preparation methodology.

During that meeting, it was agreed upon how bumpers would be recovered and prepared for shipping to
Geo-Tech Polymers (Geo-Tech), a recycler and member company of PLASTICS. Timelines and project
targets were also determined at that meeting.

Within a few months, the staff of Gary’s had recovered approximately 4,500 lbs. of bumpers which were
sent to Geo-Tech for processing. Geo-Tech cleaned and pelletized the TPO for distribution to
interested parties to perform further testing and evaluation. The contributions and roles of each
participating company are outlined in the subsequent section. Unfortunately, due to space limitations at
candidate facilities in Canada, none of the ARC members were able to collect bumpers during Phase I.
However, Post Plastics in Canada was able to participate by providing samples of shredded bumpers,
and the resulting analysis of their sample materials is captured in the Evaluations section.

Economic Feasibility of Recovery

Maintaining the right balance of supply and demand is critical to the lasting success of any recycling
system. Auto Recycler Association (ARA) members were keenly interested in understanding the
economic potential that existed for recovery of TPO bumpers. Offering pricing for TPO bumpers on a
universal scale is not something that could be estimated as part of this project due to anti-trust
concerns. The project team determined that an economic pro forma could be created that would
account for all the profit and expense variables, and could be used as a tool for auto recyclers to

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determine if bumper recovery would be a profitable activity at their facility. In the economic pro forma,
auto recyclers are asked to input variables, including:

 Number of vehicles process annually

 Employee average hourly wage for conducting bumper recovery
 Estimated number of bumpers recovered per hour
 Plastic recycler estimated price per pound payment for bumpers
 Transportation costs
 Method of preparation (loose, baled, shredded)

Once those variables are entered on the spreadsheet, the pro forma calculates what the auto recycler’s
estimated profit or loss might be if they perform recovery within the boundaries of the estimated
variables.

This tool needs to be further vetted in Phase II of the research to better test reliability as well as
determine profitability of recovery activities under different conditions for auto recyclers. The economic
pro forma can be found in Appendix A.

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 EVALUATIONS

Page 14
EVALUATIONS

Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA)

Established in 1943, the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) is an international trade association
which has represented an industry dedicated to the efficient removal and reuse of automotive parts, and
the safe disposal of inoperable motor vehicles. ARA believes it is critical to establish national policy that
promotes effective competition in the markets for replacement parts and equipment to ensure efficient
repair and maintenance of motor vehicles around the globe.

ARA services approximately 1,000 member companies through direct membership and more than 2,000
other companies through affiliated chapters. Suppliers of equipment and services to this industry
complete ARA’s membership. ARA is the only trade association serving the automotive recycling industry
in twelve countries internationally.

ARA aims to further the automotive recycling industry through various services and programs to increase
public awareness of the industry’s role in conserving the future through automotive recycling and to
foster awareness of the industry’s value as a high quality, low cost alternative for the automotive
consumer. ARA encourages aggressive environmental management programs to assist member
facilities in maintaining proper management techniques for fluid and solid waste materials generated
from the disposal of motor vehicles.

Gary’s U-Pull It

The ARA was asked to produce at least one-member company to participate in the pilot study. Gary’s U-
Pull It proved to be an ideal candidate. The ELV project was officially launched with a meeting at Gary’s
in July 2016. At that meeting, an action plan was developed to test recovery of bumpers at Gary’s facility
and ship those bumpers to Geo-Tech Polymers. The result of this collaboration was the shipment of
4,500 pounds of baled bumpers to Geo-Tech in Fall 2016. Gary’s was an ideal facility for testing for
several reasons:

 Experience with pulling parts for mechanical recycling

 Past involvement in ARA recycling initiatives
 Owns a baler, which allowed them to achieve ideal densities for shipment

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  Willingness to participate in demonstration work that would advance the recycling of plastic auto
parts not eligible for resale

Brief History of Gary’s U-Pull It

Mr. Gary Beagell founded Gary’s U-Pull It in 1979 and still serves as its Chief Executive Officer. Mr.
Beagell has served as President of the ARA and has owned/operated multiple self-service automobile
recycling centers throughout the U.S. He has been a leader in the automotive recycling industry.

Gary grew up working at the family business and married his wife Linda in 1970, after which they
opened several businesses, including Gary’s U-Pull It in 1979. With humble beginnings utilizing a trailer
as a sales office, a plot of land in Binghamton, NY, a few dedicated employees and a vision, Gary and
Linda set out to build a successful self-service auto parts business. More than thirty years later, Gary’s
U-Pull It has expanded from a small self-service automotive recycling center to a mature facility,
recycling 11,000 vehicles per year, keeping the community free of unwanted vehicles and providing
quality used auto parts at affordable prices.

Gary is also a pioneer in recycling technology and holds patents in automotive fluid management
systems and has developed yard management software. He is currently a director of Fenix Parts, Inc.,
a business that owns full and self-serve professional automotive recycling yards in the US and Canada
and whose growing network services collision shops, mechanical repair shops and individual retail
customers.

In addition to being a leader on the front line of the industry, Gary is committed to the state and
international automotive recycling professional associations. He was twice president of the Automotive
Recyclers Association of New York and served as president of ARA in 2007. He has travelled the world
learning and educating others on best management practices in automotive recycling.

Contact information for Gary’s U-Pull It is:

230 Colesville Road

Binghamton NY, 13904
Office Phone: (607) 775-1900
Alternate Phone: (800) 449-4279
Website: http://garysupullit.com

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GEO-TECH Polymers

Geo-Tech Polymers, an AGNI International Family Company, is an Ohio-based processor of plastic that
serves various industry segments such as consumer, medical, automotive, furniture, etc. and was
recognized by the American Chemical Society in 2015 with an Award for “Green Environmental
Innovation”. The ACS cited Geo-Tech's patented, low cost, process for recycling painted plastic; a
process that is the greenest, lowest cost, large scale solution for the recycling of painted automotive
parts. Geo-Tech uses its superior chemical free technology to generate the highest possible savings
from waste material, and to deliver recycled plastic that can be 100% re-used, with no investment and
best-in-class quality control standards across the board. http://www.geo-tech.com/top-ten/

Geo-Tech Polymers has been in business for 14 years, and employs more than 50 people at their
Waverly, Ohio facility. Their core competencies are providing toll services for sorting, shredding,
granulating, washing, de-coating, density separation through float/sink, extrusion, quality assurance
testing and specialty compounding. Geo-Tech process a wide range of materials including: rigid and
film PP – HFPP, LFPP, TPO, PC, PC/ABS, PS, ABS, PE, PET, and BOPP.

Geo-Tech Polymers received about 4,500 pounds of bumpers, baled from Gary’s U-Pull It, as pictured
in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Baled Bumpers from Gary's U-Pull It

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The material was generally prepared as agreed-upon; however, the bumpers did require some manual
sorting and preparation prior to separation. Some of the contaminants that required removal include:

 PC headlamps
 metal clips
 nylon clips
 acetate bumpers that were not the target TPO bumper material that were mistakenly included.

The manual preparation required was relatively minimal. Examples of contamination requiring removal
can be seen in Figures 2-4.

Figure 2. Metal Clips

Figure 3. Metal Bushings

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Figure 4. Nylon Clips

Once inspected and prepared, the bumpers were shredded, as seen in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Shredded TPO Bumpers, Before Paint Removal (PCR Shred TPO+paint)

Once the bumpers were shredded, the shred was fed into the patented cleaning technology developed
by Geo-Tech. This technology can separate polymers, such as carpet fiber and backing, delaminate,
de-metalize and remove paints and pigments.

The resulting material from the process is a very uniform TPO pellet, free of visible impurities, as seen
in Figure 6.

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Figure 6. Post-Consumer Recycle (PCR) TPO Pellet recovered from ELV Bumpers (PCR Repro
TPO-paint).

Geo-Tech was able to perform some preliminary physical property testing on these pellets. The Geo-
Tech lab analysis is contained in Table 1.

Table 1. Mechanical Properties of PCR Repro TPO-paint from Geo-tech

Test ASTM Standard Value

Ash content (%) 5630 19.7
Flex modulus (psi) 790 124479
Izod (ft-lb/in) 256 13.76
Melt Flow Index (g/10min) 1238 22.9
Moisture (%) 6980 0.388
Shrink (%) 955 0.91503
Durometer 2240 58

Based on the testing performed at Geo-Tech, it was determined that the PCR Repro TPO-paint had
desirable physical properties, including high strength, low moisture and high resistance. Based on this

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information, several other participants elected to further test the sample for properties and potential
end-use applications.

In addition to processing post-consumer recycle (PCR) ELV bumpers, Geo-Tech has extensive
experience processing post-industrial (PIR) bumpers. Post-industrial TPO material is of high value and
quality and can go back into many high-performance applications. Geo-tech shared a side-by-side
comparison of the ash content and melt flow of both PIR and PCR TPO streams. Based on Geo-Tech’s
experience, PCR TPO material from ELV bumpers performs very similarly to PIR bumpers, which can
be seen in Table 2.

Table 2. Properties of PCR v. PIR TPO from Bumper Scrap

% Ash content (ASTM 5630) MFI g/10min (ASTM 1238)

230°C @2.16 kg
PCR Repro TPO-paint 20% 15 g/10min
PIR Repro TPO-paint 19% 16 g/10 min.

Contact information for Geo-Tech Polymers is:

Geo-Tech Polymers
423 Hopewell Rd
Roosevelt Bld South
Waverly, Ohio 45690
http://www.geo-tech.com/

Sanjay Dutta
CEO
614.797.2300
fax: 614.797.2301
[email protected]

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MIDLAND COMPOUNDING & CONSULTING

Midland Compounding & Consulting (MCC) compounds prime and post-industrial thermoplastics. Their
mission since 1999 is to develop specialty thermoplastic compounds and offer unique solutions to
difficult recycling opportunities, applying expertise in formulation and compounding to produce value-
added materials. The MCC lab is designed for plastic recycling research with processes for validating
materials, through fabrication and testing, to verify that new materials will work in commercial practice.
Their expertise made them an ideal partner in evaluating TPO from ELVs for this demonstration project.

With more than 50,000 square feet of industrial space, MCC provides capabilities and processing
support suited for developing products from prototype through to pilot production completing case
studies that demonstrate the benefits obtained from using recycled materials. MCC collaborates with
groups like PLASTICS on the ELV demonstration project, and The Sustainable Research Group, as
well as engaging colleges and universities in research projects. MCC offers commercial grades of post-
industrial ABS, Acrylic, ASA, PC, PC/ABS blends, nylons (filled and unfilled), and polypropylene
materials.

MCC’s team comprises of a broad range of experience from materials formulating to process
engineering of plastics. Current employment is twenty people in operations, engineering and
maintenance positions. MCC works with several sectors including: automotive, defense, industrial
materials, office furniture, packaging, sporting goods and the textile industry.

MCC has made many contributions to Phase I of the ELV project, including evaluation of PCR Repro
TPO-paint as well as PCR Shred TPO+paint. Their efforts were conducted in two steps. For the first
step, MCC received a sample of painted TPO regrind from an automotive Tier 1 injection molder. This
sample was compounded with another functionalized polymer to make the paint compatible with the
TPO base resin. The experimental sample and the original unmodified material were injection molded
into ASTM test specimens and the mechanical properties compared. The results from the phase 1
experiment are listed in Tables 3 & 4.

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Table 3. MCC Physical Property Testing of Post-Industrial Modified and Unmodified TPO+Paint

ASTM Method D638

Tensile Tensile Yield Break Break Tensile Testing
Yield Strength Elongation Strength Elongation Modulus Speed
Sample PSI PSI % KSI % KSI in./min.
Unmodified
Shred 2,435 2,437 5.29 1,934 27 195 2
TPO+paint
Modified Shred
TPO+paint 1,766 1,920 17.26 1,919 352 128 2
Notes: MFR Tested at 230°C/2.16 kg

Table 4. MCC Physical Property Testing of Post-Industrial Modified and Unmodified TPO+paint
(continued).
ASTM Method D790 D256 D5630 D1238
Flex Flex Secant Notched Ash MFR Hardness
Modulus Strength Modulus IZOD Content
Sample KSI PSI % ft.lbs/in. % g/10min. Shore D
Unmodified Shred
TPO+paint 169 3,648 171 7.7 16.1 21.5 61
Modified Shred
TPO+paint 94 2,167 97 8.8 18.9 13.4 52
Notes: MFR Tested at 230°C/2.16 kg

MCC concluded from this work that the residual paint can be made compatible with the TPO, due to the
increased elongation and IZOD impact strength. However, the resultant modified material is too soft to
returned for utilization as raw materials for automotive bumpers. Furthermore, the surface of the parts
molded from both materials was “pitted” due to the presence of the paint.

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For phase 2 of this study, a sample of recycled TPO from painted bumpers was provided by Geo-Tech
from PLASTIC’s ELV project. This sample was from ELVs and had been “washed” in the patented Geo-
Tech process to remove the paint, then pelletized. The sample was injection molded into ISO test
specimens and compared to the BMW specification for reprocessed PP/EDPM material. The results
from this work are listed in Table 5.

Table 4. MCC Evaluation of PCR Repro TPO-Paint from Geo-Tech

Properties Test Method Mercedes Spec. Reprocessed

PP/EPDMT 10 TPO

Physical
Specific Gravity, g/cc ISO 1183 0.96 0.9975
Ash Content ISO 3541 10(+/-2) 13.7
Mechanical
Tensile Modulus, MPa ISO 527-1 1000 1365
Tensile Break, MPa ISO527-1 12 14
Ultimate Tensile Strength, ISO 527-1 _ 18
MPa

Elongation @ Break, % ISO 527-1 80 50

Flexural Modulus, MPa ISO 178 - 1,495
Flexural Strength, MPa ISO 180 - 25
Unnotched, Izod Impact, ISO 180
(kJ/m2)

• @ 23°C No Break -

• @-30°C No Break -
Notched, Izod Impact, (kJ/m2) ISO 180
• @ 23°C - 33.75

• @-30°C - 8.75
Rheological
Melt Flow Rate (230°C/2.16 ISO 1133 25
kg) g/10 min.

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MCC concluded from this work that the PCR Repro TPO-paint from Geo-Tech offered good potential as
a stream of recycled material.

A few weeks after completing this study, MCC was asked by an automotive OEM to provide a sample
of reprocessed TPO material for a secondary mud flap on a small-volume vehicle. Its primary
requirement was that it needed to have a melt flow rate greater than 20 grams per 10 minutes. MCC
decided to submit the Repro TPO-paint from Geo-Tech. The material was molded in mid-February
2017 and was given an initial approval by the Tier 2 Injection Molding company. A picture of parts
molded from the material is provided in Figure 7 below. MCC will continue testing on this material to
provide all the necessary data to the OEM for final approval.

Figure 7. MCC Molded Parts from PCR Repro TPO-paint Provided by Geo-Tech

MCC further performed a comparative test of the Geo-Tech PCR Repro TPO-paint with the PCR Shred
TPO+paint received from Post Plastics in Canada. Post Plastics largely recovers ELV bumpers from
collision centers and auto body repair shops. Mechanical properties of the two samples can be
compared in Table 6. The sample from Post Plastics shows higher strength and impact resistance than

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the sample from Geo-Tech PCR Repro TPO-paint sample that was washed and pelletized prior to
molding. A primary contributing factor to the differences in mechanical properties could be due to the
additional heat history of the pelletized Geo-Tech material.

Table 5. Comparative Analysis of Geo-Tech PCR Repro TPO-paint with PCR Shred TPO+paint
Samples from Post Plastics

Properties Test Method Geo-Tech Sample Post Plastics

Sample
Physical
Specific Gravity, g/cc ISO 1183 0.9975 1.01
Ash Content ISO3541 13.7 16
Mechanical
Tensile Modulas, MPA ISO527-1 1,365 1,640
Tensile Break, MPa ISO527-1 14 18
Ultimate Tensile Strength, MPa ISO527-1 14 18
Elongation @ Break, % ISO527-1 50 23
Flexural Modulus, MPa ISO 178 1,495 1,537
Flexural Strength, MPa ISO 178 25 26
Notched, Izod Impact, (kJ/m2) ISO 180
@23°C 33.75 43.36
@-30°C 8.75 Not tested
Rheological
Melt Flow Rate (230°C/2.16kg) ISO1133 25 13
g/10 Min.

MCC molded two plaques from the Post Plastics materials. While the sample from Post Plastics shows
higher mechanical properties, the residual paint created an uneven surface appearance on the plaque
compared to the washed and pelletized Geo-Tech material. Based on appearance alone, this regrind

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would only be considered as feedstock for non-visible utility application. The aesthetic limitations of the
shredded TPO+paint is visible in Figure 8.

Figure 8. Plaques Molded by MCC with PCR Shred TPO+paint from Post Plastics

Contact information for Midland Compounding and Consulting is:

3802 James Savage Road
Midland, MI 48642
Phone: (989) 495-9367
Fax: (989) 495-9371
[email protected]
http://www.midlandcompounding.com/

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INNOVATIVE INJECTION TECHNOLOGIES (i2Tech)

i2Tech was founded in 1960 under the name Morton Custom Plastics. It has been i2-tech for 13 years.
On an average basis, the company employs 180 people. The company’s core competencies are widely
varied and include:

 custom injection molding from 55 to 3300 tons

 in-mold labeling
 insert molding/over molding
 gas assist
 value-add such as assembly and decorative markings

i2Tech can process any injection moldable resin grades, and traditionally stocks more than 400 resins
in house to meet varying customer needs. Because of the range of experience in resin and recycled
materials, they were also an excellent partner for testing the two streams of TPO in the ELV
demonstration project.

i2Tech received two samples of the ELV bumper material; PCR Repro TPO-paint and PCR Shred
TPO+paint. The company did not perform physical property testing; rather, they took the samples
directly into product application, molding the samples using transfer molds. For this particular
application, which was pallets, the previous molder could not meet cost, quality and delivery
expectations for the customer, so i2Tech was looking for cost-competitive materials to deliver on price
point and performance expectations for their customer. Both TPO samples processed much better than
the material currently being used for this customer. Current mix of material can be seen in Figure 9.

Figure 9. Current Material Mix Used by I2Tech for Customer Application

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The PCR Repro TPO-paint sample was fully reprocessed, extruded and pelletized from Geo-Tech
Polymers. The pellets visibly appeared to have virgin-like resin quality, and that is exactly how it
performed, according to i2Tech’s experience. They loaded the material and were making good,
consistent, full parts from the very first trial.

The PCR Shred TPO+paint sample received was much less consistent, having simply been shredded
and granulated. The paint is still visibly present, as seen in Figure 10.

Figure 10. PCR Shred TPO+paint.

The PCR Shred TPO+paint sample created processing challenges that i2Tech could not overcome.
Upon loading the PCR Shred TPO+paint into the extruder, it immediately gummed up the machine
barrel and began to smoke, and liquid began to ooze out of the back of the barrel. After contacting Geo-
Tech to troubleshoot the issue, it was noted that the PCR Shred TPO+paint had been dried. The
suggestion was to dry the PCR Shred TPO+paint. After drying, the PCR Shred TPO+paint performed
better, but i2Tech still had some smoking and liquid from the second trial of the shredded sample.

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In the end, i2Tech was able to mold two different version of pallets with the PCR Repro TPO-paint—a
one-time use pallet and a more robust racking pallet. These pallets outperformed current materials and
overcame some creep issues in molding that had been experienced with the traditional mix of material
that had been used. Performance of the PCR Repro TPO-paint exceeded expectations for pallet
applications. If the economics can be worked out, this could be a very good drop-in replacement
material for some of i2Tech’s customer applications.

Contact information for i2Tech is:

Innovative Injection Technologies

2360 Grand Avenue
West Des Moines, IA 50265-5731
Phone: 515-225-6707
[email protected]
http://www.i2-tech.com/

TOYOTA

As a member of PLASTICS’s Transportation and Industrial Plastics (TIP) committee, Toyota evaluated
the pelletized TPO with paint removed (PCR Repro TPO-paint) that was processed by Geo-Tech
Polymers. The PCR Repro TPO-paint was shipped to the TMNA-R&D Ann Arbor facility where it was
visually inspected before molding and evaluation per ISO. Key physical properties were then compared
with common Toyota polypropylene/TPO specifications.

The initial impression of the PCR Repro TPO-paint material was very positive. There was no abnormal
odor, which can often be present with PCR plastics. The pellets were uniform color (black) and shape
(cylindrical), suggesting they would process well. The processing lab used magnet bars on hopper and
found that no metal particulate was present in measurable quantities in the resin. Lastly, the pellets
processed within parameters with ‘conventional’ TPO grades.

After processing, a variety of testing was conducted to evaluate physical and mechanical properties of
the PCR Repro TPO-paint pellets. Those properties can be found in Table 7.

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Table 6. Toyota Evaluation of PCR Repro TPO-paint Pellets from Geo-Tech Polymers

Evaluation Method Units Average

Specific Gravity ISO 1183 - 0.99
Flex Stress at Yield ISO 178 MPa 21.0
Flex Modulus ISO 178 MPa 1166
Tensile Stress at Yield ISO 527 MPa 18.1
Strain at Break ISO 527 % 279.9
Modulus of Elasticity ISO 527 MPa 1196
Notched Charpy (23°C) ISO 179 kJ/m˄2 50.6
Notched Charpy (-30°C) ISO 179 kJ/m˄2 4.4
Temp of Deflection (1.80 MPa) ISO 75-A °C 46.7
Temp of Deflection (0.45 MPa) ISO 75-A °C 79.7
Dynatup (total energy 23°C) ISO 6603 J 28.1
Dynatup (total energy -30°C) ISO 6603 J 26.7
Melt Flow Index ISO 1133 g/10 min. 28
Ash Content ISO 3451` % 14.2

Toyota then compared the properties of the PCR Repro TPO-paint sample from Geo-Tech to the
existing material specifications for TPO parts. The standard deviation and standard deviation as a
percentage of the mean is displayed in Table 8. This comparison reveals how far off the PCR Repro
TPO-paint is from the virgin material specifications. Overall, the PCR Repro TPO-paint performed very
well, demonstrating wide variability in performance in only two areas – strain at break and Dynatup
(total energy -30°C).

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Table 7. Comparison of PCR Repro TPO-paint from Geo-Tech to Prime Resin Spec for Toyota
Parts

Evaluation Method Units Average St. Dev. (St. Dev as percent of Mean)
Specific Gravity ISO 1183 - 0.999 0.001 0.1%
Flex Stress at Yield ISO 178 MPa 21.0 0.265 1.3%
Flex Modulus ISO 178 MPa 1166 14 1.2%
Tensile Stress at Yield ISO 527 MPa 18.1 0.2 1.2%
Strain at Break ISO 527 % 279.9 171.5 61.3%
Modulus of Elasticity ISO 527 MPa 1196 27 2.2%
Notched Charpy (23°C) ISO 179 kJ/m^2 50.6 1.5 3.1%
Notched Charpy (-30°C) ISO 179 kJ/m^2 4.4 0.12 2.6%
Temp of Deflection (1.80 MPa) ISO 75-A °C 46.7 0.5 1.1%
Temp of Deflection (0.45 MPa) ISO 75-A °C 79.7 0.7 0.9%
Dynatup (total energy 23°C) ISO 6603 J 28.1 0.77 2.7%
Dynatup (total energy -30°C) ISO 6603 J 26.7 6.5 24.6%
Melt Flow Index ISO 1133 g/10min 28 0.1 0.2%
Ash Content ISO 3451 % 14.2

Based on the testing performed, it was determined the PCR Repro TPO-paint has good toughness but
is lacking in strength needed to meet material specifications for Toyota’s automotive parts. The large
standard deviation for elongation indicates possible defects in the compounded material leading to
stress concentrations and early failure during elongation of some test pieces. It should be noted that no
additional analysis of fracture/break surface was conducted to determine if inclusions exist and were
the cause of failure during elongation.

While this batch of PCR Repro TPO-paint from Geo-Tech failed to meet any Toyota material
specifications, for trim parts, filled PP, instrument panel (dashboard) or bumper fascia, members of the
Toyota materials team believes this TPO has a promising future in other non-auto applications. The low
density of the material is appealing. It is possible that the properties could be balanced by compounding
with additives and minerals to improve applicability, which should be further explored in future phases
of research, but specifically the variability in elongation would need to be addressed.

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 CONCLUSIONS

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CONCLUSIONS

The initial evaluation of ELV bumpers in two forms, processed and pelletized with paint removed (PCR
Repro TPO-paint) and simply shredded with the paint remaining (PCR Shred TPO+paint) have been
promising. The testing of physical and mechanical properties has garnered enough interest amongst
compounders and potential end users to warrant further continuation of this research. The areas of
additional research needed in subsequent phases are outlined below.

Replicability

While initial testing has been promising, proving replicability of the performance of this material will be
key in developing confidence in this material and unlocking end-market demand. To demonstrate
consistency, multiple samples of ELV TPO materials need to be collected from different locations and
processed by different recyclers. Testing potential variability of samples will be a primary focus of
Phase II.

Economic Feasibility

One of the primary challenges of launching a platform for the collection of a new commodity is ensuring
the economics are sustainable. While the workgroup that developed the economic pro forma has high
confidence this tool will be effective in determining the economic benefit for collectors, it needs to be
further tested under different conditions so it can be used with reliable predictability.

Also of importance is that the resulting ELV TPO material ready for manufacturing be cost-neutral or a
cost advantage to the user. Because the rubber package in TPO is of significant value, the economics
of recycling the ELV TPO balance in a way that makes the PCR TPO attractive to end users from a
cost perspective. This will be an important value proposition in opening potential end-markets for this
material. This needs to be further proven with end users.

End-Market Exploration

It is very encouraging that PCR and PIR Repro TPO-paint that has been processed by Geo-Tech and
further compounded by MCC has already been qualified for an OEM automotive application. Further
evaluation by workgroup members has also proven promising. Based on findings and experience, the
workgroup has signaled that if the quality of the material remains consistent, both processed with paint
removed and processed with paint remaining, identifying end markets for the material will not be a

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problem. The next phases of work will seek to better identify those end-market applications for the
appropriate streams.

In particular, the lower the processing cost can be kept, the greater the cost savings value proposition
can be pushed with end users. If the physical and mechanical properties of the PCR Shred TPO+paint
can be better evidenced, a greater demand can be cultivated for this material. What is most
encouraging is that the practice of recycling PCR Shred TPO+paint from ELV bumpers is already being
practiced in other parts of the world, including India. Banyan Nation, a one-time participant in the ELV
workgroup shared their experience with end-markets for PCR Shred TPO+paint bumper material. They
identified the following applications as potential end uses for PCR Shred TPO+paint, including:

 2-wheeler helmets
 side compartment of 2-wheelers
 flower pots
 shipping pallets
 buckets
 containers to carry grains, etc.
 transformer coil housing
 bobbins and cores to wrap cables, etc.

This information will help us explore options for PCR Shred TPO+paint materials in subsequent phases
of research.

Next Steps

Due to the promising results from Phase I, PLASTICS plans to allocate resources and staff time to
further exploring the economic and technical feasibility of recovering bumpers from end-of-life vehicles.
Partnering with associations that represent different parts of the auto recycle value chain will be an
important piece of the next phases of research.

To test the potential to scale ELV bumper collection to meaningful volumes, PLASTICS will be
partnering with the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) to engage their vast network of auto
shredder members. This will enable PLASTICS to further explore the economic potential of collection.
ISRI also has a bumper bale specification in place, which was developed to offer guidance on best
practices for removal and preparation of these bumpers for sale to plastics recyclers. This experience
makes ISRI and their membership an ideal partner.

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PLASTICS will also continue to expand the range of workgroup members engaged on this effort, with
particular emphasis on end users. While auto applications would be an ideal closed loop scenario for
this material, use of TPO in other sectors with less demanding applications should also be explored.

PLASTICS launched Phase II and III of research in Q4 of 2017, with expectations to conclude the work
by the end of 2018.

Companies can participate in this End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling Demonstration Project in a variety of
ways from processing samples to evaluating samples to sharing samples with potential end-users. If
your company can contribute to this project in any way, please contact a Plastics Industry Association
staff member below:

Kim Holmes
VP of Sustainability
[email protected]

Ashley Hood-Morley
Director of Sustainability
[email protected]

Kendra L. Martin
VP of Industry Affairs + Transportation & Industrial Plastics Committee
[email protected]

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 APPENDIX A

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APPENDIX A – ECONOMIC PRO FORMA

Below are screenshots from the Economic Pro Forma tool. Please note that these photos are only
meant to show a portion of the tool.

To receive a copy of the complete, fillable Excel file which will perform economic calculations when
provided with requested data, please contact a member of the Plastics Industry Association
(PLASTICS) staff, listed on page 35 of this report.

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 plasticsindustry.org

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