*Article* **Advancing Plastic Recycling by Wet-Mechanical Processing of Mixed Waste Fractions**

**Daniel Schwabl 1,\*, Markus Bauer <sup>1</sup> and Markus Lehner <sup>2</sup>**


**\*** Correspondence: daniel.schwabl@circulyzer.at

**Abstract:** In this paper, an arc was drawn over ten years of research activities from three chairs of the Montanuniversitaet Leoben, as well as industrial partners. The superior objective of this research effort was to develop a wet-mechanical process for the recovery of polyolefin concentrates (90 wt% polyolefins) from mixed waste fraction for use in chemical recycling and to advance this new technology to commercial maturity. As a bridge technology, it would close the gap between state-of-the-art dry processing of mixed plastic waste materials and chemical plastic recycling via thermo-chemical conversion. The methods used were mainly tested in a lab-scale plant with a throughput capacity of 50 to 200 kg/h depending on the bulk density of the used feedstock. Further studies for the treatment and usage of the main products and by-products, as well as chemical analyses of them, were completed during the investigation. Within these series of tests, polyolefin concentrates, which satisfied the requirements for chemical recycling, could be recovered. With these data, a concept for an industrial pilot plant was developed and evaluated from an economic point of view. According to this evaluation, the realization of such an industrial pilot plant can be recommended.

**Keywords:** plastics recycling; chemical recycling; wet-mechanical processing; polyolefins; circular economy
