Virgin pre-production plastics, meaning they are not created from recycled material, are made from an oil type called naphtha which is separated from crude oil during the distillation process. This oil is further refined to create different types of plastic which are then polymerised into pellets (nurdles) which are about 1-5 mm in diameter, or into a powder with particles ranging from 150-500µm in size. Pre-production plastics made from recycled material are generally shipped as flakes, which are generally about 10 mm round and mostly made of PET bottles. Once these pre-production plastics are created, they are then shipped to manufacturers for use.
This has led to programs like Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) being developed to assist manufacturers keep any plastic. The LittaTrap™ Catch Basin Insert is a solution that has helped OCS members by creating a passive way to capture plastics. This is achieved using the LittaTrap’s modular design features which allow it to capture plastics of many sizes. A key part of this design are the additional performance enhancing liners that can easily be fitted inside the basket.
Each of the liners are designed for capture of target pollutants based on the relative particle size. As shown in the Figure below, the 1000 micron liner is perfect for catching resin pellets as shown in our case studies. Less common are plastic powders, but the 200 micron liner or custom 100micron liner can capture the majority of powder particle sizes used in manufacturing, while still conveying water with industry leading flow rates.
For more on Liners , please contact the team or visit the liner page
