Emergence of gasoline as a cheap and effective solvent for recycling shelf-stable multi-layer aseptic cartons

Abstract

Aseptic containers, widely known as Tetra Paks, are multi-layered packages used in the food industry. These shelf-stable containers preserve the freshness and taste of products, such as beverages, and simplify their distribution and storage. However, the recycling of these packages is notoriously difficult and limited due to their multilayer structure, with recycling rates close to zero in many developing countries and rarely reaching 50% in industrialized nations. Nevertheless, various methods have been proposed to recycle such packages, including the recovery of paper through the hydropulping process and the separation of aluminum from plastic using solvents. The current study focuses on recycling the Al-PE composite residue after hydropulping. Nine solvents, namely xylene, toluene, ethanol, formic acid, distilled water, isopropyl alcohol, acetic acid, methanol, and ethyl acetate, were tested, and the percentage of polyethylene dissolution was determined for each. After identifying xylene and toluene as the most effective solvents, it was hypothesized for the first time that gasoline, a widely available solvent containing a high percentage of both xylene and toluene, could prove effective. Further investigations revealed that using the solvent mixture xylene:toluene:water (53:37:10, v/v) leads to 95% dissolution, while gasoline alone was 85% effective. Finally, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSPs) were used to examine gasoline as a solvent more closely. The analyses showed that, in addition to BTEX, there are many constituents in gasoline that can aid the recycling process.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Tetra Pak packaging / Composite recycling / Chemical recycling / Solvent dissolution / Experimental design / Hansen solubility parameters

Highlight

	● LDPE was recovered from Al-PE mixtures from hydropulped Tetra Pak.
	● Xylene and Toluene were identified as effective solvents.
	● Optimized xylene:toluene:water mix (53:37:10) dissolved 95% LDPE.
	● Gasoline, a cost-effective alternative, achieved 85% LDPE dissolution.
	● Hansen Solubility analysis revealed effective components in gasoline.

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