Composite materials for use in reducing carbon emissions

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a composite material for use in reducing carbon emissions, the composite material comprising: i) at least 40 wt% heterogeneous organic material of a total weight of the composite material, the heterogeneous organic material comprising at least cellulose, (ii) a plurality of synthetic polymers, and (iii) up to 15 wt% inorganic material, the composite material comprising less than 5 wt% polyethylene terephthalate PET of a total weight of the composite material, the composite material having a carbon footprint of less than about -10 KgCO2eq / Kg as determined according to ISO14040:2006. Also disclosed are articles of manufacture comprising the composite material, and methods of producing the articles of manufacture.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD This disclosure relates to greenhouse gas and carbon emissions and products and methods for reducing them.

[0002] References The following references are considered to be relevant background to the presently disclosed subject matter. -International Patent Application Publication No. 10082202

[0003] Acknowledgement of the above references herein should not be inferred as meaning that they are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter. [Background technology]

[0004] WO10082202 describes a composite material having thermoplastic properties and comprising an organic material and, optionally, one or both of an inorganic material and a plastic material. Such a composite material can be prepared from waste materials, such as domestic waste materials. For the preparation of the composite material, the waste materials are dried and granulated. The dried and granulated waste materials are then heated while mixing under shear forces. The composite material is processed to obtain a useful article. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to a first aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided a composite material comprising: (i) at least 40 wt.% heterogeneous organic material of a total weight of the composite material, the heterogeneous organic material comprising at least cellulose; (ii) a plurality of synthetic polymers; and (iii) up to 15 wt.% inorganic material; the composite material comprises less than 5% by weight of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) based on the total weight of the composite material; When the composite is judged according to ISO14040:2006, it has a carbon footprint of approximately -10 kg CO 2 Composite materials are provided that have a carbon footprint below eq / Kg.

[0006] The composite materials are particularly intended for use in reducing carbon emissions, and therefore, in the context of this disclosure, references to the presently disclosed composite materials should be understood to refer to the composite materials themselves, and in some instances, primarily to their intended uses.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided an article of manufacture comprising a combination of one or more thermoplastic synthetic polymers and a composite material as defined herein, the article of manufacture exhibiting a carbon footprint that is lower than the total carbon footprint of the one or more synthetic polymers.

[0008] Further, in accordance with a third aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided a method of producing an article of manufacture, the method comprising forming a melt of one or a mor of a synthetic polymer and a composite material as defined herein, and shaping the melt into an article of manufacture.A further method involves blending one or more synthetic polymers, each of the one or more synthetic polymers having a carbon footprint as determined according to ISO 14040:2006, with a composite material as defined herein, wherein the article of manufacture is characterized by a carbon footprint that is statistically significantly lower than the carbon footprint of the one or more synthetic polymers.

[0009] Finally, in accordance with a fourth aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided a method of reducing carbon emissions associated with the production of an article of manufacture comprising one or more synthetic polymers, the method comprising producing the article of manufacture having a blend of the one or more synthetic polymers and a composite material comprising: i) at least 40 wt.% heterogeneous organic material of a total weight of the composite material, the heterogeneous organic material comprising at least cellulose; (ii) a plurality of synthetic polymers; and (iii) up to 15 wt.% inorganic material; the composite material comprises less than 5% by weight of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) based on the total weight of the composite material; When the composite is judged according to ISO14040:2006, it has a carbon footprint of approximately -10 kg CO 2 A method is provided that has a carbon footprint of less than eq / Kg. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] In order to better understand the subject matter disclosed herein, and to illustrate how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] Provides an equation for the First Order Decay (FOD) method for calculating avoided emissions, including the following parameters: model correction factor ("10"), fraction of methane captured at the Solid Waste Disposal Site (SWDS) ("20"), global warming potential impact of methane ("30"), oxidation factor ("40"), conversion of carbon to methane ("50"), fraction of methane at the SWDS ("60"), fraction of degradable organic carbon that can be decomposed ("70"), methane correction factor ("80"), analysis period distinction ("90"), waste type distinction ("100"), amount of solid waste (SW) type j prevented from disposal at the SWDS ("110"), fraction of degradable organic carbon in waste type ("120"), decay rate by waste type ("130"), analysis period under review ("140") DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Producing usable composite materials from heterogeneous waste faces many challenges. Moreover, the amount of waste produced every day around the world demands that new, useful materials be re-produced from it. Therefore, organic waste, and especially food waste management, needs to be made a top priority by local, regional, national and international governments.

[0012] The presently disclosed subject matter is based on the development of composite materials that have a negative carbon footprint and therefore can be used as "diluents" for synthetic polymers (plastics) that have a positive carbon footprint and therefore are considered unfavorable for the environment and the greenhouse effect.

[0013] Specifically, and according to its broadest aspects, the presently disclosed subject matter preferably provides a composite material for use in reducing carbon emissions (e.g., for use in reducing greenhouse carbon emissions).

[0014] Disclosed herein is a composite material comprising: (i) at least 40 wt.% of a heterogeneous organic material of a total weight of the composite material, the heterogeneous organic material comprising at least cellulose; (ii) a plurality of synthetic polymers; and (iii) up to 15 wt.% of an inorganic material; the composite material comprises less than 5 wt.-% polyethylene terephthalate PET, preferably less than 4 wt.-% or even 3 wt.-% or less of the total weight of the composite material; When composite materials are judged according to ISO14040:2006, they are approximately -10KgCO 2 It has a carbon footprint below eq / Kg.

[0015] In the context of this disclosure, reference to a "composite material" should be understood as an essentially uniformly distributed blend of two or more constituent materials that differ in their chemical and / or physical properties and yet are fused / combined together to create a material whose properties differ from those of the individual materials that form it.

[0016] The presently disclosed composite materials include non-plastic / non-synthetic heterogeneous organic materials.

[0017] When referring to heterogeneous (non-plastic / non-synthetic) organic material, it should be understood to encompass a mixture of different naturally occurring materials that may originate from plant waste, waste from plant-based products, animal debris, waste from animal-based foods, etc.

[0018] In some instances, the organic matter comprises a heterogeneous blend of cellulosic materials, including any combination of lignocellulose, cellulose, lignin, and / or hemicellulose biomass, and any derivative or modified forms thereof. Hereinafter, the term "cellulose" refers collectively to any one or combination of lignocellulose, cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose, and any derivative or modified forms thereof.

[0019] The cellulose content can be determined by TG-DSC performed according to ISO 11358 (weight loss >5%) under the conditions described below.

[0020] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the amount of non-plastic heterogeneous organic matter within the composite is determined to be at least 40% by weight, sometimes at least 45% by weight, sometimes at least 50% by weight, sometimes at least 55% by weight, sometimes at least 60% by weight, sometimes at least 65% by weight, sometimes at least 70% by weight, sometimes at least 75% by weight, sometimes at least 80% by weight, sometimes at least 85% by weight, and sometimes at least 90% by weight, in accordance with ISP 11358.

[0021] The composite materials of the presently disclosed subject matter can also be characterized by the presence of DNA material (as part of the organic material) detected using a chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (24:1) (CTAB) solution in a conventional DNA extraction protocol, as described, for example, by Yi, S., Jin, W., Yuan, Y. and Fang, Y. (2018). An Optimized CTAB Method for Genomic DNA Extraction from Freshly-picked Pinnae of Fern, Adiantum capillus-veneris L. Bio-protocol 8(13):e2906. DOI: 10.21769 / BioProtoc.2906 (see also the Examples, which form an integral part of this disclosure).

[0022] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the amount of DNA in the composite is at least 0.1 mg / g, sometimes at least 0.5 mg / g, sometimes at least 1 mg / g, sometimes at least 2 mg / g, sometimes at least 3 mg / g, sometimes at least 4 mg / g, sometimes at least 5 mg / g, sometimes at least 6 mg / g, sometimes at least 7 mg / g, sometimes at least 8 mg / g, sometimes at least 9 mg / g, sometimes at least 10 mg / g, sometimes at least 11 mg / g, sometimes at least 12 mg / g, sometimes at least 13 mg / g, sometimes at least 14 mg / g, and sometimes at least 15 mg / g.

[0023] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, particularly where the composite material is essentially plastic-free (as further described below), the amount of DNA is at least 10 mg / g, or even at least 15 mg / g.

[0024] Composite materials of the presently disclosed subject matter can also be characterized by the presence of chlorophyll (also part of the organic matter) detected using conventional protocols.

[0025] In some examples, the chlorophyll content is determined by adding 1 ml of dimethylformamide (DMF, in a 1.5 ml tube) to a sample of the composite material of the presently disclosed subject matter. The tube is incubated overnight at 4° C. to allow the chlorophyll to dissolve in the DMF solution. The sample solution (300 μl) is mixed with 600 μl of DMF in a new Eppendorf tube (2 volumes of DMF per volume of sample). The absorbance (A) is obtained in a spectrophotometer at wavelengths of 647 nm and 664.5 nm using a quartz cuvette. The chlorophyll content is calculated using the following relationship: Chlorophyll a content (μg / ml) = (12 x A664.5) - (2.79 x A647) Chlorophyll b content (μg / ml) = (20.78 x A647) - (4.88 x A664.5)

[0026] In some instances, the amount of chlorophyll in the composite materials of the presently disclosed subject matter is at least 95 μg / g.

[0027] In some instances, the presently disclosed composite materials are essentially synthetic-free, i.e., contain up to 10% by weight synthetic polymers (synthetic plastics). Such composite materials are sometimes referred to herein by the term "organic composites."

[0028] In some examples, the presently disclosed subject matter comprises more than 10% by weight of synthetic polymers. It should be understood that the term "synthetic polymers" or simply "synthetic plastics" refers to mixtures of plastics typically present in domestic and / or industrial waste streams, as well as any other synthetic plastics known in the art.

[0029] According to some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, an organic composite is a composite of the presently disclosed subject matter that contains less than 9 weight percent synthetic polymer, sometimes less than 8 weight percent synthetic polymer, sometimes less than 7 weight percent synthetic polymer, sometimes less than 6 weight percent synthetic polymer, sometimes less than 5 weight percent synthetic polymer, sometimes less than 4 weight percent synthetic polymer, sometimes less than 3 weight percent synthetic polymer, sometimes less than 2 weight percent synthetic polymer, sometimes less than 1 weight percent synthetic polymer, and sometimes a non-detectable amount of synthetic polymer.

[0030] In some examples, the organic composite materials of the present disclosure include at most 3% by weight of a synthetic polymer.

[0031] In some examples, the presently disclosed composite materials have non-detectable amounts of synthetic polymer when examined using the TG-DSC analytical conditions described herein (TG-DSC performed according to ISO 11358 under conditions described below (weight loss >5%)).

[0032] In some alternative examples, the composite material comprises a synthetic polymer in an amount greater than 10% by weight, even between 10% and 40% by weight, of the total weight of the composite material. Composite materials disclosed herein that comprise greater than 10% by weight, but up to 40% by weight, of a synthetic polymer are referred to herein by the term "plasticless composites."

[0033] In the above and following description of the presently disclosed subject matter, the term "composite material" refers collectively to organic composites and plasticless composites, as well as other types of composite materials falling within the scope of the presently disclosed subject matter.

[0034] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the plasticless composite comprises synthetic polymer in an amount of up to 35% by weight, sometimes in an amount of up to 30% by weight, sometimes in an amount of up to 25% by weight, sometimes in an amount of up to 20% by weight, sometimes in an amount of up to 15% by weight, sometimes in an amount of 10% to 135% by weight, sometimes in an amount of 10% to 30% by weight, and sometimes in an amount of 10% to 20% by weight.

[0035] The synthetic polymers present in the presently disclosed composites (whether organic or plasticless) can include one or more polyolefins, including, but not limited to, high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), and polypropylene (PP).

[0036] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the synthetic polymer includes one or more polyacrylonitriles.

[0037] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the synthetic polymer includes one or more polybutadienes.

[0038] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the synthetic polymer includes one or more polycarbonates.

[0039] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the synthetic polymer includes one or more polyamides (PA).

[0040] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the synthetic polymer includes one or more ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers (EVOH).

[0041] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the synthetic polymer includes one or more polyurethanes (PU).

[0042] In the context of the present disclosure, when the synthetic polymer includes PET, the amount is less than 5 wt.%, or even less than 4 wt.%, or even less than 3 wt.%, or even less than 2 wt.%, or even less than 1 wt.% of the total weight of the composite, as discussed above and further below.

[0043] In some examples, the synthetic polymer includes one or more thermosets, such as vulcanized rubber, vulcanized thermoplastic polymers (TPV), and / or polyurethanes (PU).

[0044] When referring to "less than" in this specification, it should be understood that it means any specified amount, but also means a non-detectable amount as determined by a suitable measurement method related to the component under analysis.For example, when this term refers to a synthetic polymer, an amount of less than 5% by weight also means a non-detectable amount (weight loss > 5%) as determined using TG-DSC analysis performed according to ISO11358.

[0045] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the composite material also includes an inorganic material, the amount of which, if present in the composite material, can be determined using TG-DSC analysis, Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) under conditions known in the art, or as described herein (e.g., in the Examples section).

[0046] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the inorganic material is present in the composite in an amount of up to about 15 wt.%, sometimes up to about 10 wt.%, sometimes up to 5 wt.%, and sometimes up to about 4 wt.%, 3 wt.%, 2 wt.%, or even up to 1 wt.% of the total weight of the composite as determined using TG-DSC analysis or inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES).

[0047] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the amount of inorganic material can be within any range between the lower and upper limits recited above, for example, the inorganic material can be any range within the range of about 1% to 15% by weight, such as about 5% to 10% by weight, or about 1% to 10% by weight, or about 3% to 8% by weight, etc.

[0048] In some examples, the inorganic materials in the composite materials of the presently disclosed subject matter refer to materials typically found in municipal, domestic, and / or industrial waste streams, including, but not limited to, sand, stone, glass, ceramics and other minerals, and metals, including, for example, aluminum, iron, and copper.

[0049] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the inorganic material comprises a silicate. When silica is present, the amount is at most 10 mg / g. In some examples, the amount of silica in the composite is at most 7 mg / g, sometimes at most 6 mg / g, sometimes at most 5 mg / g, sometimes at most 4 mg / g, sometimes at most 3 mg / g, sometimes at most 2 mg / g, and sometimes at most 1 mg / g.

[0050] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the amount of silicates and other inorganic elements can be determined using an argon plasma in the technique of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), the details of which, in amounts further discussed below, are provided in the following examples which form an integral part of this disclosure.

[0051] The composite material reduces CO2 emissions by approximately -10 kg CO2 when determined according to the ISO14040:2006 life cycle assessment (LCA). 2 It is characterized by a carbon footprint below eq / Kg.

[0052] In the context of the presently disclosed subject matter, the term "carbon footprint" refers to the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) or CO 2Used to indicate equivalent quantities.

[0053] In the context of the presently disclosed subject matter, the terms "carbon offset" or "carbon offsetting" are used to refer to the act or process of compensating for carbon dioxide emissions by making an equivalent reduction in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

[0054] In the context of the presently disclosed subject matter, the carbon footprint determination utilizes the UN Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Methodology Tool 4 (V.8.0, details of which can be found at https: / / cdm.unfccc.int / Reference / tools / index.html) and the Integrated Methodology for Alternative Waste Treatment Processes (ACM0022, details of which can be found at https: / / cdm.unfccc.int / methodologies / DB / YINQ0W7SUYOO2S6GU8E5DYVP2ZC2N3). Notably, the CDM mechanism is applicable in all markets, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Israel.

[0055] Tool 4 concerns emissions from solid waste disposal sites (SWDS). The baseline scenario assumed (without waste management / recycling facilities) is the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) in a partially managed landfill. Landfills create anaerobic conditions under which organic waste produces methane as it decomposes. As can be seen, methane is a very potent greenhouse gas (GHG) with a global warming potential (GWP) of 1.2 times that of carbon dioxide (CO) when considered over a 20-year timeline. 2 ) is 86 times higher than (GWP 20 ), and 34 times higher for the 100-year analysis period (GWP 100) (In this regard, see also https: / / www.ipcc.ch / site / assets / uploads / 2018 / 02 / WG1AR5_Chapter08_FINAL.pdf, p. 714, Table 8.7.) The composite materials disclosed herein provide a solution to a significant need by, inter alia, diverting organic waste from landfills and converting it into products that prevent this generation of methane.

[0056] In the context of the presently disclosed subject matter, the determination of avoided emissions can be determined by the First Order Decay Method (FOD), which includes the following parameters: -Methane fraction in SWDS gas -Fraction of methane captured by SWDS - Amount of methane oxidized by SWDS covering -Methane correction factor - Model correction factors to account for model uncertainty - Amount of each type of waste processed - Degradable organic carbon (DOC) fraction - Decay rates for each type of waste

[0057] The formula for FOD is given in Figure 1.

[0058] The center values ​​used for the FOD parameters are shown in Tables 1A and 1B.

[0059] [Table 1]

[0060] [Table 2]

[0061] When considering the determination of carbon footprint, the following definitions of terms should be taken into account.

[0062] Anaerobic decomposition - Decomposition in the absence of oxygen. When organic waste decomposes in the presence of oxygen, it produces CO 2 , but under anaerobic conditions produces the more potent GHG methane (https: / / www.epa.gov / lmop / basic-information-about-landfill-gas).

[0063] Baseline scenario – The situation that would occur in the absence of the proposed project or activity (also known as "business as usual", https: / / cdm.unfccc.int / Reference / Guidclarif / glos_CDM.pdf).

[0064] Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) - The most abundant greenhouse gas (GHG) on Earth. Carbon dioxide occurs naturally but is also released by many human activities, including transportation, energy generation, and industrial processes. It is measured in parts per million (ppm) (https: / / www.epa.gov / ghgemissions / overview-greenhouse-gases#carbon-dioxide).

[0065] Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 eq) - Global Warming Potential (GWP) of other GHGs and the carbon footprint of a process, activity or product in terms of CO 2 The scale used to express carbon dioxide in terms of

[0066] Carbon Footprint - Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) focusing only on climate change impact categories to measure the carbon emissions caused during the life of a product or by an organization's activities (the relevant ISO standard is 14067, (https: / / www.iso.org / standard / 71206.html)

[0067] Carbon Negative - A carbon negative product, process, or organization must sequester or prevent more carbon emissions than it generates. As discussed further below, the composite materials disclosed herein are carbon negative (aka "climate positive" products (https: / / www.vox.com / the-goods / 2020 / 3 / 5 / 21155020 / companies-carbon-neutral-climate-positive).

[0068] Climate Positive - A climate positive product, process, or organization must sequester or prevent more carbon emissions than it generates. As detailed herein, the composite materials disclosed herein are climate positive (also known as "carbon negative") products.

[0069] Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) - a methodology defined in the Kyoto Protocol to provide projects that reduce GHG emissions and generate Certified Emission Reduction Units (CERs), which can be traded in the Emissions Trading Scheme (https: / / cdm.unfccc.int / ). As explained above and below, this CDM methodology can be used, and was used, to calculate avoided emissions for the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the composite materials disclosed herein.

[0070] Cradle-to-Gate - Cradle-to-Gate LCA considers carbon emissions from the extraction stage throughout the production process until the product leaves the manufacturer's or factory's gate, including transportation to the factory but not to the customer (https: / / circularecology.com / glossary-of-terms-and-definitions.html#.X-Ir1C-ZPOQ).

[0071] End of life (EOL) - refers to the disposal stage of a product's life. Common EOL options include landfilling, chemical and mechanical recycling, composting, and incineration (https: / / www.wur.nl / en / article / Waste-stage-end-of-life-options-1.htm).

[0072] Greenhouse gas (GHG) - a gas that has the potential to trap heat by blocking radiation from leaving the Earth's atmosphere and causing the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), and water vapor are the most significant GHGs, as well as, to a lesser extent, ground-level ozone, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases (https: / / www.epa.gov / ghgemissions / overview-greenhouse-gases).

[0073] Global Warming Potential (GWP) – the ability of a GHG to trap radiation and cause heating. The GWP of any GHG is the sum of the 2 Based on the GWP of 2 CO 2 It is expressed as CO eq. Different gases have different lifetimes, so the GWP of a gas depends on the amount of time it is analyzed. 2 Gases with short lifetimes relative to the atmosphere will have a larger GWP over shorter analysis periods because their effect begins to decrease as the gas is destroyed in the atmosphere (https: / / www.ipcc.ch / site / assets / uploads / 2018 / 02 / WG1AR5_Chapter08_FINAL.pdf).

[0074] GWP 20 -Methane is CO 2 GWP over the 20-year analysis period (https: / / www.ipcc.ch / site / assets / uploads / 2018 / 02 / WG1AR5_Chapter08_FINAL.pdf), which is 86 times more potent than the

[0075] GWP 100 -Methane is CO 2 GWP over the 100-year analysis period (https: / / www.ipcc.ch / site / assets / uploads / 2018 / 02 / WG1AR5_Chapter08_FINAL.pdf), which is 34 times more powerful than the

[0076] Kyoto Protocol - an agreement adopted in 1997 and which came into force in 2005 that sets binding emission reduction targets. Established flexible market mechanisms such as the CDM, which is based on the trading of emission permits.

[0077] Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - A quantitative analysis of the environmental impacts of a product, process, or organization. Impact categories (e.g., carbon emissions or water use) and system boundaries (e.g., cradle-to-gate) may vary depending on the goal of the assessment, but they must be clearly described. Relevant ISO standards are 14040 and 14044 (https: / / pre-sustainability.com / legacy / download / Life-Cycle-Based-Sustainability-Standards-Guidelines.pdf).

[0078] System boundary - describes the extent to which a product, process, or activity associated with an organization is considered in the LCA. Boundaries may consider stages of production, geographic areas, and time intervals (https: / / ec.europa.eu / environment / life / project / Projects / index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showFile&rep=file&fil=ECOIL_Life_Cycle.pdf).

[0079] Based on the above, the presently disclosed composite material has a 2 eq / Kg or less, sometimes -11KgCO 2 The composite materials have been determined to have a carbon footprint of less than -12KgCO eq / Kg. 2eq / Kg or less. In some instances, the composite material has a carbon footprint of -13KgCO 2 eq / Kg or less. In some instances, the composite material has a carbon footprint of -14KgCO 2 eq / Kg or less. In some instances, the composite material has a carbon footprint of -15KgCO 2 eq / Kg or less. In some instances, the composite material has a carbon footprint of -16KgCO 2 eq / Kg or less. In some instances, the composite material has a carbon footprint of -17KgCO 2 eq / Kg or less. In some instances, the composite material has a carbon footprint of -18KgCO 2 Has a carbon footprint of less than eq / Kg.

[0080] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, when the composite material is an organic composite, i.e., contains up to 10% by weight plastic, or even essentially no plastic, its carbon footprint is less than -11 KgCO 2 eq / Kg or less, sometimes -15KgCO 2 eq / Kg or less, sometimes -18KgCO 2 eq / Kg or less.

[0081] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, when the composite material is a plasticless composite, i.e., contains 10% to 40% plastic by weight, its carbon footprint is less than -10KgCO 2 eq / Kg or less, sometimes -11KgCO 2 eq / Kg or less, sometimes -11.5KgCO 2 eq / Kg or less

[0082] The composite material can be combined with an externally added synthetic polymer, e.g., a virgin plastic, as further described below. Notably, when the composite material is combined with a virgin plastic polymer, such as polypropylene (PP) or polylactic acid (PLA), the composite material significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the synthetic polymer below that of the synthetic polymer in the absence of the presently disclosed composite material. This is evident from the non-limiting examples presented in Tables 3A and 4, which show the carbon footprint of an organic (essentially plastic-free) composite material. Furthermore, Table 4 shows that when an organic / plastic-free composite material is formulated with 70% synthetic polymer, such as PP or PLA, the carbon footprint of these two polymers is 2.7 KgCO2, respectively. 2 eq / Kg to -3.3KgCO 2 Up to eq / Kg and 3.8KgCO 2 eq / Kg to -2.6KgCO 2 This indicates that the reduction has been achieved up to eq / Kg.

[0083] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the composite has a weight loss onset temperature in a Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) curve of 220° C. or less. If the composite is essentially free of plastic, the weight loss onset temperature is 180° C. or less.

[0084] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, a composite material can be characterized by its physical properties for a specimen that was injection molded with 70 wt. % polypropylene (PP).

[0085] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the injection molded specimens are characterized by a tensile modulus (according to ISO-527-2) of at least at least 1,000 MPa, sometimes at least 1,100 MPa, and sometimes at least 1,200 MPa. In some examples, the tensile modulus is in the range of 1,000 MPa to 1,400 MPa.

[0086] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, injection molded specimens are characterized by a tensile stress at yield (according to ISO-527-2) of at least 12 MPa, sometimes at least 13 MPa, and sometimes at least 13.5 MPa.

[0087] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the injection molded specimens are characterized by a tensile strain at yield (according to ISO-527-2) of at least 2.2%, sometimes at least 2.3%, sometimes at least 2.4%, sometimes at least 2.5%, sometimes at least 2.6%, sometimes at least 2.7%, and sometimes at least 2.8%. In some examples, the tensile strain at yield is in the range of 2.2% to 2.85%.

[0088] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, injection molded specimens are characterized by a tensile strain at break (total elongation, according to ISO-527-2) of at least 3.2%, sometimes at least 3.3%, sometimes at least 3.4%, sometimes at least 3.5%, sometimes at least 3.6%, and sometimes at least 3.7%.

[0089] In some examples of the subject matter disclosed herein, the injection molded specimens have a thermal conductivity of at least 2.8 kJ / m 2 , sometimes at least 2.9 kJ / m 2 , sometimes at least 3.0 kJ / m 2 , sometimes at least 3.1 kJ / m 2 It is characterized by its notched Izod impact (impact strength, according to ISO-180).

[0090] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, injection molded specimens are characterized by a flexural modulus (according to ISO-178) of at least 1,000 MPa, or sometimes at least 1,100 MPa.

[0091] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, injection molded specimens are characterized by a flexural stress (according to ISO-178) of at least 15 MPa, at least 20 MPa, sometimes at least 21 MPa, sometimes at least 22 MPa, sometimes at least 23 MPa, and sometimes at least 24 MPa.

[0092] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the injection molded specimens have a hardness of about 0.97 g / cm 3 or 0.98g / cm 3 It is characterized by its density (according to ISO-1183).

[0093] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, injection molded specimens are characterized by a Melt Flow Index (MFI) 230° C. / 2.16 Kg (g / 10 min, according to ISO 1130) of greater than 25 g / 10 min.

[0094] The composite material is prepared by a method that utilizes a heterogeneous incorporation material. In the context of the present disclosure, the term "incorporation material" should be understood to refer to waste material that is typically derived from domestic / household waste containing at least 40% organic matter.

[0095] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the entrapment material is derived from raw heterogeneous waste. In the context of this disclosure, when referring to "raw heterogeneous waste," it should be understood as a material that includes a combination of heterogeneous blends of synthetic polymers (plastics), non-synthetic / non-plastic organic matter, including at least cellulose, and inorganic matter.

[0096] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, raw heterogeneous waste refers to unsorted heterogeneous waste material obtained from municipal, industrial, and / or domestic waste, i.e., heterogeneous waste material that has not been subjected to any substantial industrial sorting process. In some examples, raw heterogeneous waste is a combination of different organic materials that may originate from animal material, plant material, etc.

[0097] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the raw heterogeneous waste material is subjected to a pre-sorting process in which large undesired waste items are removed. For example, the raw waste can be pre-sorted to remove any one of metals, glass, and large minerals. Pre-sorting can be performed manually, for example, by transporting the raw waste on a conveyor belt and identifying the large undesired waste items.

[0098] Additionally or alternatively, pre-sorting includes separation using magnetic forces (magnet-based separation), typically for the separation and removal of ferrous metals. Sometimes, magnet-based separation is used for the separation and removal of magnetic metals and alloys, and sometimes for the separation and removal of ferromagnetic materials.

[0099] Additionally or alternatively, pre-screening typically involves separation using an eddy current separator for removal of non-ferrous metals.

[0100] The raw waste that has been subjected to the preliminary sorting process(es) still contains a plurality of heterogeneous plastic materials, non-plastic organic materials, and inorganic matter. This sorted waste is referred to as metal-free heterogeneous waste.

[0101] The metal-free heterogeneous waste can then be subjected to several steps of drying and sorting to obtain the entrapped material.

[0102] In the context of the presently disclosed subject matter, reference to drying should be understood as removing a portion of the water from the heterogeneous waste material. Drying should not be interpreted as removing all water from the waste. In some instances, raw waste contains about 30%-40% w / w water, and drying involves removal of at least 50% of the water content, sometimes at least 60% of the water content, sometimes at least 70% of the water content, sometimes at least 80% of the water content, sometimes at least 90% of the water content, and sometimes at least 95% of the water content. The waste material then obtained can be considered a dry waste material. Dry waste material typically contains less than 10% water (moisture) by weight.

[0103] In some instances, the dry waste material, and therefore the intake material, comprises less than 10% water by weight, sometimes less than 9% water by weight, sometimes less than 8% water by weight, sometimes less than 7% water by weight, sometimes less than 6% water by weight, sometimes less than 5% water by weight, sometimes less than 4% water by weight, sometimes less than 3% water, and sometimes less than 2% water by weight.

[0104] Drying can be accomplished by any means known in the art.

[0105] In some instances, drying is accomplished by placing the heterogeneous waste outside and allowing it to dry, in some other instances, drying is accomplished by placing the waste under a dry air stream and / or in an oven chamber and / or by squeezing out the liquid.

[0106] The drying process removes water and sometimes some volatile liquids, which may include liquids that have a vapor pressure of at least 15 mmHg at 20° C., such as ethanol.

[0107] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, drying is accomplished by a biodrying process that utilizes bacteria naturally present in the waste. To this end, the waste material is typically placed in a temperature-controlled environment. In some examples, biodrying is carried out with the temperature maintained at about 70° C.

[0108] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, bacteria are added to heterogeneous waste materials (eg, pre-sorted waste materials) to induce or enhance the biodrying process.

[0109] Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the remaining residual moisture content plays a role in the chemical processes that result in the conversion of dry / anhydrous waste materials into the composite materials of the present disclosure.

[0110] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the anhydrous waste material is then subjected to size reduction to obtain particulate waste material.

[0111] In the context of this disclosure, the term "particulate" or "particulation" should be understood to encompass any process or combination of processes that results in size reduction of waste material. Particulation / size reduction can occur by any one or combination of granulation, shredding, chopping, dicing, cutting, crushing, disintegration, grinding, etc.

[0112] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, size reduction involves shredding the waste material (dry or non-dried, more preferably dry) into particles having an average size of less than 40 mm, sometimes less than 30 mm, sometimes less than 20 mm, and sometimes less than 10 mm.

[0113] Sometimes, due to friction within the shredder, the size reduction can result in further moisture reduction (eg, an additional 2% to 3%).

[0114] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the processing of the waste material includes two or more drying stages, hi some examples, a first drying stage occurs after metal removal and a second drying stage occurs after size reduction of the waste material.

[0115] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the particulate waste is then subjected to a washing process in which residual metal and / or mineral particles ("impurities" that were not removed before the size reduction step) are removed (what remains after the first metal removal process).

[0116] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, remaining impurities are removed by subjecting the particulate matter to an air separation system where lighter waste fractions are collected and / or conveyed to the next process step while heavier particles (e.g., metal particles and / or minerals) are rejected by gravity.

[0117] The resulting light fraction contains at most small amounts of metals and minerals. Without being bound thereto, it is believed that the fraction contains at most 1% w / w metals (ferrous and non-ferrous) and at most 5% minerals.

[0118] The resulting light fraction is then subjected to a compound removal step(s) using Near Infra-Red (NIR). NIR-based separation allows for optical sorting of undesired plastic materials from other plastic waste based on polymer type (based on the wavelength signature of the resin). As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art of NIR technology, the NIR-based separation system is programmed to be able to identify different types of substances, including many polymers and other compounds. The operator of the system defines which compounds are retained and what is sorted out. More specifically, the NIR separation step utilizes a system equipped with an algorithm for each substance to be removed, including polymers incompatible with polyolefins, for example those with a melting point above 200° C. or even above 210° C., and / or halogenated polymers and / or aryl-containing organic compounds, and optionally other polymers as desired. This algorithm allows for the identification and separation of each compound accordingly. In this context, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that each chemical has a complex IR spectrum that is the "fingerprint" ID of the chemical. This fingerprint can be found in any publicly available "Chemical Atlas" and recognized by a computer program.

[0119] In addition, it has been found that it is possible to remove much more synthetic polymers using NIR-based separation than by manual removal. Thus, not only does NIR-based separation offer the possibility to selectively remove plastics, but it is also possible to quantitatively reach synthetic polymer levels below 5% by weight, or even below 4% by weight, or even below 3% by weight, which is not possible with manual separation alone.

[0120] NIR-based separation is controllable, i.e., it is possible to selectively remove plastics from the entrapped material. The result of NIR-based separation is referred to herein as a NIR-processed entrapped material.

[0121] Thus, in some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, NIR-based separation is controlled to selectively remove halogenated polymers (e.g., polyvinylchloride (PVC)) and aryl-containing compounds and / or polymers having a melting point range of at least 200° C. or greater. In this case, the resulting NIR-processed incorporation material will have at least small amounts of PVC, polystyrene (PS), and more importantly, PET. Specifically, the NIR-processed incorporation material, from which aryl-containing compounds and halogenated polymers have been essentially removed, contains less than 5% PET, and optionally less than 1% PVC and / or less than 3% PS. This “plastic-less” incorporation material is then used to produce the presently disclosed composite materials (plastic-less or organic, depending on the level of synthetic polymer removal).

[0122] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the NIR-based separations are operated in a manner that allows for the separation of at least polymers that are recognized in the art to be incompatible with polyolefins.

[0123] In some preferred examples, the NIR-based separation is operated in a manner that allows for separation of aryl-containing organic compounds, and preferably styrene or polystyrene organic polymers, and removal of at least most, if not all, detectable amounts of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Thus, the NIR-based separation provides an organic entrapped material that contains PET in an amount of less than 5 wt%, sometimes less than 4 wt%, sometimes less than 3 wt%, sometimes less than 2 wt%, sometimes less than 1 wt%, and sometimes 0 wt% to 3 wt% (0 wt% means non-detectable amounts of PET as determined according to ISO 11358).

[0124] In some additional examples, the NIR-based separation is operated in a manner that allows for the separation of at least halogenated polymer resins, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl) resins.

[0125] The NIR processed incorporation material is subjected to mixing under shear and heating.

[0126] In some instances, the NIR processed uptake material is subjected to high speed mixing.

[0127] In some instances, the NIR processed incorporation material is subjected to extrusion.

[0128] In the context of this disclosure, heating while mixing under shear is not in a Banbury mixer.

[0129] It has been found that if the NIR processed entrapment material contains up to 10% by weight of synthetic polymers (i.e. essentially no synthetic plastics) and up to 4% by weight of PET, it is preferred to mix them in a high speed mixer while heating them. Indeed, it has been found that if it contains less than 10% by weight of plastics, the entrapment material cannot be processed in an extruder.

[0130] The high speed mixing is not an extruder, but rather is performed in a closed (vacuum sealed) high speed mixer that allows for mixing at high temperatures up to 130° C., speeds of at least 2,500 rpm, and negative pressure.

[0131] When the entrapment material is essentially free of synthetic polymers, the mixing is in a high speed mixer at a speed of 2,500 rpm to 4,500 rpm. In some examples, the mixing is in a high speed mixer at a speed of 3,000 rpm to 5,000 rpm. In some examples, the mixing is in a high speed mixer at a speed of 3,000 rpm to 4,500 rpm. In some examples, the mixing is in a high speed mixer at a speed of 2,500 rpm to 4,000 rpm.

[0132] Further, when the NIR processed entrapment material is essentially free of synthetic polymers, the mixing in the high speed mixer is at a negative pressure of about 0.5 Bar to about 0.9 Bar, sometimes 0.6 Bar to 0.9 Bar, sometimes 0.6 Bar to 0.8 Bar, sometimes about 0.7 Bar, and the high speed mixer is designed and operable to provide this negative pressure during the entire operation time.

[0133] Still further, where the NIR processed incorporation material is essentially free of synthetic polymers, the high speed mixing is at a temperature of up to about 120°C.

[0134] In some instances, the high speed mixer is operated at a tip speed of 30-100 m / sec, sometimes 30-80 m / sec, sometimes 40-70 m / sec, sometimes and preferably 45-60 m / sec. In some instances, the high speed mixer is configured or constructed to operate at a tip speed of 45-60 m / sec, or even 50-70 m / sec, or even 55-70 m / sec.

[0135] In some examples, the tip speed is determined or dictated by the rotor diameter and the rotational speed.

[0136] Mixing in the high speed mixer is for a time sufficient to form a dry blend of composite materials having the characteristics defined above. The duration of mixing will depend on the speed of mixing and the negative pressure in the mixer.

[0137] In some examples, when using synthetic-free entrapment materials, the high speed mixer can be operated at a speed of 2,500 rpm to 3,000 rpm, a negative pressure of about 0.7 Bar, a temperature of up to 120° C., and for a time period of 30 to 50 minutes.

[0138] In some other instances, high speed mixers are designed and operable to create vortex motion while allowing mixing to simultaneously achieve homogeneity during processing. Sometimes this can be achieved by using specially designed blades.

[0139] In some other instances, the high speed mixer is designed and operable to maintain a balance in the vortex motion to prevent vibrations, which is particularly relevant due to the presence of entrained materials that include a mixture of materials of different specific gravities.

[0140] Generally, the higher the speed and / or the lower the negative pressure in the high speed mixer, the shorter the duration of mixing. In some instances, mixing continues until the level of volatiles in the mixer falls below 1%.

[0141] By way of one specific, non-limiting example, the high speed mixer is characterized by the following: Mixer blade tip speed 45-60 m\sec (mixer blades are preferably protected from abrasion), temperature for achieving the reaction 90-130 °C, vacuum of at least 0.7 bar during the entire working time, maximum humidity at the end of the reaction -1%.

[0142] In some instances, the NIR processed incorporation material contains synthetic plastics in an amount greater than 10% by weight (typically up to 40% by weight), and in these instances, the incorporation material is subjected to extrusion molding.

[0143] In some examples, the extrusion conditions include at least: Internal (operating) temperatures below -200°C, sometimes about 150°C to about 200°C, sometimes about 120°C to about 180°C, sometimes 160°C to 200°C, sometimes 150°C to 180°C, - with a minimum residence time in the extruder of at least 2.0 minutes, sometimes at least 2.5 minutes, sometimes at least 3 minutes, sometimes at least 3.5 minutes, sometimes at least 4 minutes, sometimes at least 4.5 minutes, sometimes at least 5 minutes, sometimes at least 5.5 minutes, sometimes at least 6 minutes, sometimes at least 7 minutes. However, there is a limit such that the residence time does not cause decomposition or combustion of the material in the extrusion. Thus, in some cases, the residence time is defined to be within the range of about 2 to about 10 minutes, sometimes between about 3 minutes and 7 minutes, sometimes between about 2.5 minutes and 10 minutes, sometimes between about 3.5 minutes and 8 minutes, sometimes between about 4.5 minutes and 8 minutes, sometimes between about 5.5 minutes and 7 minutes, sometimes between about 5.5 minutes and 6.5 minutes.

[0144] Extruders typically comprise a heated barrel containing a rotating single or multiple screws therein. There are various types of extrusion that can be used in the context of the present disclosure.

[0145] Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that application of shear forces to the NIR processed entrapped material at material temperatures below 200°C converts the organic fiber materials (lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and other carbohydrates) into partially carbonized lignocellulosic fibers that act as a natural "molecular stitch" integrating (binding) plastic, particularly polyolefins with different polarities that would otherwise phase separate, creating an organic-thermoplastic composite.

[0146] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, extrusion is carried out in a reactor extruder. When using a reactor of the type of single screw extruder, it has been found that the minimum residence time should be at least 3 minutes, or at least 4 minutes, preferably at least 5 minutes or 5.5 minutes.

[0147] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the reactor extruder is designed to operate at 30-10 rpm, and sometimes 40-90 rpm.

[0148] The operating temperature within the extrusion (i.e. the internal temperature, in other words the temperature of the material being extruded) can be controlled by a thermocouple, such as a type J thermocouple.

[0149] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the extruder is equipped with at least two or more ventilation zones. The presence of two separate ventilation zones along the extruder reduces the amount of volatile organic compounds in the extruded material and prevents the entrapment of volatile compounds. The presence of at least two ventilation zones has been found to be important to avoid air bubbles in the manufactured article (the manufactured article being a molded article or an extruded article) made from the disclosed composite material.

[0150] Various additives can be added to the NIR processed heterogeneous incorporation material prior to mixing with heating under shear (whether in a high speed mixer, extruder, etc.). These include, but are not limited to, any one or combination of zinc stearate, calcium stearate, antioxidants, UV stabilizers, blowing agents, plasticizers, elastomers, fillers such as talc and calcium carbonate; flame retardants and pigments such as carbon black, titanium dioxide and other pigments used in the plastics industry.

[0151] The resulting composite material can then be subjected to further processing. For example, the composite material can be controllably cooled, for example, by exposing the material to a cooling air stream. Sometimes, this can remove additional volatiles from the composite material.

[0152] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the composite material is further refined using a conventional milling system. Of note, when using a high speed mixer, size reduction / micronization typically occurs during high speed mixing.

[0153] In some instances, milling involves passing the composite material through a continuous milling process, such as a hammer mill (eg, Type 40 / 32 HA).

[0154] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the composite material is subjected to an impact milling process in which high speed rotating blades (beater plates) pulverize the composite material against an enclosure and against itself, with friction causing a reduction in size.

[0155] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, refinement can be achieved by subjecting the composite material to a "knife mill" such as that achieved by using a ROTOPLEX 50\100. This technology is designed to obtain high cutting forces at high throughput. Using the "scissors" principle, a drum with knives moves at high speed in front of a counter knife in a cooled environment.

[0156] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, micronization is accomplished by a combination of two or more micronization techniques, for example, one utilizing a hammer mill technique and a second utilizing an impact milling technique. The combination of techniques allows for reduction of the powder cider below 1.5 mm.

[0157] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the composite is subjected to size reduction. This can be accomplished either in the mixing device, for example, when using a high-speed mixer, or after mixing during the heating step, for example, when using an extruder. When size reduction is separate from mixing during the heating step, it can be performed using a combination of milling equipment set to grind the extrudate into powder (fine composite material) and by sieving through 900 μm (0.9 mm) or 1400 μm (1.4 mm) sieves, obtaining two populations of powder, one with a particle size below 0.9 mm (referred to herein as the abbreviation "Q0.9") and the other with a particle size below 1.4 mm (referred to herein as the abbreviation "Q1.4"). For its subsequent use, it is desired that the composite be in the form of a powder with a size in the range of a few millimeters (0.1 mm to 10 mm, or less), regardless of the manner in which the composite is produced.

[0158] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the resulting powder is sieved using, for example, a vibrating sieve system that sieves particle size by using different sized holes of different diameters.

[0159] In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, size reduction is to a particle size defined by a d90 of 1.4 mm or less. Sometimes size reduction is to a particle size of 1.3 mm or less, sometimes 1.2 mm or less, sometimes 1.1 mm or less, sometimes 1.0 mm or less, sometimes 0.9 or less, sometimes 0.8 mm or less, and sometimes 0.7 mm or less.

[0160] In the following non-limiting examples, a micronized composite material having a size of d90≦1.4 μm is referred to as the abbreviated Q 1.4, and a micronized composite material having a size of d90≦0.9 mm is referred to as the abbreviated Q 0.9.

[0161] For subsequent use of the composite material, the composite material can be used as a thermoplastic material. Thus, according to some examples, the composite material is reheated to a temperature above 100° C. In some examples, the composite material turns into a flowable melt when heated to any temperature above 120° C., sometimes above 130° C., sometimes above 140° C., sometimes above 150° C., sometimes above 160° C., sometimes above 170° C., even above 180° C., and sometimes below 200° C., as long as the composite material does not undergo any decomposition or combustion as a result of the heating.

[0162] The melt can then be molded into the desired article of manufacture using any known technique, including extrusion injection, blow molding, and rotational molding, among others. In this manner, articles of defined configuration can be manufactured. For example, the composite material can be used to generate a variety of articles of manufacture that are typically prepared from virgin or recycled plastics. These include, for example, flower pots, house siding, decking, flooring, furniture, laminates, pallets, septic tanks, and the like. In the context of this disclosure, articles of manufacture also encompass pellets of the composite material combined with plastics that are used as incorporation materials in the plastics industry.

[0163] Thus, in accordance with the presently disclosed subject matter, there is also provided a method of producing an article of manufacture, the method comprising forming a melt of one or more synthetic polymers (preferably thermoplastic polymers) and the presently disclosed composite material, and shaping the melt into the shape of the article of manufacture.

[0164] Further in accordance with the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided a method of producing an article of manufacture, the method comprising blending one or more synthetic polymers, each of the one or more synthetic polymers having a carbon footprint as determined according to ISO 14040:2006, with a presently disclosed composite material, wherein the article of manufacture is characterized by a carbon footprint that is statistically significantly lower than the carbon footprint of the one or more synthetic polymers. In some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter, the article of manufacture is as disclosed herein.

[0165] Still further in accordance with the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided a method of reducing carbon emissions associated with the production of an article of manufacture comprising one or more synthetic polymers, the method comprising producing an article of manufacture having a blend of the one or more synthetic polymers and a composite material comprising: i) at least 40 wt.% heterogeneous organic material of a total weight of the composite material, the heterogeneous organic material comprising at least cellulose; (ii) a plurality of synthetic polymers; and (iii) up to 15 wt.% inorganic material; the composite material comprises less than 5% by weight of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) based on the total weight of the composite material; When the composite is judged according to ISO14040:2006, it has a carbon footprint of approximately -10 kg CO 2 A method is provided that has a carbon footprint of less than eq / Kg.

[0166] All method examples and embodiments disclosed herein are collectively referred to herein under the term "method."

[0167] In some examples of the presently disclosed methods, the one or more synthetic polymers are thermoplastic polymers.

[0168] In some examples of the presently disclosed methods, the one or more synthetic polymers are as defined herein with respect to article of manufacture aspects.

[0169] According to some aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, producing an article of manufacture involves heating to form a melt.

[0170] According to some aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, producing an article of manufacture involves extruding a blend of the one or more synthetic polymers and the composite material.

[0171] According to some aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, producing an article of manufacture involves injection molding a blend of the one or more synthetic polymers and the composite material.

[0172] According to some embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter, producing an article of manufacture involves compression molding a blend of the one or more synthetic polymers and the composite material.

[0173] Various additives, fillers, etc. may be added to the composite upon reheating / reprocessing into a useful article of manufacture to impart certain desired properties to the final resulting article after cooling. Examples of fillers may include, but are not limited to, sand, minerals, recycled tire materials, concrete, glass, wood chips, thermosetting materials, other thermoplastic polymers, gravel, metals, glass fibers, and particles. These fillers may be derived from recycled products, although virgin materials such as virgin plastics (e.g., polypropylene and / or polyethylene) may also be used. Other additives such as colorants, odor masking agents (e.g., activated carbon), oxidizing agents (e.g., potassium permanganate) or antioxidants may be added to improve the appearance, texture, or scent of the composite. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the properties of the composite of the present disclosure and its potential applications are accomplished without the need for the use of binders or plasticizers, although these may be added under some of the presently disclosed composites.

[0174] In some examples, the composite is reheated with an externally added polyolefin. In some examples, the composite is reheated with one of polyethylene and polypropylene. The reheated mixture can be extruded into mixed pellets that are then used as an environmentally friendly incorporation material in the plastics industry due to its significantly lower carbon footprint compared to that of the reheated polyolefin.

[0175] In some examples of the presently disclosed articles of manufacture or methods, the articles of manufacture include at least 10% by weight of the composite blended with the synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at least 15% by weight of the composite blended with the synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at least 20% by weight of the composite blended with the synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at least 25% by weight of the composite blended with the synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at least 10% by weight, sometimes at least 20% by weight, and sometimes at least 30% by weight of the composite blended with the synthetic / plastic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at least 35% by weight of the composite blended with the synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at least 40% by weight of the composite blended with the synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at least 45% by weight of the composite blended with the synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the article of manufacture comprises at least 50% by weight of the composite material blended with synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the article of manufacture comprises at least 55% by weight of the composite material blended with synthetic polymer(s).

[0176] In some examples, the articles of manufacture or methods disclosed herein provide articles of manufacture that include at most 90% by weight, and sometimes at most 85% by weight, of a composite blended with synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at most 80% by weight of a composite blended with synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at most 75% by weight of a composite blended with synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at most 70% by weight of a composite blended with synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at most 65% by weight of a composite blended with synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at most 60% by weight of a composite blended with synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at most 55% by weight of a composite blended with synthetic polymer(s). In some examples, the articles of manufacture include at most 50% by weight of a composite blended with synthetic polymer(s).

[0177] In some examples, the articles of manufacture or methods disclosed herein provide articles of manufacture that include between about 10% composite material and 90% composite material by weight. In some examples, the articles of manufacture include between about 20% composite material and 80% composite material by weight. In some examples, the articles of manufacture include between about 30% composite material and 60% composite material by weight. In some examples, the articles of manufacture include between about 20% composite material and 80% composite material by weight.

[0178] The presently disclosed subject matter, in some example embodiments of articles of manufacture or some example methods of producing articles of manufacture, relates to articles comprising at least 10% by weight, sometimes at least 15% by weight, sometimes at least 20% by weight, sometimes at least 25% by weight, sometimes at least 30% by weight, sometimes at least 35% by weight, sometimes at least 40% by weight, sometimes at least 45% by weight, sometimes at least 50% by weight, sometimes at least 55% by weight, sometimes at least 60% by weight, sometimes at least 65% by weight, and sometimes at least 70% by weight of the one or more synthetic polymers.

[0179] The presently disclosed subject matter, in some example embodiments of articles of manufacture or some examples of methods of producing articles of manufacture, relates to articles comprising at least 5% by weight, sometimes at least 10% by weight, sometimes at least 15% by weight, sometimes at least 20% by weight, sometimes at least 25% by weight, sometimes at least 30% by weight, sometimes at least 35% by weight, sometimes at least 40% by weight, sometimes at least 45% by weight, sometimes at least 50% by weight, sometimes at least 55% by weight, sometimes at least 60% by weight, sometimes at least 65% by weight, sometimes at least 70% by weight, sometimes at least 75% by weight, sometimes at least 80% by weight, and sometimes at least 85% by weight of such composite material.

[0180] In some examples, the article of manufacture or the method of producing same is designed to include the composite material in a range of 20%-80% to 80%-20% by weight, sometimes in a range of 30%-70% to 70%-30% by weight, sometimes in a range of 40%-60% to 60%-40% by weight, and sometimes about 50% to about 50% by weight, relative to the synthetic polymer.

[0181] According to some embodiments of the article of manufacture or method of producing same, the one or more synthetic polymers are selected from the group consisting of polyolefins and biodegradable polymers.

[0182] In some examples, the one or more synthetic polymers include virgin plastics.

[0183] In some examples, the virgin plastic includes at least a polyolefin (eg, PP and / or PE).

[0184] In some examples, the one or more synthetic polymers are selected from polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE).

[0185] In some instances, especially when the composite material includes less than 10% by weight of a synthetic polymer, the composite material can be compounded with a biodegradable polymer to form a biodegradable article of manufacture.

[0186] In some examples, the article of manufacture is compounded with polylactic acid (PLA), a biodegradable polymer. Surprisingly, it has been discovered that when composites having less than 10% by weight of synthetic plastics (i.e., organic composites) are compounded with a biodegradable polymer such as PLA, the combined article of manufacture exhibits unique biodegradability essentially similar to that of cellulose, and a low carbon footprint, as illustrated in Table 4.

[0187] Given the unique biodegradability of the composite material, which contains small amounts of synthetic plastics, it can have many applications where there is interest in using biodegradable polymers with a low carbon impact / footprint, such as, but not limited to, packaging articles, e.g., food packaging, preferably edible approved packaging.

[0188] Thus, the composite material of the present disclosure, and the material obtained by mixing the composite material with plastics, can be processed by various industrial processes known per se to form various semi-finished or finished products.

[0189] As used herein, the forms "a," "an," and "the" include the singular and plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term "particulate material" includes one or more types of particulate material having the recited characteristics.

[0190] Additionally, as used herein, the term "comprising" is intended to mean that the composite includes the recited components, i.e., non-plastic organics, plastics, and inroganics, but does not exclude other elements. The term "consisting essentially of" is used, for example, to define a composite that includes the recited elements, but excludes other elements that may have essential importance to the properties of the composite. Thus, "consisting of" is intended to mean excluding more than trace amounts of other elements. Embodiments defined by each of these transition terms are within the scope of the present invention.

[0191] Additionally, all numerical values, e.g., amounts or ranges of components making up the composite or heterogeneous incorporation materials disclosed herein, are approximations that may vary (+) or (-) up to 20%, and sometimes up to 10%, of the indicated value. Even if not expressly stated, all numerical designations shall be understood to be preceded by the term "about." For example, the term "about 10%" shall be understood to encompass a range of 9% to 11%, and the term about 100°C indicates a range of 90 to 110°C.

[0192] The invention will now be illustrated in the following description of experiments carried out in accordance with the invention. It should be understood that these examples are intended to be illustrative in nature, rather than limiting. Many modifications and variations of these examples are evident in light of the above teachings. It should therefore be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be otherwise embodied in a myriad of possible ways than as specifically described below.

[0193] Non-limiting examples In the following non-limiting examples, two types of composite materials were prepared from household waste, both of which involved the processing of heterogeneous waste to selective removal of plastics using NIR, including pre-sorting, shredding, and drying. Additionally, similar analyses were performed on the two exemplary types of composite materials obtained.

[0194] In the following examples, various equipment and systems were used. It should be understood that while some of the equipment was constructed for the purposes of the present invention, all are based on conventional equipment. These include shredders, single screw extruders, injection molding machines, compression molding presses, and any other machine in which materials are subjected to shear and / or heat, such as granulators, pelletizing presses, mills, etc.

[0195] Apparatus and method Pre-sorting - involves manual removal of metals, glass, and minerals.

[0196] A metal separation magnet (IFE MPQ 900 FP) was used to separate the ferrous materials. The metal separation magnet contains an electromagnet that levitates above the conveyor belt, the coils create a narrow, deep magnetic field that lifts the ferrous metal parts and transports them a short distance through its own conveyor belt, thus separating the magnetic metal from the rest of the material. The metal is disposed of in a bin at the bottom of the system and returned to recycling. The magnetic belt system is installed at the end of the conveyor belt and a box is placed directly above the flight parabola to capture the magnetic material.

[0197] An eddy current system (Wagner magnet 0429\0-37) was used to separate the metals. Specifically, a 2.5m wide eddy current belt with neodymium high gradient magnets was used. The pole system was installed eccentrically inside the slower belt drum. The belt drum has an outer speed of 1-3 m / s. The inner drum runs at up to 3000 rpm. This creates an eddy current field that repels non-ferrous metals (and therefore are removed) but attracts and heats ferrous metals. (Wagner Magnete 0429\0-37). The separation force is highest for aluminium and decreases from brass, copper to other non-ferrous metals.

[0198] Eddy current can be replaced with a metal detector to achieve similar results.

[0199] At the end of this sorting process, household solid organic waste was obtained with significantly reduced metal / plastic / minerals. Final removal of these impurities was carried out following drying.

[0200] At this stage, the heterogenous household solid natural waste (HSNW) typically contains high moisture / humidity content, between 25% and 50%, and therefore this HSNW was transferred to a drying process.

[0201] Biodrying (Compost Biodrying System) - Biodrying is activated by bacteria and multicellular organisms present in the domestic waste. The process occurs through the digestion of organic material by the bacteria, which creates heat. It is important that the domestic waste is loosely stratified under controlled conditions and ventilated with a precisely defined amount of air. This air must not be too cold or too wet, while the blowing force is digitally controlled. Over a period of several days and up to two weeks, the municipal waste (MW) heats up and gains heat of up to 70°C.

[0202] Heat was regulated by a controlled supply of air to set the optimum process temperature at about 55° C. to 70° C. When a dryness level of about 15% to 20% or even 15% to 18% MW moisture content was reached, bacterial activity was significantly reduced and the biodrying process was considered complete.

[0203] Secondary drying - The second drying stage was carried out in an industrial rotary bed dryer working on the principle of hot air assisted drying. This drying stage reduced the moisture level below 10%.

[0204] The dry sorted waste was granulated using a shredder (Vecoplan VAZ 1300). Specifically, two types of shredder were used: a primary pre-shredder and a secondary shredder.

[0205] The pre-crusher is defined by one, two, three or four shafts coupled to a hydraulic or electromechanical drive. The primary pre-crusher is characterized by the generation of very high forces to break the waste into small pieces. It is possible to separate non-friable material that would prevent secondary crushing. The shredding shafts used are mechanically connected to the shaft and have a low peripheral speed.

[0206] Secondary shredding was performed by one or two rotors mechanically connected with an abrasive tool and a counter blade, and a screen basket was placed in front of the rotors to control particle size.

[0207] An air separation system (IFE UFS600X+1000X) was used to separate the light and heavy particles. Specifically, the air separator / classifier consists of an acceleration belt where the particles are arranged in one layer and a subsequent air bar which blows an adjustable defined air flow into the material. After the air bar there is usually a separator between the light and heavy particles. Following the separation there is a dividing space which gives the light fraction a chance to sink. The heavy material is separated between the air bar and the separator.

[0208] A near infrared system (SESOTEC MN 1024) was used to selectively sort / separate specific plastic polymers. Specifically, a system with a scanner and an active sensor support and an active blow bar was used. In addition, the system was equipped with a high-resolution NIR camera with a sensitivity of at least 1.5 mm, which captures the reflection of the IR spectrum of a specific material and compares it with the stored spectra of various materials. If the system detected the desired material, it queried a freely programmed function in binary form - separate or retain. Then, a connected blow nozzle bar was used to blow off the particles with the same fineness as the detection.

[0209] Selective sorting resulted in a selected heterogeneous waste containing less than 1% PVC and less than 3% PS, and less than 5% PET, in particulate form.

[0210] A single screw extruder (type F: GRAN 145) was used. Specifically, the single screw extruder had dimensions of diameter 145 mm, screw length: 950 cm, screw-to-barrel clearance: 0.5-2 mm, high wear-resistant screw and barrel, die opening diameter of up to 30 mm, as well as two venting zones. During operation, the anti-bridging silo, rotor, keeps the ready-to-use (RTW, i.e., sorted heterogeneous waste) moving, which prevents the material from bridging and ensures flowability. The feeder screw was automatically activated according to the utilization of the extruder capacity.

[0211] After the extruder process the material was transferred to a controlled cooling system with a cooling conveyor 800 cm long and an air flow of 15000 m³ / h.

[0212] High Speed ​​Mixer - High speed heated mixer operated at 3,000 rpm under negative pressure (0.7 Bar for 40 minutes, maximum temperature of 120°C).

[0213] Milling Equipment - Several milling equipment were used to reduce the size of the final product, i.e., the composite material.

[0214] Hammer Mill Type 40\32HA - Hammer mills grind soft to medium hard fragments in a continuous process, the material undergoes a process of particle mixing while grinding, thus creating homogeneity.

[0215] Impact mill (ULTRAPLEX UPZ 500) - reduced particle size to another level by using high speed rotating blades (beater plates) that "collide" particles between the walls and themselves, reducing the material to powder form by significant friction between the sides of the grinder (grinding tracks) and the beater plates. The resulting powder was passed through a vibrating sieve system that sieved the particle size by using different sized holes with different diameters.

[0216] The reduced particle size was then conveyed from the hammer mill through a blower to the next milling stage, an impact mill.

[0217] Knife Mill (ROTOPLEX 50\100) - Particles of 0.9 mm size (and below) and particles of 1.4 mm, respectively, were directly stored. Particles above 1.4 mm were further processed using a "Knife Mill" (ROTOPLEX 50\100). Specifically, the knife mill is designed to create high cutting forces at high throughput. Using the "scissors" principle, a drum with knives moves at high speed in front of a counter knife in a cooled environment. Through the knife mill system, particles (especially fibers) were further reduced to sizes below 1.4 mm.

[0218] An elemental analyzer (Flash EA 1112)- was used for the determination of total carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and oxygen (O).

[0219] Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) - Nicolet 6700, spectrophotometer for mid-infrared range. Absorbance spectra were obtained by recording absorbance as a function of wavelength. Concentrations were calculated from absorbance measurements at specific wavelengths based on a publicly known library provided in the manufacturer's operating instructions.

[0220] Thermogravimetry (TG) - Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) - STA TG-DSC 449 F3 Jupiter® (NETZSCH-Geratebau) - The simultaneous application of TG and DSC to a single sample in an STA instrument gives more information than the separate application of TG and DSC in two different instruments. STA allows simultaneous quantitative monitoring of the mass and thermodynamic changes occurring in the test material under heating. The coupling of MS to the instrument for thermal analysis allows the identification of materials / components released during the heating experiment. The combination of STA TG-DSC with MS therefore provides a unique and simple tool for unambiguous experimental characterization of chemical reactions and phase transformations in a wide range of materials. The TG-DSC was operated under the following conditions:

[0221] [Table 3]

[0222] Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) - Composite samples were analyzed after 24 hours of headspace extraction using a gas chromatography (GC) sniffer followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS). Specifically, an Agilent 7890A GC was equipped with an autosampler, split / splitless injector, and three detectors: FID and ECD and TCD. The GC was equipped with electronic control of gas pressure and flow rate.

[0223] Tensile Testing - Tensile properties were determined according to ISO 521-2:1996 using specimen type A1: total length ≥ 150-200 mm, length of narrow parallel sided portion = 80 ± 2 mm, radius 20-25 mm, distance between wide parallel sided portions 104-113 mm, width at ends = 20 ± 0.2 mm, width at narrow portion 10 ± 0.2 mm, preferred thickness 4 ± 0.2 mm, gauge length 50 ± 0.5 mm, and initial distance between grips = 115 ± 1 mm.

[0224] Impact Izod (notched) - Izod impact was measured using ISO 180 (1J pendulum) / ASTM D256 (1J pendulum), notched, hammer 1J. (Izod impact strength, edgewise notched specimens)

[0225] Charpy impact - Charpy impact tests were performed according to ISO 179 using a notched hammer 1 J (Charpy impact strength according to ISO 179, edgewise notched specimens, pendulum weight 1 J).

[0226] Flexural Test - Tests were performed using ASTM D790 (ISO 178) method at a test speed of 5 mm / min.

[0227] Ash content - Ash was determined according to ISO 3451 method A. Two test portions of 5 gr each were used and burned at 950 ± 50°C for 30 minutes.

[0228] Surface Energy - Surface energy was measured using a Dyne Pen per ASTM D2578.

[0229] Oxygen Index - Oxygen Index was determined according to ISO 4589-2.

[0230] Density - Density was measured according to ASTM D792 = ISO1183-1 procedure (Plastics - Methods for determining the density of non-cellular plastics) using MRC laboratory equipment (model BPS750-C2V2). Specimens were at least 1 cm 3 and should be at least 1mm thick (per 1gr weight).

[0231] Example 1 - Plastic-less composite preparation The mixed household waste underwent a pre-sorting and bio-drying process as described above. Although the plastics were reduced in the sorted intake material, it was still above 10% by weight and therefore is not considered "plastic-free".

[0232] Biodried municipal waste was shredded to obtain waste particle sizes below 30 mm (maximum). Particles shredded below 30 mm were removed through a dedicated basket, while larger particles continued to rotate in the shredder until they reached the desired size. Notably, shredding created some friction, which further reduced the moisture by 2% to 3%. The shredded particles became more uniform, allowing the next stage of the process to work more efficiently.

[0233] Following shredding, some of the impurities "bonded" or encased in the shredded waste particles were released by an air separator system as described above. The shredded material was rid of any associated portion of the heavy particles (metals or minerals) from the shredded material (resulting in the formation of a "light fraction").

[0234] The light fraction was then conveyed to a NIR separation system as described above where halogenated polymers such as PVC and aryl-containing compounds such as polystyrene and / or PET were selectively removed.

[0235] The material following NIR separation provided a sorted heterogeneous uptake material (referred to herein as "NIR processed uptake material").

[0236] Extrusion: The NIR processed incorporation material was subjected to extrusion. The extruder was operated to have an operating temperature of 150° C.-180° C., a residence time of 5-7 minutes, and a rotation speed of 60-90 rpm.

[0237] After passing through the extruder process, the resulting molten material was cooled to 40° C. by a cooling conveyor (length 800 cm, air flow rate 15000 m3 / h).

[0238] The cooled composite material was subjected to size reduction / size refinement by passing through a hammer mill followed by an impact mill, and then the refined particles were selectively sieved to obtain either a Q0.9 (particles up to 0.9 mm) or a Q1.4 (particles up to 1.4 mm) product.

[0239] Example 2 - Organic Composite Preparation The mixed household waste underwent pre-sorting and bio-drying processes as described above.

[0240] Following NIR separation of essentially all of the synthetic plastics, the remaining organic waste material was essentially free of metals, inorganics, and plastic materials (and thus was at least 90% organic). This essentially dry, particulate, fluffy, synthetic-free intake material was used for processing into the desired organic composite material by a high speed mixer.

[0241] Specifically, the synthetic-free organic fluffy entrapment material was transferred to a high speed heated mixer designed to mix powders. In this regard, it is noted that the fluffy entrapment material cannot be processed in a conventional Banbury mixer, which, although a powerful mixer, is designed to mix rubber or molten polymers and is not suitable for powerful mixing of powders and / or fluffy materials.

[0242] The high speed mixer principle was necessary to allow simultaneous mixing, milling and homogenization while heating due to the vortex created and the internal friction between the powder particles. The internal temperature was monitored and once it reached 90°C, negative pressure was applied (0.7 Bar) to remove the volatiles in the closed mixer. The mixing process under vacuum was continued until the internal temperature reached 120°C.

[0243] The resulting homogenous composite material was then transferred to an industrial cooler mixer to reach a temperature below 40°C.

[0244] analysis- physical properties The plasticless and organic composites were analyzed for their physical properties after compounding with 70% polypropylene (MFI 230°C / 2.16Kg polypropylene is 60g / 10min).

[0245] Table 2 summarizes the different investigated properties, the test standards used for two non-limiting examples of composite materials disclosed herein.

[0246] [Table 4]

[0247] Carbon Footprint A carbon footprint is a measure of the greenhouse gases emitted by a given activity, such as the production of a particular product, and is expressed in units of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO 2 eq) expressed in metric tons of emissions.

[0248] Two different composite materials exemplified herein were evaluated for their carbon footprint, which was determined by LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) according to ISO 14040 using LCA calculator software from the total energy mass balance required by the new process. The calculation methodology is provided above.

[0249] Specifically, the methodology for calculating the LCA of the two composites required determining the impact of the conversion activity. In this regard, it is noted that the calculation of the carbon footprint of each of the composites only takes into account the energy used in the conversion process itself, and does not include the preceding drying and shredding steps, since these take place before the waste reaches the processing facility.

[0250] The following non-limiting example is based on a plant based in Tze'elim in southern Israel, where little energy is required to produce different carbon-emission-reducing types of composites (e.g., plasticless and organic) due to the availability of solar heat for drying. Thus, under the conditions of this non-limiting example, only 0.39 kWh of electricity was required to produce each kilogram of organic composite, which converted to 1.40 MJ / kg.

[0251] The climate impact of the Israeli electricity mix is ​​0.31 kg CO 2 eq / MJ(GWP 100 ) and 0.35 kg CO 2 eq / MJ(GWP 20 This information was taken from the LCA software IMPACT 2002+ (vQ2.28) (July 2017) V2.28 / IMPACT 2002+ and adjudicated in conjunction with sustainability consultants from Quantis.

[0252] The net LCA was calculated by subtracting the avoided emissions, calculated according to the formula presented in Figure 1, from the climate impact of the energy use of the conversion process (above). The net impact of the composites disclosed herein was found to be negative for both types of composites.

[0253] Table 3A provides the avoided emissions and net climate impacts of a synthetic-free composite containing 93.3% food waste and 6.7% inorganics.

[0254] [Table 5]

[0255] Table 3B provides the avoided emissions and net climate impacts (approximate numbers) for a plasticless composite (i.e., containing about 65% non-plastic organics and about 35% inorganics).

[0256] [Table 6]

[0257] For comparison, the carbon footprints of the two composites were compared to that of virgin polypropylene (PP), virgin polylactic acid (PLA), and the composite described in WO 10082202 (hereafter "unsorted composite"). This comparison is provided in Table 4.

[0258] Table 4 provides the carbon footprint of the materials either alone or in combination.

[0259] [Table 7]

[0260] Table 3 clearly shows that the organic composite disclosed herein has a much greater impact on the environment with its negative net carbon footprint being even greater than the unscreened composite of WO10082202.

[0261] Similarly, Table 4 shows that the plasticless composites have significantly greater environmental impacts than the plastic / organic composites.

[0262] The advantages of the composites disclosed herein that are at least essentially free of PET are shown in Table 4, compared to the carbon footprint of the polymer without the composite, which is positive.

Claims

1. A composite material for use in reducing carbon emissions, comprising: (i) a non-plastic heterogeneous organic material comprising at least 40% by weight of the total weight of the composite material, the non-plastic heterogeneous organic material comprising at least cellulose; (ii) a plurality of synthetic polymers; and (iii) up to 15% by weight of an inorganic material. The composite material contains less than 5% by weight of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) of the total weight of the composite material. When the aforementioned composite material is evaluated according to ISO 14040:2006, it is approximately -10 kg CO2. ２ A composite material with a carbon footprint below eq / kg.

2. The composite material according to claim 1, comprising up to 40% by weight of a synthetic thermoplastic polymer.

3. The composite material according to claim 1, comprising up to 5% by weight of a synthetic thermoplastic polymer.

4. A composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising less than 1% halogenated polymer.

5. The composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the non-plastic heterogeneous organic material includes organic heterogeneous waste.

6. The composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising at least 0.1 mg / g of DNA when extracted from a solution containing 2% chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (24:1) (CTAB).

7. 0.9 g / cm ３ ~1.2 g / cm ３ A composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 6, having a density of .

8. The composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further combined with at least one synthetic polymer, wherein the combination exhibits a carbon footprint that is statistically significantly lower than that of the synthetic polymer alone.

9. In the case of a sample subjected to injection molding with 70% by weight of polypropylene (PP), the sample is at least one of the following: - Tensile modulus of at least 1,000 MPa, - A flexural modulus of at least 1,000 MPa, - Bending stress of at least 15 MPa, A composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 8, having the following characteristics.

10. A manufactured article comprising a combination of one or more synthetic polymers and a composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the manufactured article exhibits a carbon footprint lower than the total carbon footprint of the one or more synthetic polymers.

11. The manufactured article according to claim 10, comprising at least one thermoplastic synthetic polymer.

12. A manufactured article according to claim 10 or 11, comprising at least 10% synthetic polymer.

13. A manufactured article according to any one of claims 10 to 12, having a negative carbon footprint.

14. A method for producing a manufactured article, the method comprising: forming a molten material of one or more synthetic polymers and a composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and shaping the molten material into the shape of the manufactured article.

15. A method for producing a manufactured article, the method comprising mixing one or more synthetic polymers, each of which has a carbon footprint as determined in accordance with ISO 14040:2006, with a composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the manufactured article is characterized by a carbon footprint that is statistically significantly lower than the carbon footprint of the one or more synthetic polymers.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the one or more synthetic polymers are unused plastics.

17. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the manufactured article comprises at least 10% by weight of one or more of the synthetic polymers.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the manufactured article comprises at least 30% by weight of one or more of the synthetic polymers.

19. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the one or more synthetic polymers are selected from the group consisting of polyolefins and biodegradable polymers.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the one or more synthetic polymers are selected from polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polylactic acid (PLA).

21. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the manufactured article comprises at least 10% by weight of the composite material.

22. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 20, comprising extrusion molding, injection molding, compression molding, or a combination thereof, of a blend of the one or more synthetic polymers and the composite material.

23. A method for reducing carbon emissions associated with the manufacture of a manufactured article comprising one or more synthetic polymers, the method comprising manufacturing the manufactured article having a blend of the one or more synthetic polymers, i) a non-plastic heterogeneous organic substance comprising at least 40% by weight of the total weight of the composite material, and at least cellulose, (ii) a plurality of synthetic polymers, and (iii) up to 15% by weight of an inorganic substance, The composite material contains less than 5% by weight of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) of the total weight of the composite material. When the aforementioned composite material is evaluated according to ISO 14040:2006, it is approximately -10 kg CO2. ２ A method having a carbon footprint below eq / kg.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the blend comprises at least 10% by weight of at least one synthetic polymer.

25. The method according to claim 23 or 24, wherein the blend comprises at least 10% by weight of the composite material.

Images