Method for system for fultiple recycling of waste plastic

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a recycling server supports multiple recycling of waste plastic, comprising the steps of: receiving a collection request from a consumer terminal as a collection request for waste plastic, the collection request including product type information and manufacturer information; transmitting an identification code including the product type information and manufacturer information to the consumer terminal; receiving identification code recognition information attached to the collected waste plastic from a worker terminal; and identifying the purity, physical properties, and material of the waste plastic and assigning a grade by referring to the identification code recognition information and pre-established database information.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and system for the multiple recycling of waste plastics, and more specifically, to a method and system that allows for the application of a differentiated recycling method based on the number of recycling cycles by assigning an identification code based on the number of recycling cycles of waste plastics. Background Technology

[0002] With the recent widespread commercialization of disposable products, plastic consumption is surging. Used plastics are currently disposed of through chemical recycling, mechanical recycling, incineration, and landfilling. Mechanical recycling, which involves crushing waste plastic and processing it mechanically, has carbon emissions approximately 30-50% lower than incineration and landfilling.

[0003] Meanwhile, chemical recycling accounts for about 1% of all recycling cases, and among them, chemical recycling using catalysts accounts for less than 0.1%, which is a very small proportion.

[0004] This is because chemical recycling methods require high initial facility investment costs, resulting in high barriers to entry, a small number of facilities, and limited related research.

[0005] The most common method for recycling plastic is mechanical recycling, but it accounts for only 12%, and current mechanical recycling is difficult to apply to highly contaminated plastics, which limits the scope of recycling. Furthermore, because the physical properties deteriorate during the recycling process, the value of the plastic inevitably decreases.

[0006] In addition, while plastic is recyclable multiple times, recycling it by mixing it with concrete makes subsequent recycling impossible, resulting in significant losses.

[0007] And, currently, there is also a problem in that the circulation records of materials cannot be known.

[0008] Therefore, technology is required that enables the multiple resource recovery of waste plastics, recycles them by improving their physical properties, and allows for the tracking of the waste plastic circulation records. The problem to be solved

[0009] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the problems of the aforementioned prior art.

[0010] The objective of the present invention is to classify waste plastics according to reasonable standards and track their history, thereby enabling different types of recycling based on the number of recycling cycles, and thereby improving the recycling rate of waste plastics and reducing carbon emissions.

[0011] The objectives of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned objectives will be clearly understood from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned purpose, a method for supporting multiple recycling of waste plastic is provided, comprising: a recycling server, a method for supporting multiple recycling of waste plastic, the step of receiving a collection request from a consumer terminal as a collection request for waste plastic, the request including product type information and manufacturer information; a step of transmitting an identification code including the product type information and manufacturer information to the consumer terminal; a step of receiving identification code recognition information attached to the collected waste plastic from a worker terminal; and a step of identifying the purity, physical properties, and material of the waste plastic and assigning a grade by referring to the identification code recognition information and pre-established database information.

[0013] The step of assigning the above grade may include a step of classifying the waste plastic into the lowest grade, Tier 3, when it is determined that the waste plastic is a composite material, thermosetting plastic, or FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) based on the identification code recognition information and the established database information.

[0014] The step of receiving the identification code recognition information includes receiving information from the worker terminal regarding a label attached to the waste plastic that indicates information about the grade (tier) of the waste plastic prior to collection, and the step of assigning the grade may include assigning a grade one level lower than the grade identified based on the information about the label to the waste plastic. Effects of the invention

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by classifying waste plastics based on reasonable criteria and tracking their history, different types of recycling are made possible depending on the number of recycling cycles, thereby improving the recycling rate of waste plastics and reducing carbon emissions. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0016] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a waste plastic multi-cycle recycling system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the detailed operation and internal configuration of a recycling server according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0017] The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It should be understood that various embodiments of the invention are different but need not be mutually exclusive. For example, specific shapes, structures, and characteristics described herein with respect to one embodiment may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It should also be understood that the location or arrangement of individual components within each disclosed embodiment may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following detailed description is not intended to be limiting, and the scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims, including all equivalents to those claimed therein, provided appropriately described. Similar reference numerals in the drawings refer to the same or similar functions across various aspects.

[0018] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings in order to enable a person skilled in the art to easily practice the present invention.

[0019] In this specification, "tier" refers to a grade, and the term is not limited to any technical concept.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a waste plastic multi-cycle recycling system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 1, a system according to one embodiment may be configured to include a consumer terminal (100), a recycling server (200), and a production facility server (300).

[0022] The consumer terminal (100), recycling server (200), and production site server (300) can communicate with each other through a communication network, for example, a mobile communication network, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), the World Wide Web (WWW), and a wireless communication network (WiFi).

[0023] The consumer terminal (100) may be implemented in any form as long as it is a device capable of communicating with the outside and has a computing function. For example, it may be implemented as a smartphone, tablet PC, desktop, laptop, PDA, etc., but is not limited thereto.

[0024] The consumer terminal (100) is a terminal operated by a general consumer or operator of a business that consumes plastic, and performs the function of transmitting a request for the collection of waste plastic to a recycling server (200).

[0025] The recycling server (200) collects waste plastic upon the request of the consumer, tracks the history through analysis of the plastic's characteristics, and then processes it so that the manufacturing system for each tier is activated.

[0026] The production server (300) operates a differentiated manufacturing system for each tier of waste plastic based on information received from the recycling server (200).

[0027] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the detailed operation and internal configuration of a recycling server according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 2, a recycling server (200) according to one embodiment may be configured to include a recovery processing unit (210), a history tracking unit (220), a recycling request unit (230), and a reward provision unit (240).

[0029] The recovery processing unit (210), history tracking unit (220), recycling request unit (230), and reward provision unit (240) may be program modules or hardware capable of communicating with an external device. Such program modules or hardware may be included in the recycling server (200) or other device capable of communicating therewith in the form of an operating system, an application program module, and other program modules, and may be physically stored on various known storage devices. Meanwhile, such program modules or hardware include, but are not limited to, routines, subroutines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform specific tasks or execute specific abstract data types as described below according to the present invention.

[0030] The collection processing unit (210) receives a collection request for waste plastic from a consumer terminal (100). The collection request information may include information on the type of product (e.g., beverage bottle, lunch box case, etc.) and manufacturer information.

[0031] The recovery processing unit (210) transmits an identification code (e.g., barcode or QR code, etc.) including product type information and manufacturer information included in the recovery request to the consumer terminal (100).

[0032] The user can print the identification code using a printer linked to the consumer terminal (100) and attach it to the outer surface of the waste plastic to be collected.

[0033] In addition, based on the information regarding the collection location (e.g., address) and the desired collection schedule included in the aforementioned collection request, a request is sent to a technician terminal (not shown) to transmit the collection request for the relevant waste plastic. The technician then carries out the collection of the waste plastic based on the schedule and location information. The collected waste plastic is transported to a sorting facility.

[0034] The history tracking unit (220) receives identification code recognition information attached to the outer surface of each recovered waste plastic. To do this, at each sorting station, a worker can scan the identification code attached to the waste plastic using a scanner, and thereby, the identification code recognition information can be received by the history tracking unit (220).

[0035] In addition, at each sorting station, a worker can photograph the label information attached to the waste plastic using a worker terminal and additionally transmit it to the traceability unit (220). In the case of waste plastic without a label attached, the worker can also transmit information indicating "no label" through the worker terminal. Furthermore, each plastic generally forms a product package, and a product identification code (e.g., barcode or QR code, etc.) may be printed on it. In this case, the worker can also scan the product identification code using the scanner and transmit the corresponding recognition information.

[0036] The label above indicates the tier of the waste plastic before it is collected.

[0037] According to one embodiment, waste plastic is classified into three tiers, namely Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3, and the history tracking unit (220) distinguishes Tier 3 based on the received recognition information.

[0038] The above recognition information includes information on the product type and manufacturer of the waste plastic, and based on this information and a pre-established database, three tiers are distinguished. Information on the purity, physical properties, and material of the plastic for each manufacturer's product type may be stored in a database.

[0039] Tier 3 may be a product made of materials such as composite materials, thermosetting plastics, or FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic). That is, the traceability unit (220) can classify it as Tier 3 waste plastic if it is determined to be made of the above products based on the product type and manufacturer.

[0040] In addition, even if the material is not as described above, based on the image information of the label, if the waste plastic was Tier 2 before collection, it can be classified as Tier 3 after collection.

[0041] After that, the traceability unit (220) distinguishes between Tier 1 waste plastic and Tier 2 waste plastic based on the purity of the plastic.

[0042] The purity of the plastic can also be determined by referring to the aforementioned established database.

[0043] If the purity of the plastic is determined to be above the first threshold, it can be classified as Tier 1. Additionally, since plastic without a label for the tier means that it has never been reused, plastic with a purity above the first threshold and without a label can be classified as Tier 1.

[0044] Meanwhile, waste plastic labeled as Tier 1 or determined to have a purity below the first threshold value can be classified as Tier 2 plastic.

[0045] The recycling request unit (230) requests the production server (300) to process waste plastic classified into 1 to 3 tiers as described above.

[0046] Specifically, the production server (300) requests that the Tier 1 waste plastic be crushed, pelletized, and materialized, then labeled with a Tier 1 label, and then produced as a product.

[0047] In addition, for Tier 2 waste plastics, it is requested that they be crushed, compounded (mixed with about 10-40% of natural fibers in powder or fibrous form (pineapple stems, hemp, etc.)), pelletized, and processed into materials, then labeled as Tier 2 and processed into products.

[0048] In addition, for Tier 3 waste plastic, it may be requested to crush, compound (mix with concrete or thermosetting plastic FRP), and materialize it, then attach a Tier 3 label and produce it as a product.

[0049] The production facility server (300) that receives the above request transmits the request to the production facility terminal, thereby enabling each worker to perform the work for the above request.

[0050] Tier 1 waste plastics are used as a product group that creates the first point of contact for resource circulation, and can be utilized as a furnishing / craft product group targeting low-involvement groups, such as interiors, accessories, and furniture.

[0051] Tier 2 waste plastic can be produced into secondary circular furniture, recyclability can be ensured through the synthesis of natural fibers such as hemp, and can be produced into sculptures or medium-to-large furniture with enhanced physical properties.

[0052] Tier 3 waste plastic is plastic with weakened physical properties, so it can be ultimately used as a construction or interior material that can be installed for a long time by combining it with hardening materials such as concrete to improve hardness.

[0053] The compensation provision unit (240) performs the function of providing a certain compensation to consumers who have requested the collection of waste plastic.

[0054] The above compensation may be paid differentially depending on whether the manufacturer information and product type information received from the consumer terminal (100) at the time of the recovery request match the manufacturer information and product type information identified through the product identification code recognition information received from the worker terminal, and whether the recovered waste plastic belongs to tier 1 to 3.

[0055] The above product identification code recognition information may include manufacturer information and product type information, which can be used to determine whether it matches the manufacturer information and product type information directly entered by the consumer.

[0056] That is, the magnitude (R) of the above compensation can be set according to the following mathematical formula.

[0057]

[0058] In the above mathematical formula, A is a value regarding whether the manufacturer matches, and is assigned a larger value when they do not match compared to when they do not match, and B is a value regarding whether the product type information matches, and can be assigned a larger value in proportion to the similarity.

[0059] The similarity between product type information may be stored in the database.

[0060] For example, the similarity between a beverage bottle and a liquor bottle can be set to be greater than the similarity between a beverage bottle and a food container and stored.

[0061] Meanwhile, the above α value is a weighting factor based on the final grade assigned to the plastic recovered from consumers, and can be set to a lower value as it goes from Tier 1 to Tier 3.

[0062] Meanwhile, since the reward must be provided to the consumer based on the classification result for each plastic, when a collection request is received, consumer identification information (ID, phone number, etc.) may be received together, and the identification code transmitted by the collection processing unit (210) to the consumer terminal (100) may have the consumer identification information stored together.

[0063] The reward provision unit (240) can provide a reward to the consumer's account in an amount determined according to the above method, and the consumer can use the reward to convert it into cash or purchase other products.

[0064] According to one embodiment, by classifying waste plastics based on reasonable criteria and tracking their history, different types of recycling are made possible depending on the number of recycling cycles, thereby improving the recycling rate of waste plastics and reducing carbon emissions.

[0065] The foregoing description of the present invention is for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art will understand that other specific forms can be easily modified without altering the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single unit may be implemented in a distributed manner, and components described as distributed may likewise be implemented in a combined form.

[0066] The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims set forth below, and all modifications or variations derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and equivalent concepts thereof should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claim 1 A recycling server, as a method for supporting multiple recycling of waste plastics, comprises the steps of: receiving a collection request from a consumer terminal as a collection request for waste plastics, the request including product type information and manufacturer information; transmitting an identification code including the product type information and manufacturer information to the consumer terminal; receiving identification code recognition information attached to the collected waste plastics and the product identification code of the waste plastics themselves from a worker terminal; identifying the purity, physical properties, and material of the waste plastics and assigning a grade by referring to the identification code recognition information and pre-established database information; and providing a reward to the consumer who requested collection of the waste plastics, the reward being a size (R) set according to the following mathematical formula. In the above mathematical formula, A is set to a larger value when the manufacturer information received from the consumer terminal matches the manufacturer information included in the recognition information for the product identification code compared to when they do not match, B is a value proportional to the similarity between the product type information received from the consumer terminal and the product type information included in the recognition information for the product identification code, the similarity information between the product type information is stored in a database, and α is a weighting factor according to the final grade assigned to the waste plastic, a method for supporting multiple recycling of waste plastic. Claim 2 A method for supporting multiple recycling of waste plastics according to claim 1, wherein the step of assigning the grade includes the step of classifying the waste plastic into the lowest grade, Tier 3, when the waste plastic is determined to be a material composed of composite material, thermosetting plastic, or FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) by referring to the identification code recognition information and the previously established database information. Claim 3 A method for supporting multiple recycling of waste plastics according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the identification code recognition information includes receiving information from the worker terminal regarding a label attached to the waste plastic and indicating information about the grade (tier) of the waste plastic prior to collection, and the step of assigning the grade includes assigning the waste plastic a grade one level lower than the grade identified based on the information about the label.

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