A green-certified polymer material and method of forming

Abstract

A process of producing a durable, high-performance composite material from heterogenous plastics waste that can be moulded and further recycled, the process comprising: providing a multi stream feedstock comprising agricultural waste containing predominantly polypropylene, wherein the process includes pre- processing the feedstock streams in a first extruder to provide a flowable waste feedstock pellets; providing a powdered waste material stream or streams obtained from paint based plastics such as powder coat fines, and optionally nylon powders from PA12 / PA12GF; providing compatibilizer material to assist combining the feedstock streams into a substantially homogenous blend; wherein the process includes providing a dosing system for introducing precise amounts of the processed waste feedstock and powdered waste material and optionally compatibilizer to a second extruder for combining the feedstock and powdered waste material and optionally compatibilizer to produce a recycled material having characteristics determined by the precise control of the amounts of feedstock and powdered waste material and optionally compatibilizer substantially without losing performance characteristics.

Description

A GREEN-CERTIFIED POLYMER MATERIAL AND METHOD OF FORMINGField of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to method of producing a green-certified polymer material. In particular the invention relates to a method of producing durable, high- performance composite material from heterogenous plastics waste that can be moulded and further recycled.

[0002] The invention has been developed primarily for use in producing items for use in the construction industry and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. It will, however, be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.Background of the Invention

[0003] Target 12.5 of Goal 12 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which has been adopted by all member countries of the United Nations in 2015, aims to substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.

[0004] The United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises an increasingly unsustainable generation and accumulation of plastic waste as one of many global challenges. Mass production of plastics including for packing products, bottles, bags, tableware, agricultural applications, building materials, household appliances, medical instruments, commercial and industrial waste, equipment such as e-waste and the like, has accelerated to an extent that it has created over eight billion metric tons worldwide, of which over six billion tons has become plastic waste accumulating in landfills.

[0005] Of the world’s mass-produced plastics, only about 9% has been recycled, with about 12% incinerated and about 79% accumulated in landfills or the natural environment. Landfill waste has significant environmental effects where for example, plastic waste can leach or runoff into soils and enter waterways and oceans and be transported to the surroundings by air in the form of microplastics, affecting ecosystems and wildlife. Most plastic waste including polyethylene and polypropylene are not biodegradable hence they can persist in landfills for many years.

[0006] Attempts have been made to develop technologies for closed loop recycling, where the polymer from a single plastic product is collected and recycled into the same or similar product. This requires a labor intensive preliminary step of collecting waste product made from the same polymer and manual sorting which is slow and often unreliable. Generally, focus has been directed to tailor made separation techniques to prevent mixing of different plastics in the waste stream by identification.

[0007] It is generally accepted that processing a single plastic waste product is quick and cost effective because the alternative recycling of multiple waste plastics generally results in a product having significantly lower material performance characteristics than the starting waste material often identified due lack of homogeneity. Existing processes struggle with blending polymers from diverse waste streams into a single, high-performance product output. The problem remains therefore to enable processing of heterogeneous waste plastic to produce a durable, high-performance output. There also remains a critical need for a scalable, efficient method to integrate diverse polymer waste streams into a high-performance recycled material without requiring extensive chemical purification or single-polymer restrictions.

[0008] The production of uncured powder-coat fines waste material inherently occurs in the production of powder-coat material globally. While the uncured powder-coat fines waste material produced in the manufacturing process is chemically identical to the usable powder coating, the smaller particle size excludes uncured powder-coat fines waste material from commercial sale. Typically, the uncured powder-coat fines waste material is collected and captured in bulk bags for disposal in landfills. Such disposal is both costly and has an environmental impact.

[0009] Various alternative uses of uncured powder-coat fines waste material have been contemplated, such as use in road bases, production of containers for pot plants, use in renders, etc. Such alternative paths for use of the powder-coat waste fines have not met with much successful uptake.

[0010] The present invention seeks to provide an alternative use of uncured powdercoat fines waste material, which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative to the current disposal of powder-coat waste fines.

[0011] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.Summary of the Invention

[0012] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled, the method comprising: providing an uncured powder-coat fines waste material; providing a post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material; combining the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material in a preferred ratio; mixing the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material to provide a substantially homogenous mixture; increasing the temperature of the substantially homogenous mixture to provide a melted substantially homogenous mixture; and applying a force to the melted substantially homogenous mixture to extrude the melted substantially homogenous mixture through a die to provide the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled; wherein: the uncured powder-coat fines waste material is uncured under-size powder-coat fines and uncured over-size powder-coat fines; and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material does not comprise powder-coat fines waste material.

[0013] The present invention provides an effective combining of heterogeneous waste plastic streams to produce a practical recyclable material which is substantially homogeneous and overcomes the challenges due to polymer incompatibility, contamination and additive degeneration.

[0014] In an embodiment, the preferred ratio can be a percentage weight / weight ratio in a range of 5-50% uncured powder-coat fines waste material / 50-95% post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material.

[0015] In another embodiment, the preferred ratio can be a percentage weight / weight ratio of 30% uncured powder-coat fines waste material / 70% post-consumer additiverich recycled polymer material.

[0016] In another embodiment, the method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled can further comprise providing atleast one colourant; and adding the at least one colourant to the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material.

[0017] In another embodiment, the method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled can further comprise providing at least one UV inhibitor; and adding the at least one UV inhibitor to the uncured powdercoat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material.

[0018] In another embodiment, the method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled can further comprise: providing at least one compounding agent; and adding the at least one compounding agent to the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material; wherein the at least one compounding agent is added to the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material before mixing the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material to provide the substantially homogenous mixture.

[0019] In another embodiment, the at least one compounding agent can be selected from the group consisting of an anhydride modified high density polyethylene, a copolymer of ethylene and methyl acrylate, a functionalised polyolefin, a high-pressure polyethylene, a maleic anhydride grafted polyolefin, a modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, and a random ethylene copolymer.

[0020] In another embodiment, the force can be provided by at least one extrusion screw.

[0021] In another embodiment, the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled can be formed into an extruded continuous profile.

[0022] In another embodiment, the die can be configured to form the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled into a solid extrusion.

[0023] In another embodiment, the solid extrusion can be fragmentized to produce fragments.

[0024] In another embodiment, the solid extrusion can be fragmentized to produce fragments by passing through a die-face cutter.

[0025] In another embodiment, the fragments can be cooled.

[0026] In another embodiment, the die can be configured for blown film extrusion.

[0027] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled comprising a substantially homogenous mixture of an uncured powder-coat fines waste material and a postconsumer additive-rich recycled polymer material, wherein: the uncured powder-coat fines waste material is uncured under-size powder-coat fines and uncured over-size powder-coat fines; and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material does not comprise powder-coat fines waste material.

[0028] In an embodiment, the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the postconsumer additive-rich recycled polymer material can be present in an amount of 5- 50% and 50-95%, respectively.

[0029] In another embodiment, the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material can be present in an amount of 30% and 70%, respectively.

[0030] In another embodiment, the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled can further comprise at least one colourant.

[0031] In another embodiment, the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled can further comprise at least one UV inhibitor.

[0032] In another embodiment, the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled can further comprise at least one compounding agent.

[0033] In another embodiment, the at least one compounding agent is selected from the group consisting of an anhydride modified high density polyethylene, a copolymer of ethylene and methyl acrylate, a functionalised polyolefin, a high-pressure polyethylene, a maleic anhydride grafted polyolefin, a modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, and a random ethylene copolymer.

[0034] In another embodiment, the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled can be formed into formed into an extruded continuous profile.

[0035] In another embodiment, the extruded continuous profile can be a solid extrusion.

[0036] In another embodiment, the solid extrusion can be fragmentized to produce fragments.

[0037] In another embodiment, the solid extrusion can be fragmentized to produce fragments by passing through a die-face cutter.

[0038] In a related aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a process of producing a durable, high-performance composite material from heterogenous plastics waste that can be moulded and further recycled, the process comprising: providing a multi stream feedstock comprising agricultural waste containing predominantly polypropylene, wherein the process includes pre-processing the feedstock streams in a first extruder to provide a flowable waste feedstock pellets; providing a powdered waste material stream or streams obtained from paint based plastics such as powder coat fines, and optionally nylon powders from PA12 / PA12GF; providing compatibilizer material to assist combining the feedstock streams into a substantially homogenous blend; wherein the process includes providing a dosing system for introducing precise amounts of the processed waste feedstock and powdered waste material and optionally compatibilizer to a second extruder for combining the feedstock and powdered waste material and optionally compatibilizer to produce a recycled material having characteristics determined by the precise control of the amounts of feedstock and powdered waste material and optionally compatibilizer substantially without losing performance characteristics.

[0039] The present invention redefines the approach to plastic recycling by integrating multi-polymer waste streams, leveraging existing additive content, and using compatibilization chemistry to create a high-value, high-performance recycled material. Unlike prior thermoplastic recycling methods, this process enables the upcycling of complex plastic mixtures into durable, customizable products, making it a novel and inventive contribution to the field of sustainable plastics.

[0040] Preferably the agricultural waste containing predominantly polypropylene is selected from tarpaulins, baling twine and bulka bags. Preferably, the preprocessing of the diverse agricultural wastes includes steps of cleaning and shredding. Preferably the waste materials are shredded into lengths of about 3cm. The preprocessing of agricultural waste can further include steps of passing through a single screw extruder in the presence of heat, to combine the different plastics waste into a substantiallyhomogenous stream, wherein the stream is passed through a cooling bath and pelletised. In this preprocessing of waste, the pelletised product of the diverse plastics waste retains characteristics of the original material. There is no chemical stripping which represents an advantage of the preprocessing procedure.

[0041] In parallel, waste powder coating fines and PA12 / PA12GF nylons in a powder form, and a polymer compatibilizer such as Vistamaxx, are provided separately at one or more feeding stations.

[0042] The dosing system can include a hopper having multiple feed streams for controlling the amount of one or more of the powdered waste materials and optionally compatibilizer. Depending on the characteristics of the product to be produced by the recycled material, the dosing system can introduce one or more of the multiple feed streams and control predetermined amounts of select feed stream(s) to be mixed with the feedstock waste pellets.

[0043] Preferably, the first extruder used for the preprocessing of diverse PP agricultural waste is a single screw extruder.

[0044] Preferably, the second extruder for feeding the pre-processed PP, Powder Coating Waste and / or PA12 / PA12GF nylon powders, and Vistamaxx compatibilizer additive is a Twin-Screw Extruder.

[0045] Preferably the dosing system is a gravimetric dosing system which operates to measure precise amounts of material. The gravimetric dosing system can continuously weigh the main feed stream (recycled PP resin and powder coating waste). Based on a real-time throughput rate, the dosing system can calculate and meter out the required dose of Vistamaxx additive. The gravimetric dosing system includes a dosing screw inside a feeder which can precisely control the flow of Vistamaxx into the combined material stream. This ensures that the proportion of Vistamaxx to total material is consistent throughout production.

[0046] Preferably the pre-processed waste PP resin (pelletised agricultural waste) is stored in a dedicated stainless-steel hopper. A second hopper holds the powder coating waste fines. Preferably, both materials, i.e. pelletised agricultural waste and powder coating fines are gravity-feed from their separate hoppers into a blending point directly above a feed throat portion of the second extruder.

[0047] The Vistamaxx compatibilizer additive material is stored in a further gravimetric hopper, which is preferably mounted on the extruder throat. The gravimetric hopper is preferably isolated from the main resin feed, allowing the dosing system to precisely meter Vistamaxx into the material stream.

[0048] The recycled PP resin, powder coating waste, and Vistamaxx are preferably combined immediately before entering the twin-screw extruder. There is no premixing, meaning all materials enter the extruder throat as a combined but unmixed stream(s).

[0049] The process of the invention can further include a control system to maintain quality and consistency, and in particular the following factors must be closely monitored:

[0050] a. Consistent material flow from both the recycled PP resin and powder coating hoppers.

[0051] b. Regular calibration of the gravimetric dosing system to account for changes in bulk density between material batches.

[0052] c. Stable extruder screw speed and consistent feed rates.

[0053] d. Correct temperature profile to balance melting, dispersion, and thermal stability.

[0054] e. Appropriate shear levels to achieve mixing without degrading sensitive materials like powder coating waste.

[0055] In one embodiment, the control system can operate to replace powder coating paint fines waste entirely with PA12 / PA12GF nylons in a powder form. The presence of PA12 / PA12GF nylons improves impact resistant qualities of the recycled material.

[0056] Preferably, the amount of feedstock pellets is present in the recycled material in a major amount. Preferably, when the amount of powder coating fines is less than about 10%w / w and most preferably less than 5% of the recyclable material, the amount of vistamaxx in the blend is 0%. Preferably, the amount of powder coating fines in the composition of the present invention can be up to about 20%w / w.

[0057] A preferred composition of the present invention can be about 72% Agricultural waste; 20% Powder Coating fines; and 8% Vistamaxx.

[0058] Applicant has found that the strength of the recyclable material is affected markedly by the concentration of the powder coating fines mixture. The compressive strength of the diverse Polypropylene agricultural wastes is weakened by adding powder coating waste over 20% but is found to be stronger within the select range of between 5 to 20%. This is counter-intuitive from the chemistry expectations. This property change also is found to affect the Melt Flow Index (MFI) as well. So material properties of the end plastic can be adjusted using the percentage combinations of powder coating fines between 5% and 20% w / w.

[0059] In one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a controller for real time determiner of product plastic characteristics, which samples product and determines amounts of feedstock waste and powder fines and communicates with the control system to selectively adjust the amount of input feedstock, powder fines and vistamaxx to achieve a predetermined recycle material product.

[0060] In a further related aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a process of producing durable, high-performance composite material from heterogenous plastic waste that can be moulded and further recycled, the process comprising: a plastics waste pre-processing step comprising providing a plurality of plastic waste streams of diverse plastic selected from agricultural waste including plastic waste derived from tarpaulins, baling twine and bulka bags; subjecting the waste streams to shredding and washing; combining and processing predetermined amounts of the plurality of plastic waste streams in a single screw extruder, wherein as the shredded diverse plastic waste is conveyed by the screw, the plastic waste is compressed and subject to heat to produce a substantially homogenised plastic melt, followed by cooling in water and pelletising the homogenised plastic waste; collecting and preparing waste powder fines selected from powder coating paint waste containing polyethylene and paint based plastics, and PA12 / PA12GF nylons in a powder form and providing in separate infeed stations; optionally providing a compatibilizer to assist homogeneity of the diverse polymer waste; providing a gravimetric hopper including multiple inputs for receiving the compatibilizer, and a dosing system for selectively controlling the ratio of powder fines and compatibilizer from the respective inputs; combining the pelletised plastic waste and powdered fines and / or compatibilizer streams into a twin screw extruder for extrusion based homogenisation.

[0061] Benefits

[0062] Improved Material Recovery• Allows polymer blending without chemical stripping, preserving valuable preexisting additives (UV stabilizers, impact modifiers).

[0063] Enhanced Mechanical Properties.• Vistamaxx compatibilization ensures a cohesive, high-strength material without requiring conventional PVC plasticizers or chemical stabilizers.

[0064] Reduced Chemical Waste & Energy Consumption.• Avoids chemical purification processes, lowering environmental impact and processing costs.

[0065] Versatility Across Industries Replaceable powder coating component enables material customization for industrial, automotive, and 3D printing applications.

[0066] Mechanical Processing• Size reduction, blending, and extrusion-based homogenization to ensure uniform dispersion of components.

[0067] End-Use Adaptability• Material properties can be tailored by adjusting the ratio of PP, PE, powder coating paint, and PA12 / PA12GF (nylons).• End products include structural construction components, automotive parts, infrastructure elements, and high-performance industrial materials.

[0068] In the present invention, the agricultural waste plastics goes through a single screw extruder and then a twin-screw extruder, which departs from the prior art and enables the benefits of mixing qualities that enhance the recycled material characteristics.

[0069] This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

[0070] To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

[0071] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0072] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0073] Figure 1 shows a flow diagram of the process of the present invention in one embodiment;

[0074] Figure 2 shows a thermoplastic polymer single screw extruder for use in a preprocessing step of agricultural plastics waste of the method of producing a green- certified polymer material;

[0075] Figure 3 shows a stepwise process of performing the present invention in one embodiment;

[0076] Figure 4 shows a flow diagram of the process of the present invention in accordance with Figure 1 further including product characteristics and control system; and

[0077] Figure 5 shows a method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to an embodiment of the invention.Description of Embodiments

[0078] It should be noted in the following description that like or the same reference numerals in different embodiments denote the same or similar features.

[0079] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying Figures, wherein Figure 1 shows a flow chart representing the process of producing a recyclable plastic material being a durable, and high-performance product. The process of the present invention is able to produce a recyclable product in which thecharacteristics are at least the same or improved over the waste feed material. This allows combining of diverse plastics waste streams without a decrease in end product performance.

[0080] With reference to figure 1 there is shown a durable, high-performance composite material 100 from heterogenous plastics waste 101 that can be moulded and further recycled, the process comprising: providing a multi stream feedstock 101 comprising agricultural waste containing predominantly polypropylene, wherein a first step includes pre-processing the feedstock streams by cleaning and shredding 102 diverse PP waste streams, passing the shredded waste through a single screw extruder 103 to provide a flowable waste feedstock, cooling in a water bath 104 and pelletising 105 and storing 106 for use; in a separate but parallel step there is shown providing a powdered waste material streams obtained from paint based plastics such as powder coat fines 107, and optionally nylon powders from PA12 / PA12GF 108; providing a compatibilizer material 109 to assist combining the feedstock streams into a substantially homogenous blend; wherein the process includes providing a dosing system 1 10 for introducing precise amounts of the compatibilizer to a twin screw extruder 11 1 for combining with the a predetermined amount of feedstock pellets and powdered waste material to produce a recycled material 1 12 having characteristics determined by the precise control of the amounts of feedstock and powdered waste material and optionally compatibilizer substantially without losing performance characteristics of the original plastics waste.

[0081] Referring to figure 4, there is shown a further modification of the process in figure 1 including a controller 1 13 which cooperates with a determiner of characteristics of the recyclable material 1 12, such as MFI 1 13, Impact Resistance 1 14 and UV Resistance 1 15. Substantially in real time, characteristics of the recyclable material 1 12 are assessed and depending on the qualities of the recyclable material 1 12 required, the controller 1 13 initiates adjustment by the dosing system to alter the amount of infeed of waste agricultural pellets and powder fines.

[0082] Applicant has found that the strength of the recyclable material is affected markedly by the concentration of the powder coating fines mixture. The compressive strength of the diverse Polypropylene agricultural wastes is weakened by adding powder coating waste over 20% but is found to be stronger within the select range of between 5 to 20%. This is counter-intuitive from the chemistry expectations. Thisproperty change also is found to affect the Melt Flow Index (MFI) as well. So material properties of the end plastic can be adjusted using the percentage combinations of powder coating fines between 5% and 20% w / w.

[0083] The dosing system is a gravimetric dosing system which operates to measure precise amounts of material. The gravimetric dosing system can continuously weigh the main feed stream (recycled PP resin and powder coating waste) and the dosing system can calculate and meter out the required dose of Vistamaxx additive based on a real-time throughput rate. The gravimetric dosing system includes a dosing screw inside a feeder which can precisely control the flow of Vistamaxx into the combined material stream. This ensures that the proportion of Vistamaxx to total material is consistent throughout production.

[0084] With reference to Figures 2 and 5, Figure 2 shows a thermoplastic polymer extruder generally indicated by reference numeral 10 for use in a method according to an embodiment of the invention and Figure 5 shows a method of producing a green- certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to an embodiment of the invention generally indicated by reference numeral 100.

[0085] Referring to Figure 2, the thermoplastic polymer extruder (10) is used in an embodiment of the method of the invention for producing green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled (15). According to the embodiment of the invention now described, a preferred ratio of uncured powder-coat fines waste material (not shown) and a post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material (not shown) are combined in a hopper (20). The uncured powder-coat fines waste material (not shown) and a post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material (not shown) are mixed to provide a substantially homogenous mixture (25). The substantially homogenous mixture (25) is fed into a barrel (30) of the extruder (10) and heated by heaters (35) while urged through the barrel (30) under force applied by an extrusion screw (40) to provide a melted substantially homogenous mixture (45). The melted substantially homogenous mixture (45) is urged by the turning screw (40) through a die (50) to provide the extrudate (15) having a continuous profile.

[0086] The term “post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material” as used herein should be understood to include materials that include polymers as the main ingredient and may be a synthetic or semi-synthetic material. The term “polymer” as used herein should be understood to include, for example, condensation polymers,halogenated polymers, polyolefin polymers, and unsaturated polyolefin polymers. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that suitable polymers will, for example, include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyurethane (PUR), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and any blend of the afore-mentioned polymers.

[0087] A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the temperature required to melt the substantially homogenous mixture may need to be empirically determined. It will also be appreciated that the ratio of uncured powder-coat fines waste material and post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material may influence the temperature required to melt the substantially homogenous mixture. The temperature required to melt the substantially homogenous mixture is contemplated to be in a range of 125°C - 200°C.

[0088] In another embodiment (not shown), at least one colourant is added to the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and a post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material prior to or during mixing.

[0089] In another embodiment (not shown), at least one UV inhibitor is added to the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material prior to or during mixing.

[0090] In another embodiment, the method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled can further comprise: providing at least one compounding agent; and adding the at least one compounding agent to the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material; wherein the at least one compounding agent is added to the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material before mixing the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material to provide the substantially homogenous mixture.

[0091] In another embodiment, the at least one compounding agent can be selected from the group consisting of an anhydride modified high density polyethylene, a copolymer of ethylene and methyl acrylate, a functionalised polyolefin, a high-pressure polyethylene, a maleic anhydride grafted polyolefin, a modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, and a random ethylene copolymer.

[0092] In another embodiment (not shown), the die is configured to form the extrudate into a solid extrusion. The solid extrusion is cooled and passed through a die-face cutter to fragmentize the solid extrusion to produce fragments.

[0093] In other embodiments (not shown), the die is configured for blown film extrusion. In these embodiments, the person skilled in the art will understand that the die can be selected from dies such as a crosshead die, a spider die, or a spiral die.

[0094] In other embodiments (not shown), the die is configured for flat sheet extrusion. In these embodiments, the person skilled in the art will understand that the die can a flat sheet extrusion die such as a coat-hanger shaped die or a T-shaped die.

[0095] In other embodiments (not shown), the die is configured for overjacketing extrusion.

[0096] In other embodiments (not shown), the die is configured for tube extrusion.

[0097] In other embodiments (not shown), the die is configured for extrusion coating.

[0098] Referring to Figure 2, the method as described with reference to Figure 5 provides a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled (15 in Figure 1 ) is generally indicated by reference numeral 100. The method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled (100) includes providing an uncured powder-coat fines waste material (105) and providing a post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material (1 10). The uncured powder-coat fines waste material (105) and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material (1 10) are combined in a preferred ratio (115). The uncured powdercoat fines waste material (105) and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material (1 10) are mixed to provide a substantially homogenous mixture (120). The temperature of the substantially homogenous mixture is increased to provide a melted substantially homogenous mixture (125). Force is applied to the melted substantially homogenous mixture to extrude the melted substantially homogenous mixture through a die to provide the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled (130). In the embodiment described, the uncured powder-coat fines waste material is uncured under-size powder-coat fines and uncured over-size powder-coat fines; and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material does not comprise powder-coat fines waste material.

[0099] General System

[0100] 1. Raw Material Sourcing and Pre-Processing a. Primary Feedstocks:• Waste powder coatings (e.g., off-spec powder under 20 microns or expired industrial powder coatings) • Agricultural plastics (e.g., baling twine, silage wrap, grain tarpaulins) b. Pre-Processing: • Sorting and Cleaning including removal of contaminants and incompatible materials. • Shredding to reduce agricultural plastics into manageable flakes. • Powder Coating Preparation is already completed at Dulux factory by collection into Bulk Bags.

[0101] 2. Blending and Material Formulation a. Precise Ratio Control: The process adds powder coating waste at a precise ratio to the other ingredients at a point just prior to entering the twin screw injection chamber, b. Additives and Modifiers:• Incorporation of compatibilizers to improve bonding between different polymer types.• Optional use of stabilizers to enhance colour retention and UV resistance, c. Homogenization: • A twin-screw extruder or high-shear mixer ensures uniform distribution of powder coating particulates within the polymer matrix.

[0102] 3. Thermal Processing a. Controlled Heating: • The blended material is heated to an optimal melt temperature that allows complete fusion of the mixed polymers while preventing thermal degradation, b. Degassing: • Removal of trapped gases and volatiles to improve the quality of the final plastic, c. Flow Control: • The viscosity of the melt is adjusted to ensure it is compatible with injection molding and other downstream manufacturing techniques.

[0103] 4. Pelletization and Final Processing a. Cooling and Solidification: •The molten blend is passed through a cooling system (e.g., water bath) to solidify the polymer, b. Pelletization: • The solid polymer is cut into uniform pellets, optimized for handling and transport, c. Quality Control: • Testing of physical properties (tensile strength, impact resistance, and melt flow index) to ensure batch consistency. • Colour and finish verification for aesthetic applications.

[0104] 5. Post-Processing and Product Applications a. Injection Molding and Extrusion: • PostPrime® Plastic pellets are compatible with conventional manufacturing methods, including injection molding, extrusion, and thermoforming, b. Finished Product Examples: • Bar chairs for concrete reinforcement • Wheel stops and parking infrastructure* Construction spacers and panels

[0105] 6. Unique Features of the Process a. Integration of Waste PowderCoatings: Unlike traditional recycling methods, the process incorporates powder coatings — an underutilized waste stream — into structural-grade plastic, b. Closed- Loop Potential: The resulting plastic can be recycled back into the process without degradation, supporting circular economy goals, c. Customizable Properties: Adjustments in the powder coating-to-agricultural plastic ratio allow for tailoring of strength, flexibility, and colour retention based on end-use requirements, d. Low- Emission Process: Optimized heating cycles and degassing steps reduce the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during production.

[0106] 7. Potential Process Variations (for Broader Patent Protection) a.Alternative Feedstocks: The process may accommodate other post-consumer or industrial plastic waste streams, b. Additive Integration: Incorporation of flame retardants, anti-microbials, or UV blockers for specialized applications, c. Colouration Methods: Variants of the process may include masterbatch addition or dye integration for aesthetic applications.

[0107] The present invention relates to a novel method for recycling and reprocessing mixed-polymer waste into PostPrime ® Plastic, a proprietary recycled material designed for construction, infrastructure, automotive and advanced manufacturing applications. The invention introduces a mechanical and chemical compatibilization approach that enables the efficient blending of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), paint-based plastics, and optionally PA12 / PA12GF nylons into a durable, high-performance composite material.

[0108] Plastic waste streams, particularly those derived from agriculture (e.g., tarpaulins, baling twine, bulk bags), industrial coatings (powder coating paint residues), and advanced 3Dprinting (PA12, PA12GF), present significant recycling challenges due to polymer incompatibility, contamination, and additive degradation.

[0109] Current plastic recycling technologies, focus on general thermoplastic recycling and chemical-based plastic recovery, respectively. However, they lack methods for multi-polymer compatibilization and in-situ additive utilization, which are key to the PostPrime ®

[0110] Plastic process. Existing processes struggle with blending polymers from diverse waste streams into a single, high-performance output. There remains acritical need for a scalable, efficient method to integrate diverse polymer waste streams into a high-performance recycled material without requiring extensive chemical purification or single-polymer restrictions.[0011 1 ] The general method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be used in a predetermined further processed application in moulding and , the method comprising: a. providing a preprocessed plastic waste by b. Collecting plastic waste c. Mechanically shredding the collected plastic waste d. Extruding, heating and cooling the shredde collected plastic waste e. Pelletising the output material as preproceesed plastic waste providing a controlled input of one or more of: i. Preproceesed plastic waste ii. an uncured powder-coat fines waste material; iii. a post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material; controlling the combining of the preproceesed plastic waste, the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material in a preferred ratio; mixing the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the postconsumer additive-rich recycled polymer material to provide a substantially homogenous mixture; increasing the temperature of the substantially homogenous mixture to provide a melted substantially homogenous mixture; and applying a force to the melted substantially homogenous mixture to extrude the melted substantially homogenous mixture through a die to provide the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled;

[0112] The uncured powder-coat fines waste material is uncured under-size powder-coat fines and uncured over-size powder-coat fines; and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material does not comprise powder-coat fines waste material

[0113] The controlled input is by assessing the preproceesed plastic waste and the required further processed application and at least the characteristics of:a. Melt Flow Index b. Impact resistance c. UV resistance and altering the preferred ratio.

[0114] A table of plastic formulation and property table is as follows:

[0115] Explanation of Trends

[0116] MFI (Melt Flow Index): Adding powder coating paint tends to increase MFI since the paint derived polyethylene typically have lower molecular weight than baling twine / tarpaulin polypropylene (PP). Vistamaxx (elastomeric can also increase flowability at moderate dosages.

[0117] Impact Resistance: This peaks with balanced dosing of Vistamaxx. Both Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethylene (PE) waste materials contribute baseline toughness, but Vistamaxx significantly improves energy absorption and flexibility.

[0118] UV resistance: This is highest when using raw materials with retained UV stabilizers (eg tarpaulins, baling twine). Adding powder coating paint dilutes this slightly unless the powder coating has UV stabilizers.

[0119] Vistamaxx is only added when powder coating paint or nylon content exceeds 5% as there is no difference in compatibilisation under 5% powder coating addition.

[0120] Examples

[0121] Example 1 - PostPrime ® 5%

[0122] We use a batch of 50kg of fines waste material and combine with 900kg of waste Polypropylene tarp material that was shredded then pelletised to a 3mm pellet. We then use 50kg of binding additive to ensure the mixture homogenizes during the process.

[0123] Thermal processing comprises hearing to the range of 180 to 190 degrees in a continuous twin screw extruder. The hot strands of spaghetti like plastic is then drawn through a water bath to cool it down and harden and then chopped into 3mm pellets. This mix is to give maximum impact properties for the plastic but at a reduced MFI.

[0124] Example 2 - PostPrime ® 10%

[0125] We use a batch of 100kg of fines waste material and combine with 850kg of waste Polypropylene tarp material that was shredded then pelletised to a 3mm pellet. 50kg of binding additive to ensure the mixture homogenizes during the process.

[0126] Thermal processing comprises hearing to the range of 180 to 190 degrees in a continuous twin screw extruder. The hot strands of spaghetti like plastic is then drawn through a water bath to cool it down and harden and then chopped into 3mm pellets. This mix is to give medium impact properties for the plastic and a medium MFI making it our standard mix for injection moulding.

[0127] Example 3 - PostPrime ® 20%

[0128] We use a batch of 200kg of fines waste material and combine with 750kg of waste Polypropylene tarp material that was shredded then pelletised to a 3mm pellet. We then use 50kg of binding additive to ensure the mixture homogenizes during the process.

[0129] Thermal processing comprises hearing to the range of 180 to 190 degrees in a continuous twin screw extruder. The hot strands of spaghetti like plastic is then drawn through a water bath to cool it down and harden and then chopped into 3mm pellets. This mix is to give minimum impact properties for the plastic but at a higher MFI for maximum flow in moulds and also our new pellet 3D printing machine.

[0130] Compression Testing of Recycled Polymer Samples

[0131] A sample of a recycled plastic material from the process of the present invention was subjected to an objective study to determine the compressive properties of a select polymer sample comprising 85%w / w waste feedstock, 10%w / w powder coating fines and 5% w / w binding additive vistamaxx. The compression testing was undertaken as per ASTM D695-02a Compressive Properties of Rigid Plastics.

[0132] Speed of testing: 1 .3 mm / min.

[0133] Specimen Preparation

[0134] The sample was compression moulded into a plaque. 12.7 x 12.7mm pieces were cut by table saw and stacked to achieve a height of 26mm for testing. Four specimens for each sample were tested.

[0135] Conditioning

[0136] The specimens were conditioned at 23±2 and 50±5% relative humidity for over 48 hours and tested at the same condition.

[0137] Results

[0138] Tensile Properties

[0139] Compressive Strength

[0140] Density

[0141] Melt Flow Rate

[0142] The objective of this study is to measure the melt flow rate of polymer samples.

[0143] Samples Supplied

[0144] Three samples of polymer were supplied for melt flow rate testing.

[0145] The identification of the samples was:

[0146] The identification of the samples was:

[0148] Melt flow rate testing was undertaken according to ASTM D 1238-2020 Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer.

[0149] Method of Sampling

[0150] Melt flow rate specimens were selected at random from the samples supplied.

[0151] Testing Methodology

[0152] The testing was conducted according to ASTM D 1238 using Procedure A. Testing conditions used were as suggested by ASTM D 1238 Appendix X4 for each material.

[0153] ResultsSample; 13525-2Sample; 13525-3

[0154] Tensile Testing

[0155] The objective of this study is to measure the tensile properties of resin sample.

[0156] Samples Supplied

[0157] Three samples were supplied. Only one resin sample (13525-1 ) was tested for tensile properties.

[0158] The identification of the sample was:

[0159] 3. Method of Sampling and Specimen Preparation

[0160] Tensile testing was conducted on five specimens taken at random from the prepared plaque samples from the supplied resin samples.

[0161] The moulding conditions were:- 180°C Maintain 10OkgF pressure for 5 minutes- 180°C Maintain 10OOkgF pressure for 2 minutes- Turn off plate heaters, cool to 120 , and increase pressure to 6000kgF- Cool to room temperature.

[0162] The specimens were prepared via a cutting die and compression set.

[0163] Testing Methodology

[0164] The testing was conducted according to ASTM D 638.

[0165] The samples were conditioned for 24 hours at 23°C prior to testing. The ambient temperature in the test room was 23°C.

[0166] Five specimens were tested for each sample.

[0167] Specimens prepared were Type I

[0168] Speed for modulus testing was 5 mm / min. Test speed was changed to 50 mm / min after 1% strain.

[0169] The speed for remaining tensile properties was 50 mm / minute.

[0170] Extensometer Classification is a B2 (Video Extensometer Asset No.011 ). (Check calibration certificate)

[0171] Video Extensometer was used for elongation properties measurement.

[0172] Variation from test method: None.

[0173] Test Results

[0174] Sample: 13525-1Test conditions: 22~'C; 40% RHNote: Porosity was observed at the failure points for all tested specimens.

[0175] Density Measurement of Polymer Samples

[0176] Samples Supplied

[0177] One sample of polypropylene material was supplied for density measurement.

[0178] The identification of the samples was:

[0179] Method of Sampling and Specimen Preparation

[0180] 13525-1 was grinded and compression moulded into a plaque.

[0181] Three specimens were then selected at random from the plaque, or from the sample for 13525-2 and 13525-3.

[0182] The specimens were prepared with cutter.

[0183] Conditioning

[0184] The test specimen was conditioned at 23 ± 2 and 50 ± 10 % relative humidity for 24 hours prior to test.

[0185] Density Measuring Apparatus.

[0186] The density apparatus used for the testing was an Archimedes Bridge displacement type A&N Model GF-300 S / N T0303404.

[0187] Testing Methodology

[0188] The testing was conducted according to ASTM D 792 - 13 Standard Test methods for_Density and Specific Gravity (Relative Density) of Plastics by Displacement.

[0189] Test Results

[0190] Summary

[0191] 1 . Feedstock Selection & Preparation a. PP agricultural waste (GrainCo tarpaulins, baling twine, bulka bags). b. Powder coating paint residues (containing PE and paint-based plastics). c. Optional PA12 / PA12GF nylon powders from advanced 3D printing applications.

[0192] 2. Compatibilization Strategy a. Vistamaxx (or similar compatibilizers) to unify diverse polymer chains and enable processability. b. Retention and repurposing of existing additives (e.g., UV stabilizers, impact modifiers) already embedded in waste plastics.

[0193] 3. Mechanical Processing a. Size reduction, blending, and extrusion-based homogenization to ensure uniform dispersion of components.

[0194] 4. End-Use Adaptability a. Material properties can be tailored by adjusting the ratio of PP, PE, powder coating paint, and PA12 / PA12GF (nylons).b. End products include structural construction components, automotive parts, infrastructure elements, and high-performance industrial materials.

[0195] Advantages

[0196] 1. Improved Material Recovery a. Allows polymer blending without chemical stripping, preserving valuable preexisting additives (UV stabilizers, impact modifiers).

[0197] 2. Enhanced Mechanical Properties a. Vistamaxx compatibilization ensures a cohesive, high-strength material without requiring conventional PVC plasticizers or chemical stabilizers.

[0198] 3. Reduced Chemical Waste & Energy Consumption a. Avoids chemical purification processes, lowering environmental impact and processing costs.

[0199] 4. Versatility Across Industries a. Replaceable powder coating component enables material customization for industrial, automotive, and 3D printing applications.

[0200] We are using recycled waste plastic as the base material for our PostPrime ® plastic which is unique. To prepare the waste plastic we are first shredding the plastic into 5-10mm shreds. We are then melting and extruding the waste shreds into pellets using a single screw extrusion machine. The materials we are then combining are the agricultural waste in pellet form, combining additive in pellet form and powder coating waste in powder form.

[0201] The second thing that is different and not intuitive is the strength of the material is affected markedly by the concentration of the powder coating mixture. The original compressive strength of the Polypropylene agricultural waste is weakened by adding powder coating waste over 20% but is stronger between 5 to 20% in a bell curve. This is not intuitive from the chemistry expectations. This property change is also how we affect the MFI as well. So we are adjusting material properties of the end plastic using the percentage combinations between 5% and 20%.

[0202] The present invention redefines the approach to plastic recycling by integrating multi-polymer waste streams, leveraging existing additive content, andusing compatibilization chemistry to create a high-value, high-performance recycled material. Unlike prior thermoplastic recycling methods, this process enables the upcycling of complex plastic mixtures into durable, customizable products, making it a novel and inventive contribution to the field of sustainable plastics.

[0203] Other embodiments

[0204] We can also use nylons which can be substituted in for the paint powders. This provides a more complex invention in that we can successfully combine a range of powders, solid and flexible waste plastics to get a plastic that can be manipulated to give a range of properties for a range of uses.

[0205] In another embodiment (not shown), the preferred ratio is a percentage weight / weight ratio in a range of 5-50% uncured powder-coat fines waste material / 50- 95% post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material. Advantageously, the preferred ratio is a percentage weight / weight ratio of 30% uncured powder-coat fines waste material / 70% post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material.

[0206] In another embodiment (not shown), the method of producing a green- certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled includes providing at least one colourant; and adding the at least one colourant to the uncured powdercoat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material.

[0207] In another embodiment (not shown), the method of producing a green- certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled includes providing at least one UV inhibitor; and adding the at least one UV inhibitor to the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material.

[0208] In another embodiment, the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled can further comprise at least one compounding agent.

[0209] In another embodiment, the at least one compounding agent is selected from the group consisting of an anhydride modified high density polyethylene, a copolymer of ethylene and methyl acrylate, a functionalised polyolefin, a high-pressure polyethylene, a maleic anhydride grafted polyolefin, a modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, and a random ethylene copolymer.

[0210] In another embodiment (not shown), the force is provided by at least one extrusion screw. Advantageously, the characteristics of the feed zone, compression zone, and metering zone relative to the extrusion screw are optimised for the purposes of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled.[0021 1 ] In another embodiment (not shown), the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled is formed into an extruded continuous profile.

[0212] In another embodiment (not shown), the die is configured to form the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled into a solid extrusion.

[0213] Advantageously, in some embodiments, the die is selected from the group consisting of a coat-hanger shaped die, a crosshead die, a flat sheet extrusion die, a spider die, a spiral die, and a T-shaped die.

[0214] Also advantageously, in some embodiments, the die is configured for extrusion coating, overjacketing extrusion, tube extrusion, or any combination of the afore mentioned.

[0215] In another embodiment (not shown), the solid extrusion is fragmentized to produce fragments.

[0216] In another embodiment (not shown), the solid extrusion is fragmentized to produce fragments by passing through a die-face cutter.

[0217] In another embodiment (not shown), the fragments are cooled.

[0218] In another embodiment (not shown), the die is configured for blown film extrusion.

[0219] Interpretation

[0220] In addition, where features or aspects of the invention are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognise that the invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.

[0221] For the purpose of this specification, where method steps are described in sequence, the sequence does not necessarily mean that the steps are to be carriedout in chronological order in that sequence, unless there is no other logical manner of interpreting the sequence.

[0222] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

[0223] Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the above description of example embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Description of Embodiments are hereby expressly incorporated into this Description of Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

[0224] Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some, but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0225] As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

[0226] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

[0227] In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar technical purpose. Terms such as "forward", "rearward", "radially", "peripherally", "upwardly", "downwardly", and the like are used as words of convenience to provide reference points and are not to be construed as limiting terms.

[0228] For the purposes of this specification, the term “plastic” shall be construed to mean a general term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic polymerization products, and generally consisting of a hydrocarbon-based polymer.

[0229] As used herein the term “and / or” means “and” or “or”, or both.

[0230] As used herein “(s)” following a noun means the plural and / or singular forms of the noun.

[0231] In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

[0232] Any one of the terms: including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements / features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.

[0233] Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention.

[0234] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

[0235] It is apparent from the above, that the arrangements described are applicable to the plastics and polymer industries.

Claims

ClaimsThe claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A method of producing a green-certifiable polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled, the method comprising: a. providing an uncured powder-coat fines waste material; b. providing a post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material; a) combining the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material in a preferred ratio; b) mixing the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the postconsumer additive-rich recycled polymer material to provide a substantially homogenous mixture; c) increasing the temperature of the substantially homogenous mixture to provide a melted substantially homogenous mixture; and d) applying a force to the melted substantially homogenous mixture to extrude the melted substantially homogenous mixture through a die to provide the green-certifiable polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled; wherein: e) the uncured powder-coat fines waste material is uncured under-size powder-coat fines and uncured over-size powder-coat fines; and f) the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material does not comprise powder-coat fines waste material.

2. A method of producing a green-certifiable polymer material that can be used in a predetermined further processed application, the method comprising: a) providing a pre-processed plastic waste by b) Collecting plastic wastec) Mechanically shredding the collected plastic waste d) Extruding, heating and cooling the shredded collected plastic waste e) Pelletising the output material as pre-processed plastic waste providing a controlled input of one or more of: i. Pre-processed plastic waste ii. an uncured powder-coat fines waste material; iii. a post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material; iv. nylon controlling the combining of the pre-processed plastic waste, the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material in a preferred ratio; mixing the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additiverich recycled polymer material to provide a substantially homogenous mixture; increasing the temperature of the substantially homogenous mixture to provide a melted substantially homogenous mixture; and applying a force to the melted substantially homogenous mixture to extrude the melted substantially homogenous mixture through a die to provide the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled; wherein: the uncured powder-coat fines waste material is uncured under-size powdercoat fines and uncured over-size powder-coat fines; and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material does not comprise powder-coat fines waste material and whereinthe controlled input is by assessing the pre-processed plastic waste and the required further processed application and at least the characteristics of:1 ) Melt Flow Index2) Impact resistance3) UV resistance and altering the preferred ratio.

3. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material according to claim 1 or 2 including altering the concentration of the powder coating mixture wherein the original compressive strength of the Polypropylene agricultural waste is weakened by adding powder coating between 5 to 20% in a bell curve.

4. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material according to claim 2, wherein the preferred ratio is a percentage weight / weight ratio in a range of 5-50% uncured powder-coat fines waste material / 50-95% post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material.

5. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material according to claim 2, wherein altering controlled input to effect Impact Resistance of required further processed application includes assessing both Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethylene (PE) of pre-processed plastic waste for contributed baseline toughness and peaking with balanced dosing of Vistamaxx for significantly improving energy absorption and flexibility.

6. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material according to claim 2, wherein altering controlled input to effect UV stability includes assessing pre- processed plastic waste for raw materials with retained UV stabilizers (eg tarpaulins, baling twine) and affecting the controlled input by adding powder coating paint which dilutes this slightly unless the powder coating has UV stabilizers.

7. A method according to claim 1 or 2 for recycling post-consumer and postindustrial plastic waste, comprising: a. Selecting a feedstock comprising 85% PP agricultural waste, 10% paintbased plastics, and optionally 10% of PA12 / PA12GF nylon powders.b. Introducing 5% Vistamaxx or a similar compatibilizer to unify polymer components. c. Retaining and utilizing existing functional additives present in the waste material. d. Processing the material via mechanical blending and twin extrusionbased homogenization.

8. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the processed material is tailored for applications in construction, automotive, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing.

9. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein powder coating paint is optionally replaced with PA12 / PA12GF nylon powders to modify material properties.

10. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the preferred ratio is a percentage weight / weight ratio of 30% uncured powder-coat fines waste material / 70% post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material.1 1. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a) providing at least one colourant; and b) adding the at least one colourant to the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material.

12. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a) providing at least one UV inhibitor; and b) adding the at least one UV inhibitor to the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material.

13. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:a) providing at least one compounding agent; and b) adding the at least one compounding agent to the uncured powdercoat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material; g) wherein the at least one compounding agent is added to the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additiverich recycled polymer material before mixing the uncured powdercoat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material to provide the substantially homogenous mixture.

14. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 13, wherein the at least one compounding agent is selected from the group consisting of an anhydride modified high density polyethylene, a copolymer of ethylene and methyl acrylate, a functionalised polyolefin, a high-pressure polyethylene, a maleic anhydride grafted polyolefin, a modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, and a random ethylene copolymer.

15. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the force is provided by at least one extrusion screw.

16. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled is formed into an extruded continuous profile.

17. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the die is configured to form the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled into a solid extrusion.

18. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 17, wherein the solid extrusion is fragmentized to produce fragments.

19. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 18, wherein the solid extrusion is fragmentized to produce fragments by passing through a die-face cutter.

20. A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 18, wherein the fragments are cooled.21 . A method of producing a green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the die is configured for blown film extrusion.

22. A green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled comprising a substantially homogenous mixture of an uncured powder-coat fines waste material and a post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material, wherein: a) the uncured powder-coat fines waste material is uncured under-size powder-coat fines and uncured over-size powder-coat fines; and b) the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material does not comprise powder-coat fines waste material.

23. A green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 22, wherein the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material are present in an amount of 5- 50% and 50-95%, respectively.

24. A green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 23, wherein the uncured powder-coat fines waste material and the post-consumer additive-rich recycled polymer material are present in an amount of 30% and 70%, respectively.

25. A green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 24, further comprising at least one colourant.

26. A green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 24, further comprising at least one UV inhibitor.

27. A green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 24, further comprising at least one compounding agent.

28. A green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 27, wherein the at least one compounding agent is selected from the group consisting of an anhydride modified high density polyethylene, a copolymer of ethylene and methyl acrylate, a functionalised polyolefin, a high-pressure polyethylene, a maleic anhydride grafted polyolefin, a modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, and a random ethylene copolymer.

29. A green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 24, wherein the green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled is formed into formed into an extruded continuous profile.

30. A green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 24, wherein the extruded continuous profile is a solid extrusion.

31. A green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 30, wherein the solid extrusion is fragmentized to produce fragments.

32. A green-certified polymer material that can be moulded and further recycled according to claim 31 , wherein the solid extrusion is fragmentized to produce fragments by passing through a die-face cutter.

33. A durable, high-performance composite material from heterogenous plastics waste that can be moulded and further recycled, the process comprising: providing a multi stream feedstock comprising agricultural waste containing predominantly polypropylene, wherein the process includes pre-processing the feedstock streams in a first extruder to provide a flowable waste feedstock pellets; providing a powdered waste material stream or streams obtained from paint based plastics such as powder coat fines, and optionally nylon powders from PA12 / PA12GF; providing compatibilizer material to assist combining the feedstock streams into a substantially homogenous blend;wherein the process includes providing a dosing system for introducing precise amounts of the processed waste feedstock and powdered waste material and optionally compatibilizer to a second extruder for combining the feedstock and powdered waste material and optionally compatibilizer to produce a recycled material having characteristics determined by the precise control of the amounts of feedstock and powdered waste material and optionally compatibilizer substantially without losing performance characteristics.