A COATING MATERIAL FOR MARKING PLASTICS, A METHOD FOR MARKING PLASTICS, A METHOD FOR IDENTIFICATION OF MARKED PLASTICS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN SORTING PLASTIC WASTE

摘要

The invention presents components of a system for marking, identification and segregation of plastic waste, including waste of multi-layer and multi-component plastics. The coating material for marking plastics contains a base of the coating material and fluorescent markers dissolved or dispersed in the base of the coating material. The composition of the coating material or the way it is printed constitutes an arbitrary code, consistent with the adopted marking system. The coating material can be washed off from the surface of marked material with a washing agent. Alternatively, the coating material can be irremovable from the surface of plastics. A method for marking plastics, consisting of applying the coating material for marking plastics on the surface of marked plastics. The code contained in the composition of the coating material or in the way it is printed is readable after irradiating with appropriate wavelength. The use of printed graphic or text patterns with at least two coating materials containing different fluorescent markers allows for creation of a practically unlimited number of individual identification codes. A method for identification of marked plastics, using fluorescent radiation emitted by tested plastic material after its excitation. An analysis of emission spectrum or an analysis of graphical information is used to read the code contained in the composition or in the way of printing of the coating material for marking plastics applied on the surface of marked plastic. Information gathered during the identification is used during the segregation of plastic waste. The application of the coating material for marking plastics, the method for marking plastics and the method for identification of marked plastics in sorting plastic waste allows for identification and sorting of marked plastic waste on the basis of the identification code written in the composition or in the way of printing of coating materials, and then separate streams of plastics undergo appropriate recycling procedures.