Construction materials from laminate wastes

Don’t throw away those plastic aluminum laminate wastes.

These can be turned into components for construction materials such as panel boards, ceiling and wall tiles, furniture parts, and decorative products.

A grinding machine for this purpose has been developed by researchers of the Department of Science and Technology-Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI).

The machine was the product of a joint project of DOST-ITDI and Nestle Philippines.

Nestle has commissioned the DOST institute to develop a machine that could help solve its waste disposal problem.

Nestle’s waste is mostly made of plastic aluminum laminates (sachets and pouches of coffee, creamer, and Milo energy drink) discarded as scraps and rejects that are shredded, balled, and disposed of in landfills.

The firm generates about five tons of solid wastes every month.

The ITDI-Nestle partnership is in support of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act that outlines an efficient recycle-based waste management system and scheme covering industry to household level.

Dr. Araceli Monsada of ITDI’s materials science division, project leader, said the locally fabricated grinding machine could process 40-50 kilograms of laminates per hour.

"Laminates pose long-standing serious waste management and disposal problems as these are nonbiodegradable and emit hazardous chemicals when burned," ITDI pointed out.

The laminates are technically plastic aluminum with four packaging film layers with varying thickness. These are usually made of aluminum foil laminated with plastic films of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

PET has become an ideal material of choice among large bottling companies because it provides excellent barriers against oxygen and carbon dioxide.