Discrete Spectral Sensing System for Separation of Polyolefin Waste Plastics

A number of polyolefin plastics including Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE), Polystyrene (PS) are widespread plastics worldwide. At the same time, they are frequently recycled plastics. Still a considerable amount of waste plastics come in a mixed mode imposing technological challenges for recycling. Households cannot provide thorough separation on the early stage, especially if the plastic products are not marked properly. In this paper, we report on the analysis of two pair of plastic shavers of the similar color and shape while made of different plastics. For this reason an experimental testbed based on a Raman Spectrometer with an embedded microscope has been designed. The proposed solution enables the identification of PP and PS by the sensor system with the singular spectral range 1320 nm - 1740 nm. There is an opportunity to measure three spectral ranges simultaneously.