Solvay is convinced by the importance of recycling, not only for the environment’s sake but also for its energetic and cost-effective advantages.
Solvay further develops internal recycling and promotes end-of life recycling by proposing recycling services and taking part in the establishment of regional and national schemes for collection and recycling.
A few highlights:
VINYLOOP® in Ferrara - Italy
This 10,000 tons a year capacity unit makes use of PVC-based composites, and recycles it by separating it from the other constituents thanks to the Vinyloop dissolution process.
Fluorinated products
Solvay’s fluorinated waste recovery process offers fluorocarbon gases CFCs and HCFCs downstream users the ability to recover them. Currently, it runs three industrial fluor recovery units.
Rare earth
Two dedicated units to recycle rare earth concentrate from used low-energy light bulbs are under construction, and a partnership with Umicore is under way to recycle rare earth from NiMH rechargeable batteries. Rhodia also plans to recover rare earth concentrate contained in magnets, components largely used in windmills, electric vehicles and hard disks.
The SF6-ReUse
This insulating gas plays an important role in high- and medium-voltage electrical installations, it is also a greenhouse gas that requires to be recovered and recycled at the end of its life. It can now can be sent to Solvay’s recycling plant at Bad Wimpfen - Germany and be reused for commercial applications.
SolVin water loop in Martorell – Spain
Used water from PVC polymerization batches is now filtered and then recycled in the other PVC polymerization batches, allowing for recycling rates of 60%. In the context of the E4water European program, additional post-treatment should enable an additional 100 m3/h (900 000 m3/y) to be recycled.
Rhodia Eco Services
Rhodia Eco Services collect used sulfuric acid from refineries, purify it in high temperature ovens operated with natural gas, then returns it to the refineries where it can be reused.
