The gas exits through a vent, and the chlorine-free molten plastic goes to a granulating system with rolls. Further research NKK began a full-scale research program for recycling plastic in 1996, Okutsu says. The steelmaker has worked with farmers' cooperatives in the Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo to recycle polyethylene bags used for agriculture. The bags first are pulverized by the system's rotary blades and then melted by friction heat. The molten polyethylene cools rapidly and then is formed into 6-mm pellets.
Operators feed the pellets into the blast furnace through tuyeres.
Tsukasa Furukawa is the Tokyo correspondent for American Metal Market, New Steel 's sister publication. Back to New Steel features archive listings. Return to New Steel home page.