Assessment of schemes for the processing of organic residues from the interior car decoration industry

The industry involved in the interior decoration of cars generates differen t cutting organic materials as residues. Because of the present and future regulations on residue generation, this industry must look toward recycling of the corresponding cuttings. The main aim of this paper is to Search for a proper and, if possible, unique process to recycle the different organic materials generated by the car internal decoration industry when the neede d pieces are cut from the large original plates. That process generates hug e amounts of different cutting material, which can reach several tons of ea ch material per day. A single process would simplify the experimental insta llation and, in addition, would reduce costs and staff without great distur bances in the everyday work of the involved industry. The seven samples stu died in this work had different compositions, ranging from natural to synth etic fibers and from pile cloth for carpeting to polyurethane (PU) and wood , depending on their specific decorative role. Therefore, different process es over a wide variable interval have been performed, with a focus on their utilization at the same installation and, if possible, their joined coproc essing. The thermal decomposition of the samples in different atmospheres, namely, inert, oxidizing, and hydrogenating atmospheres, has been carried o ut in different reactors including fixed-, shacked-, and fluidized-bed reac tors. advantages and disadvantages of the behavior of these samples in thei r recycling processes, from the point of view of emission and remaining res idue generation, are noted and discussed.