It’s clear that we all produce, consume, and throw away an enormous amount of plastic and clothing. But what do we do with that massive mountain of waste? “For high-quality plastics, such as PE or PET, there are effective ways to recycle them,” says Jan Jaap Folmer, CEO and co-founder of the startup UPPACT in Delfzijl. “But unfortunately, about 70 percent of plastic and textiles end up in landfills or incinerators. This is mainly because, in most cases, it’s difficult to separate, sort, and then prepare the waste for reuse.” What if, instead of trying to separate this seemingly unusable waste, you mix it? And do so in such a way that a nearly homogeneous mass is created from which you can actually make high-quality building materials? That is exactly what UPPACT does with its patented mixer-melter. Folmer: “We were surprised at how efficiently this ‘UnWasting,’ as we call it, works in practice.”

Plasticity

The melting and mixing of plastic waste is becoming more common, but according to Folmer, existing machines are often inefficient. “They primarily operate based on a single specific temperature. That’s not optimal, because different plastics have varying melting points. At 200 degrees Celsius, one type may already burn or degrade, while another type is barely liquid yet. As a result, the mixture doesn’t blend well.”

With the UnWastor, UPPACT is taking a completely different approach. “We don’t mix based on temperature but on the similar plasticity of the different materials. Under specific pressure and friction, different polymers exhibit comparable behavior. This makes the mixing process very stable and allows us to obtain a consistent substance.”

This material is then extruded into the shape of posts and planks. “If you saw through the plank, you’d see a nice, smooth cut surface with no traces of the different materials it’s made of,” says Folmer. “But the most important thing is that these UnWasted products are ideal for civil engineering. Think of park benches, boardwalks, retaining walls, and embankment revetments.”

‘Under specific pressure and friction, various polymers exhibit similar behavior’

Jan Jaap Folmer

The benefits are clear, Folmer continues. “Whether it’s contaminated food packaging, discarded sneakers, or agricultural plastic contaminated with sand: the UnWastor processes it all. The material doesn’t need to be shredded, sorted, or washed beforehand. This significantly reduces the energy footprint compared to traditional recycling methods. Moreover, the end products are fully recyclable, which closes the loop.”

Down Under

So it’s a “cool” machine. And all thanks to inventors from the ever-warm Down Under. “PlasTech Recycling Limited had already built the first prototype of the mixer-melter over 10 years ago,” explains Folmer. “But the Australian market wasn’t ready for this type of recycling back then. I was asked to explore the possibilities in the Netherlands.”

Folmer, who has been active in the recycling industry for years, was initially skeptical. “But when I saw the machine in operation, I was convinced. It simply did what it promised.” Together with Michel Walstock, the current CFO of UPPACT, he decided to bring the technology to the Netherlands. Last June, the prototype arrived in a container at Eemshaven.

The technical process went almost flawlessly right from the start, although minor adjustments were needed for the Dutch climate. “It’s cooler and more humid here than in Australia,” Walstock explains. “We had to better shield the machine from drafts and moisture. We also learned that if we let the mixture cool too quickly, the machine could jam due to solidifying plastic.”

4 million kilograms

The demo machine has been operational since the start of this year, though it is not quite running at full speed yet. “Our goal is to reach an annual production volume of 4 million kilograms of UnWasted by the end of 2026,” says Walstock. In the future, the team also plans to develop other product forms, such as sheet material. “To achieve this, we will continue to develop and fine-tune the technology.”

‘We had to adapt the machine to the Dutch climate’

Michel Walstock

Currently, sales of the manufactured building materials are gaining momentum. Hopes for further growth are therefore well-founded. But where will UPPACT stand in 10 years? Will there be dozens of UnWastors scattered across Europe at local waste processors? “That could very well be the case,” Walstock replies. “We are convinced that this technology can play a key role in solving Europe’s waste problem.”