Plastic Chip Management:
—From Chips to Briquettes
Compacting plastic chips into briquettes: less volume, lower costs, greater value
Packaging, production scraps, molding waste, expanded material: plastic waste is among the most voluminous and costly to manage in manufacturing companies. It occupies large spaces, costs to collect and is subject to increasingly stringent regulations.
COMAFER’s Dinamic Series and Special Series briquetting machines compact the most common industrial polymers (which must be shredded beforehand if necessary) into dense cylindrical briquettes, reducing volume by up to 90% and cutting disposal costs. The result is material ready for mechanical recycling or energy recovery.
Plastic briquetting requires specific evaluation for each polymer: temperature, density and flow characteristics vary significantly. Send us a sample for a free test in our R&D laboratory.
Plastic processing industries
Injection molding, extrusion, and thermoforming scrap (to be ground beforehand if necessary): The briquetting machine processes the byproducts from the production line and frees up production space.
Packaging manufacturers and users
Films, bottles, containers, blister packs (to be crushed beforehand if necessary): compaction drastically reduces disposal volumes and collection costs.
EPS (expanded polystyrene) packaging industry
Expanded polystyrene is the material with the lowest bulk density among plastic waste: it occupies enormous volumes in loose form. Briquetting reduces it by up to 90% of the volume.
Textile industry (synthetic fibers)
Nylon, polyester, and polypropylene fibers (to be ground beforehand if necessary): synthetic textile production waste that can be processed using the Special Series.
Recycling centers and separate collection
Homogeneous plastic briquettes have a higher value than loose material at recyclers: greater density = lower transport costs per unit of material.
Which plastics can be briquetted?
COMAFER has successfully tested all major categories of plastic materials.
Polyolefins
Polyethylene (PE-HD, PE-LD), polypropylene (PP), plastic pods
Common thermoplastics
PET, PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), solid polystyrene (PS)
Expanded materials
EPS (expanded polystyrene), expanded polyurethane (PUR)
Synthetic fibers
Nylon, polyester, polypropylene fibers, plasticized fiberglass
Thermoplastic materials with low melting temperature (such as low-density polyethylenes) require careful heat management during compaction. For thermosetting or mixed materials, a preliminary test is necessary. Contact us before purchasing.
Concrete advantages for plastic waste management
Briquetting offers concrete, measurable advantages:
-90% Volume
Light and voluminous plastic residues reduce volume by up to 90% after briquetting: fewer containers, fewer trips, lower logistics costs.
-70% Recycling Costs
Briquettes cost less to dispose of and can be sold.
Sustainability
Energy recovery from plastic residues reduces emissions compared to disposal and contributes to the circular plastic economy.
Handling and transport costs
COMAFER’s Dinamic Series models for briquetting plastic chips
Automated System: From Briquettes to Bags
COMAFER offers an integrated, turnkey system for the automated processing of wood chips into bagged briquettes.
Dinamic 70S
Application
Small businesses
Estimated production
30-75 kg/h
Briquette dimensions
55mm
Dinamic 110S
Application
SMEs
Estimated production
50-110 kg/h
Briquette dimensions
60mm
Plus
Oil cooling system
Dinamic PRO M5
Application
Large enterprises
Estimated production
70-270 kg/h
Briquette dimensions
70mm
Plus
Oil cooling system
Siemens HMI
Automated System: From Briquette to Bag
COMAFER also offers an integrated, turnkey automated system for the automated handling of plastic chips.
For high-volume production, the briquetting machine can be connected directly to the processing or storage system, resulting in a fully automated production cycle.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Plastic Briquetting
Can expanded polystyrene (EPS) be briquetted?
Yes. EPS is one of the materials that benefits most from briquetting: it has a bulk density of just 10–20 kg/m³ in its loose state. The Special Series, equipped with a vertical pneumatic cylinder, efficiently conveys the material into the compaction chamber. Volume reduction reaches 90%: a volume of EPS that fills an entire warehouse is reduced to just a few pallets of briquettes.
Do the high pressures of briquetting melt the plastic?
Briquetting is a cold mechanical compaction process, not a thermal process. The plastic is compressed, not melted. The heat generated by friction is limited and not sufficient to bring common polymers to melting temperature. For materials with low melting point or under intensive working conditions, a barrel cooling system is available.
Can plastic briquettes be mechanically recycled?
How is plastic with additives or fillers managed?
Plastics with mineral fillers (fiberglass, talc), colorants or additives briquette normally. Abrasive fillers (fiberglass) accelerate wear of contact components: versions with reinforced wear-resistant components are available. Report this during the quotation phase for the correct configuration.
Reduce plastic chip disposal costs
Briquetting is the most effective solution to reduce the volume and management cost of industrial plastic. Contact us for a free analysis of your waste stream.