Extrusion International 2-2023

32 Extrusion International 2/2023 EQUIPLAST 2023 – INTERVIEW •High-densitypolyethyleneHDPE, derived from bottles, with up to 60 per cent post-consumer compo- nent and productivity equivalent to 200 kg/h using E-GO series single- screw extruders; •PLA-based WPC, with polylac- tic acid component required by the customer between 60-80% and sawdust component between 20- 40%, for an output of 100 kg/h with MD series twin-screw extruders; • Biodegradable PBAT (adipic acid copolyester) thermoplastic, gener- ates 900 kg/h for the production of flexible packaging. Several critical issues have been resolved by Bausano in the course of these extrusion processes. Firstly, post-consumer waste, besides being characterised by a great variability of characteristics, is often affected by oxidation-degradation process- es, which can alter its physical and mechanical properties. Secondly, materials from renewable sources pose just as many challenges, stem- ming from the complex handling of their rheology and the limited ther- mal processing range. "The most recent guidelines is- sued at European level show that the reduction of virgin plastic con- sumption is one of the cornerstones of the new directives. Among the sectors in which plastics volumes re - main particularly high is packaging. In order to limit the exploitation of natural resources, it is therefore es- sential to promote the use of viable alternatives, which are both envi- ronmentally friendly and high-per- formance,” says Massimiliano Fenili, Technical Manager at Bausano, who continues, “In this context, corpo- rate strategies must also be renewed to contemplate long-term sustain- able development goals, considering these changes as an opportunity to search for novel and pioneering so- lutions”. Bausano & Figli Spa C.so Indipendenza 111, 10086 Rivarolo Canavese (TO), Italy www.bausano.com "A world without plastic is not possible, so let's make it sustainable and circular" Interview with Bernd Roegele (Picture), president of the Equiplast Organising Committee since 2014 F rom 30 May to 2 June, the In- ternational Plastics and Rubber Event Equiplast 2023 will be held at Fira de Barcelona's Gran Via venue simultaneously with Expoquimia and Eurosurfas. Expectations are high for this industrial Spanish trade fair, which will bring together solu- tions and processes from plastics processing companies to respond to new challenges linked to the cir- cular economy, technology transfer and digitalisation. This interview is about the event and the context, as well as about the commercial of - fer and activities that professionals from the plastics sector and user in - dustries will find. Equiplast 2023 will be your fourth edition as president of its Organising Committee. Only a year and a half has passed since the last edition, held in September 2021 in the middle of the pandemic. What will the trade fair you are preparing for this May be like? Bernd Roegele: Holding the event in September 2021 was quite a chal - lenge. Itwas thefirst plastic trade fair