How does the wilko #ReclaimTheMask facemask recycling scheme work?

ReWorked have proudly partnered with highstreet retailers wilko in conjunction with our tech partners Scan2Recycle, to provide safe single-use facemask recycling to its customers. 

But you may be wondering, how does the #ReclaimTheMask scheme & recycling process actually work?

 

The wilko PPE recycling scheme will launch in-store on April 1st 2020, running for three months.

 

Step one – Safe collection

Participating wilko stores have placed dedicated single-use mask collection boxes at the front of their stores. 

The boxes are single-use, lined with an LPDE bag & designed explicitly with health & safety in mind. 

We will fully recycle the box, bag & entire contents!

Find out if you have a participating store near you –https://www.wilko.com/face-mask-recycling

 

 

Step two – Delivered to MYWaste in Hull

Our partners MYWaste organise for the full boxes to be collected & delivered to the Hull-based processing plant. 

 

Step three – Checking-In 

After a minimum of 72 hours of quarantine, the recycling process can begin. Firstly the details of its contents & weight of the box are recorded on our system. Preliminary health & safety checks are made to ensure the safety of the team.

 

Step four – Sorting

We transfer the PPE to our sorting tables (built from recycled plastic, of course). The material is split & checked by our trained staff. Initially, we are looking for un-accepted material that needs removing.

 

 

Step five – Pre-shredding 

The PPE material then goes through our pre-shredding system to open the structure up. As we accept materials with residues & dirt, this process is vital to opening up the material to be washed thoroughly. 

 

Step six – Washing

High-pressure washing and high frication remove any residues or dirt from the plastics.

 

Step seven – Shredding

Once clean, the materials are shredded again – This time into 5mm pieces. The shredded material is blended with other plastics (to an exact recipe for consistency) to make up our boards’ core.

 

 

Step eight – Board making

The plastic mix is taken to the board mill to be pressed into 8×4 sheets. The board press lays two ‘outer coatings’ and a core before using heat to fuse into a durable sheet.

 

Step nine – ReWorked

The plastic has now been officially recycled into a product bound for a new life!

The ReWorked team & design partners create wonderful shopfitting, installation, furniture & construction projects from the recycled plastic boards! 

Our innovative processes set us apart from the pack, where most refuse to attempt PPE recycling; we love the challenge! 

 

A few of the reasons recycling single-use face mask are is tricky include:

Health & safety – We ensure all boxes are fitted with an LDPE liner & lid, so the box & contents can be secured safely. Upon arrival at ReWorked HQ, the boxes are quarantined for a minimum of 72 hours to prevent any potential virus spread. We have state of the art cleaning technologies that can ensure any medical-grade PPE is cleaned to a high health standard. 

Metal strips – Many face masks specifically have metal nose clips within them, which is why they are partly considered non-recyclable. We do not shy away from this. The metal elements are removed and also recycled on-site. 

Mixed polymers – Many masks & visors have ear elastic or are made of multiple plastic types fuzed together. Because of the innovative recycling methods, we can recycle mixed polymers all together into boards.

At ReWorked, we are dedicated to our ethos that NOTHING IS NON-RECYCLABLE.

 

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