Industry seeks to recycle plastic swarf; 6,000 tons in US alone

Called ReVision Solutions, LLC, the early supporters of the initiative now include representatives from some of the largest United States optical retailers, wholesale laboratories, spectacle lens and sunglass manufacturers.
The group is also consulting various acadic and science advisors.
An initial group, including such supporters of the initiative as Zeiss, Essilor, Maui Jim and Walmart, met in Decber to seek ways to tackle the issue.
Some individual retailers and laboratories have looked at solutions for the swarf issue in the past. However, ReVision will refocus the effort with the involvent of a wider group of participants and advisors.Mr Bart Foster, the founding chief executive officer of Solo Health (now Pursuant Health and a former CIBA Vision executive, is chairman of ReVision.
One of the strategic advisors of the group and heading its science inquiries is Wil Shubar, head of material science and environmental policy at Colorado University.
Significant resources to the swarf reuse and recycling initiative will also be provided gratis due to a negotiated arrangent with Colorado University. A group of the university’s graduate students are actively involved in the program to work on research, the science behind the issue and logistics needed to address the probl in a proactive way.
Summing up the issue, Mr Foster Said: “US optical laboratories produce over 6,000 tons of swarf per year, most of which goes into local landfills. That is the equivalent of 1,500 40-foot shipping containers.”Swarf is predominantly polycarbonate, but it also contains contaminants including metal shavings, tape, CR-39 resins coolant, etc. This plastic waste may also contain BPA which is a significant and growing concern to the Environmental Protection Agency and other government entities.
The challenges of prior attpts to recycle swarf in optical manufacturing have been due to a volume often considered too small and fragmented, making it logistically challenging for most recyclers, and that certain contaminants in the material seriously impede reuse or recycling.
Mr Foster said: “There is a sizeable opportunity to solve this challenge and it will take support from the entire industry. We are seeking strategic partners to fund the initial R&D and serve as strategic advisors.”It’s also an important vision of the group to significantly reduce or eliminate the polycarbonate swarf going into landfills each year “while making it cost-neutral for optical laboratories,” he added.
Mr Foster pointed out that today’s EPA guidelines are much less stringent than in other countries, which is likely going to change, with sustainability, conservation and recycling as strong consumer trends which are projected to increase in coming years.
The group is examining the various ways to melt down or clean swarf to add or rove chical compounds to create new materials with a range of uses from building materials and flooring, to outdoor clothing and auto parts, among others.
Experience in AustraliaWith the greater part of prescription-lens manufacture for Australian consumers now being in China and Thailand, the amount of lens swarf produced here using free-form technology is much lower than it was, say, five years ago.
The same applies to frames and sunglasses manufacture, the great majority of which are manufactured in Asia and Europe, with only a small percentage here.
Cellulose nitrate material was preferred in the days when Australian manufacturers were market leaders, but after sheet material manufacturers changed to cellulose acetate because it presented a much lower risk of fire.
There was an unfortunate incident in the late 1960s when an ployee of an Australian manufacturer died when cellulose nitrate swarf he was dumping caught fire from some previously-dumped material and engulfed him.