The company Plaxtil, based in Châtellerault, has launched since mid-June in the recycling of surgical masks which they transform into elements for visors and other door openers.
- Surgical masks are a real scourge since they are made of polypropylene microfibers, a plastic material, which are not biodegradable.
- Masks are made into plastics which are used to make various items, including useful products to fight the coronavirus.
With the extension of the obligation to wear a mask, the question of recycling arises to fight against the pollution of disposable masks. A French start-up, named Plaxtil and based in Châtellerault in Vienne, has positioned itself and has been offering since mid-June to recycle surgical masks to transform them into plastic.
Precautions in the process
The idea for this young company was born from a simple observation. After deconfinement, “we saw the masks arrive and especially the pollution linked to these masks, they were everywhere, in the streets, in nature”, confided Olivier Civil, the co-founder of the company. These masks are a real scourge since they are made of polypropylene microfibers, a plastic material, which are not biodegradable. The Plaxtil company claims to be “circular, ecological and solidarity”. Since she got started, she already has “recycled more than 50,000 masks”, Olivier Civil told AFP.
Once harvested, the masks are first quarantined for 4 days. “Only two days are normally enough, but we remain cautious”, specifies Olivier Civil. These masks then pass through the grinder before entering a “ultraviolet tunnel” to ensure complete and reliable decontamination which is “recognized as the best germicide”, assures the co-director of the start-up. To finish, “this material is mixed with a resin which will allow it to become a hard material”, confides Olivier Civil. The recycled plastic is then used to make various objects, including products useful in the fight against the coronavirus such as protective visors or door openers.
Contacted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance
The company has been talked about and is financially supported by the community of the Grand Châtellerault conurbation, which says to itself “committed to the prevention and reduction of waste”. Faced with the explosion of this market, many businesses have started collecting. “We are wondering how to generalize our initiativesays Olivier Civil. We have requests from all over France. The Ministry of Economy and Finance contacted us to see if we were ready to join forces to create a mask recycling sector..” From the beginning of September, the products made from recycled masks will be given to the town hall so that they can be distributed free of charge to employees of the community, or to associations.
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