Master of Landscape Architecture / Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Jason S. Brody / Kansas City is currently under achieving in its capacity of divert recyclable and compostable solid waste from city landfills. The city recycling system provides free access to single family residents, but it does not provide access to high density residential and commercial land uses commonly found Downtown. To solve this dilemma, KCDC has studied the current solid waste systems in the city, and developed its [re]considered proposal through a MARC Solid Waste Management District grant to improve Kansas City waste diversion. This is achieved through a system of links, clusters and nodes which will help to promote and facilitate greater recycling (KCDC 2015 Fall Studio 2015) Compost | KC seeks to answer if the organic nodes as proposed in can effectively compost residential organic waste in down town Kansas City. As part of this system, the organic node at 12th and Holmes functionally demonstrates the potential feasibility and benefits of residential compost of organic solid waste. Through the site design, the proposed organic node creates an integrated system of residential organic waste collection, processing and utilization. Collected form a 15 minute radius the waste is processed into a rich organic compost that is used in various ways to improve soil quality for stormwater management, carbon sequestration, and increased biomass production in and around the site. To compost the organic waste, the site contains a series of in-vessel composting drums, agitated compost piles connected to greenhouses, and an external maturing pile visibly demonstrating and educating the public composting benefits. Managed through a local non-profit organization, compost is used to grow a variety of produce and nursery stock sold to help fund the site management. Organic waste is brought to the site by organized collection with apartment complexes and free public drop-off points. By incentivizing access, ease and appeal of composting in Kansas City for residences, the organic node at 12th and Holmes achieves the goals of both the site design and [re] considered proposals. By meeting those goals, the organic node helps to increase organic waste diversion and increase education and awareness about the benefits of composting in downtown Kansas City.

M.Tech. (Mechanical Engineering) / This study investigated process development of recovering base oils from waste lithium based lubricating grease using a novel combination of thermal degradation in an aqueous caustic solution and solvent extraction. Lubricating greases consist of a thickening agent dispersed in mineral or synthetic oil, forming a colloidal suspension [1]. Large and increasing volumes of used lubricating oil and grease are produced each year and are considered hazardous wastes. During operation, grease suffers mechanical and thermal degradation [2]. Subsequently, it is regarded as waste and it must be disposed. The waste oil should be collected and recycled not only to prevent the environmental pollution but also to preserve natural resources. Solvent extraction is the preferred method to recycle waste lubricants as it is cost-effective and requires no further purification of the product [3]. The influence of extraction temperature, agitation strength, extraction time, degrading agent concentration, degrading agent-to-grease and solvent-to-sludge mixing ratios on base oil recovery from waste lubricating grease was investigated. This study further optimised the process by studying the influence of various degrading agents (LiOH, NaOH and KOH) and solvents (n-hexane, toluene, heptane, butane, hexanol and acetone) on oil recovery. Oil recovery was enhanced by increase in both extraction temperature, time and agitation speed. The optimum extraction time was found to be 12 minutes. KOH was found to be the optimum degrading agent compared to LiOH and NaOH. Oil recovery also increased from 8.04% to 36.87% with increase in KOH m/m from 5% to 30%. The recovery also increased with an increase of solvent-to-sludge ratio up to 1:6. n-Hexane gave the highest recovery of 74.39% while acetone gave the lowest of 7.43%. A solvent recovery of 82.6% to 88% was obtained through fractional distillation. The study also investigated the differences between virgin and recycled oil using atomic absorption (AA), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and Fourier transform infrared radiation (FTIR). Rheological studies of waste grease derived oil (WGDO) were also performed. ICP results showed traces of some elements such as Fe, Cu, Si, Ni and Al at a concentration of less than 0.9 mg/L. Oxidation was observed to occur at a band length of 1716 cm-1 while additives were identified at 1670 - 1725 cm-1. The oil viscosity slightly increased with increasing shear rate at temperatures between 60°C and 120°C. The shear rate was varied from 200 to 1000 1/s, with a viscosity convergence at 100°C. A financial economic model was applied to investigate the feasibility of the recycling technology. For 800 kg/day treatment plant, an investment of R 6,031,304.27 is required with a potential return on investment of 40%. Recovery was found to be favourable option compared to landfilling as it offers both economic and environmental benefits.

The overall aim of the thesis is to examine the institutional conditions for the implementation and emergence of landfill mining. The result shows that  current policy makes it difficult for landfill mining operators to find a market outlet for the exhumed material, which means that landfill mining may result in a waste disposal problem. Regulations also restrict accessibility to the material in landfills. Therefore, it has generally been municipal landfill owners that perform landfill mining operations, which directs learning processes towards solving landfill problems rather than resource recovery. Landfill mining is not, however, necessarily to be perceived as a recycling activity. It could also be understood as a remediation or mining activity. This would result in more favorable institutional conditions for landfill mining in terms of better access to the market and the material in the landfill. The regulatory framework surrounding landfills is based on a perception of landfills as a source of pollution, a problem that should be avoided, capped and closed. Extracting resources from landfills, challenges this perception and therefore results in a mismatch with the regulatory framework. On the other hand, the material in mines is typically regarded in the formal institutions as a positive occurrence. Mining activities are regarded as the backbone of the Swedish economy and therefore receive various forms of political support. This favorable regulatory framework is not available for secondary resource production. Based on the identified institutional conditions, institutional challenges are identified. The core of these challenges is a conflict between the policy goal of increased recycling and a non-toxic environment. Secondary resources are typically punished through strict requirements for marketability, while primary resources are supported through subsidies such as tax exemptions. The authorities lack capacity to manage the emergence of unconventional and complex activities such as landfill mining. The institutional arrangements that are responsible for landfills primarily perceive them as pollution, while the institutions responsible for resources, on the other hand, assume them to be found in the bedrock. The major contribution of the thesis is to go beyond the potential-oriented studies of landfill mining to instead focus on how institutions relate to landfill mining. In order to move towards a resource transition with dominant use of secondary resources a new institutional order is proposed.

The objective of this thesis is to find an optimal solution for recycling and ICT scrap take-back. In order to attain this target a thorough analysis of ICT scrap recycling's current conditions was conducted. This work also examined recycling facilities dealing with ICT scrap and analysed recyclers based on defined criterions and the best one was chosen. Furthermore products' content was analysed and suggestions were made to optimise its content and eliminate contained dangerous substances having negative impact on the environment and scrapyard operators. Once analysis of take-back schemes in the Czech Republic had been done a new model of take-back system was introduced. This model should be able to achieve nearly 100% return rate of purchased ICT products.

Orientador: Mario de Oliveira Neto / Resumo: A busca por fontes de energias renováveis vêm ganhando cada vez mais importância, pois, com a eminente escassez dos combustíveis fósseis, que são as principais fontes energéticas utilizadas mundialmente e ao mesmo tempo com os problemas ambientais causados por esses combustíveis, o etanol de segunda geração (2G) surge como uma alternativa de energia renovável já que é obtido a partir de biomassa lignocelulósica. Entretanto, as tecnologias para a conversão desta biomassa em açúcares fermentáveis ainda possuem fatores limitantes. Um dos grandes problemas do processo de obtenção do etanol 2G está relacionado ao custo das enzimas celulolíticas. Sendo assim, desenvolver estratégias para a recuperação dessas enzimas é necessário para assegurar a viabilidade econômica do processo de conversão de biomassa. Diversas técnicas estão sendo estudadas e colocadas em prática para promover a recuperação, reciclagem e imobilização enzimática. Entretanto, nenhuma das metodologias utilizadas demonstram, de maneira geral, alta eficiência, custo baixo, rapidez e manutenção da atividade enzimática. A partir da lignina, subproduto da indústria de papel e celulose, pode-se sintetizar o lignocresol. Este, apresenta grandes expectativas de interação enzimática uma vez que apresenta características físico-químicas favoráveis à adsorção. Frente a isto, propusemos a produção deste composto para promover a interação com enzimas para promover recuperação enzimática. A síntese de lignocresol, oriundo da lig... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The search for renewable energy sources is gaining increasing importance because, with the imminent shortage of fossil fuels, which are the main energy sources used worldwide and at the same time with the environmental problems caused by these fuels, second-generation ethanol (2G) arises as a renewable energy alternative since it is obtained from lignocellulosic biomass. However, the technologies for the conversion of this biomass to fermentable sugars still have limiting factors. One of the major problems in the process of obtaining 2G ethanol is related to the cost of cellulolytic enzymes. Thus, developing strategies for the recovery of these enzymes is necessary to ensure the economic viability of the biomass conversion process. Several techniques are being studied and put into practice to promote recovery, recycling, and enzymatic immobilization. However, none of the methodologies used shows, in general, high efficiency, low cost, fastness and maintenance of the enzymatic activity. From lignin, a byproduct of the pulp and paper industry, lignocresol can be synthesized. This one presents high expectations of enzymatic interaction since it presents physicochemical characteristics favorable to the adsorption. In view of this, we proposed the production of this compound to promote interaction with enzymes to promote enzymatic recovery. The lignocresol synthesis from Pinus spp. Kraft lignin was made by adapting to the phase separation system methodology. In this process, more ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg 10th of October 2016 / Thermal pyrolysis is one of the viable technologies suitable for the management of organic solid waste, which has become a global challenge over the years. This is due to the non-biodegradability of these materials and their continuous usage across all segments of man’s daily activities. Effectiveness of the method is in converting these materials under controlled process conditions, that enable the optimization of the fraction of interest, such as the liquid fraction also referred to as pyrolytic oil with a near zero pollution effect on the environment. The main setback in the production of the liquid fraction include low yield, presence of sulphur and other aromatic compounds which have been linked to environmental pollution and health complications. This study focuses on improving the liquid fraction yield and composition obtainable from pyrolysis process. Latex natural rubber (obtained from Hevea Brasiliensis) was pyrolysed and its products compared with that of the used tyres. The production of pyrolytic oil from used tyres and natural rubber was performed using thermal and catalytic pyrolysis processes. The operating temperature range of 375 to 750 oC (at an interval of 75 oC) at a heating rate of 15oC/min and feed material particle sizes of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 mm were used. In addition, Zeolite NaY was synthesized from Lawani Benin River Kaolin (LBK) at a synthesis time and temperature of 9 h and 100 oC respectively, using hydrothermal synthesis method, and used for catalytic pyrolysis. The chemical characterisation revealed pyrolytic oil composition to be a complex mixture of aliphatic, aromatics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur and chlorinated compounds in small proportions. The non-catalysed and catalysed pyrolysis using natural rubber resulted in pyrolytic oil with 80 and 66% of aliphatic, 12 and 15% aromatic (with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentration of 2 and 1%). The non-catalysed and catalysed pyrolysis using used tyres yielded pyrolytic oil with 42 and 32% of aliphatic, 34 and 39% aromatic (with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations of 18 and 23%). The kinetics of the thermal degradation with the aid of a thermogravimetry and differential thermogravimetry analyzer was performed over a temperature range of 30 to 800 oC at a heating rate of 15, 20 and 30oC/min. Results showed that natural rubber displayed higher activation energy than used tyres, with respect to the heating rates. This is an indication that natural rubber is more difficult to thermally decompose than used tyres. The distillation temperature of the distillates was within the temperature range of the conventional petrol and diesel. The composition of the distillates revealed carbon chain length of C5-C30 with majority being C8 – C10. A spark ignition generator engine was used to perform the combustion tests for the various pyrolytic oil distillates and petrol blended in the ratio 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% successfully without engine modification. For the fuel consumption with respect to generator run time, it was observed that an optimum of 20% natural rubber pyrolytic oil distillates (NRPD)-Petrol blend gave comparative fuel consumption behavior with that of commercial petrol. Furthermore, the 20% NRPD distillates gave optimum fuel consumption and power. Hence, a significant yield improvement and combustion performance were observed for the pyrolytic oil derived from natural rubber than that of used tyres. Further treatment of the pyrolytic oil distillates could pave the way for effective use of the oil as chemical feedstock for industries, or as substitutes for fossil fuel. It was also requisite to develop a mathematical model which adopts thermogravimetry analyser (TGA) as a dynamic apparatus to predict weight change of a material as it degrades with time at a fixed temperature. The proposed models were in three consecutive phases which were classified into three time zones 0 ≤ t ≤ t1, t1 ≤ t ≤ t2 and t ≤ t2. The general model equation for the first phase of degradation was 2 0 1 2 0 ( ) t T w t w e   , while the second phase model was and at the third phase, it is assumed that the limit of weight loss (in the second phase equation) as t tends to ∞ gives a value k , at which change in weight loss with time is negligible. The proposed model was used to plot graph of weight loss versus time at different fixed temperature which fitted well with the experimental TGA and had a characteristic pattern fitted closely to the second phase degradation of the fixed bed reactor. / MT2017

Os reatores nucleares de potência refrigerados à água pressurizada (Pressurized Water Reactor - PWR) comumente utilizam pastilhas de dióxido de urânio como o seu combustível nuclear, estas por sua vez são montadas e empilhadas em tubos e tampões de ligas de zircônio (M5, Zirlo, Zircaloy, etc), Na usinagem desses componentes são geradas grandes quantidades de cavacos que estão contaminados com fluido de corte, o armazenamento destes cavacos apresenta riscos de segurança e ambientais por ser um material pirofórico e apresentarem alta área específica. Estas são ligas importadas e por isso é mostrado interesse pela indústria de reciclagem na sua reutilização. Este trabalho apresenta o estudo de um processo de reciclagem e os resultados para buscar, eficiência no processo de limpeza; controle de qualidade; obtenção de eletrodos prensados e a fusão em um forno a arco elétrico sob vácuo (Vacuum Arc Remelting - VAR). O processo de reciclagem se inicia com uma separação magnética de possíveis materiais ferromagnéticos presentes, lavagem do fluido de corte, que é solúvel em água, lavagem com um desengraxante industrial, seguido por um enxágue com fluxo contínuo de água em alta pressão e uma secagem por fluxo de ar quente. A primeira avaliação do processo foi feita por uma análise de fluorescência de raios X por dispersão de energia mostrando impurezas provenientes da mistura com cavacos da usinagem de aços inoxidáveis. Os cavacos foram prensados para a obtenção de eletrodos, para fusão em forno VAR, e para isso foi desenvolvida uma matriz para obtenção de eletrodos. Os eletrodos foram fundidos em um forno VAR de laboratório no Laboratório de Fusão do CECTM IPEN. A fusão dos cavacos é possível e viável em um forno VAR o que reduz em até 40 vezes o volume de armazenamento desse material. / The Pressurized Water Reactor commonly uses uranium dioxide pellets as the nuclear fuel, which are then assembled and stacked in zirconium alloy tubes (M5, Zirlo, Zircaloy) and end capped, in the machining of these components large amounts of chips are generated which are contaminated with cutting fluid. Its storage poses security and environmental risks due to a pyrophoric material. These are imported alloys and so it is shown interest by the recycling industry in its reuse. This paper presents the study of a recycling process and its results to seek efficiency in the cleaning process; quality control; obtaining of the electrodes and melting in a Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR) furnace. The recycling process begins with a magnetic separation of possible ferromagnetic alloys present, washing out the water-soluble cutting fluid, washing with an industrial degreaser, followed by a rinse with continuous high pressure water flow and a flow drying of hot air. The first evaluation of the process was done by an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis showing the presence of impurities from the mixture with stainless steel machining chips. The chips were pressed to obtain electrodes to be melted in VAR furnace and for this a matrix was developed to obtain electrodes. The electrodes were melted in a laboratory VAR furnace in the Melt Laboratory at CECTM - IPEN. The melting of the chips is possible and feasible in a VAR furnace that reduces the storage volume of this material by up to 40 times, however, it is necessary to correct the composition of the alloy for the melting of these ingots.

O estudo da reciclagem de pavimentos de concreto para utilização em novos pavimentos tem se mostrado de grande importância haja vista a quantidade de materiais necessários para a reconstrução dessas vias. Além do ganho ambiental, devido a uma menor extração de agregados, obtém-se um ganho econômico, com menor custo de transporte e de aquisição de materiais. O agregado proveniente da britagem de antigas placas de concreto se mostrou, historicamente, apto a ser utilizado para a produção de um novo pavimento de concreto. Entretanto, existem certas limitações, pois o seu uso não resulta em um concreto com características totalmente idênticas àquelas do concreto convencional. O presente trabalho apresenta resultados da análise das características dos agregados produzidos através da britagem de antigas placas de pavimentos de concreto do Rodoanel Metropolitano Mário Covas em britador de mandíbula e em britador de impacto, bem como a influência do uso de agregados reciclados nas propriedades mecânicas do concreto. No estudo comparativo entre os tipos de britador foi verificado que agregados obtidos por britador de mandíbula e por britador de impacto possuem características muito semelhantes. No estudo das características mecânicas dos concretos a resistência à tração na flexão, a resistência à tração na compressão e o módulo de elasticidade diminuíram conforme se aumentou a absorção de água ponderada dos agregados. No que se refere à resistência à compressão, contudo, não foi observada queda ao se substituir somente a fração de agregados graúdos na mistura. Quando se procedeu com a substituição da fração miúda, porém, a resistência ficou abaixo daquela do concreto de convencional. / The study of concrete pavement recycling for its use in new pavements has shown to be of great importance considering the quantity of materials that are necessary to reconstruct these roads. Besides the environmental gain, due to a lesser extraction of aggregates, there is also an economic gain, with smaller transportation and material purchasing costs. The aggregate originated from the crushing of old concrete slabs has historically been shown to be able to be employed in the construction of a new concrete pavement. However, there are limitations, since its utilization does not result in a concrete with the exact same properties of the conventional concrete. The present work presents the results from the analysis of the characteristics from the aggregates produced through the crushing of old concrete slabs using a jaw crusher and an impact crusher, as well as the influence of the use of recycled aggregates on the concrete mechanical properties. The crusher type comparative study has shown that aggregates obtained from a jaw crusher and from an impact crusher have very similar characteristics. The concrete mechanical characteristic study reveals that flexural strength, indirect tensile strength and modulus of elasticity decrease as the aggregates water absorption increase. Concerning compressive strength, however, there was no observed decrease when only coarse recycled aggregates were used. Nevertheless, when fine recycled aggregates were employed besides coarse recycled aggregates, there was a decrease in compressive strength.

A decomposição natural da borracha é muito lenta, devido às suas estruturas vulcanizadas serem extremamente reticuladas formando uma rede tridimensional, tornando o reprocessamento desse material extremamente difícil. O presente trabalho tem como principal objetivo o estudo da aplicação da radiação gama como forma de desvulcanização para a reciclagem/reaproveitamento. Foi avaliada a interação de elastômeros com a radiação ionizante de fonte gama investigando-se as alterações nas propriedades físico-químicas dos materiais. Foram utilizadas formulações de borracha NBR (copolímero de Acrilonitrila-Butadieno) e EPDM (terpolímero etileno-propileno-dieno), provenientes da indústria de borracha, reticuladas por mistura convencional à base de enxofre. Foram preparados master-batch com pó de borracha (refugo industrial) e borracha virgem. O material processado (master-batch) foi irradiado em fonte de 60Co nas doses de 50, 100, 150 kGy e taxa de dose de 5 kGy h-1, à temperatura ambiente. O material irradiado foi incorporado nas formulações clássicas à base de enxofre. As formulações foram caracterizadas por: espectroscopia no infravermelho (FTIR), análise térmica (TG e DTG), tensão na ruptura, alongamento na ruptura, dureza, resistência à abrasão, reometria e inchamento. Os resultados mostraram uma predominância de cisão de cadeia na dose de 50 kGy para a borracha EPDM. Para a borracha nitrílica foi observada a predominância de cisão de cadeia na dose de 100 kGy. Estes resultados mostram a possibilidade do uso da radiação gama para o reaproveitamento/reciclagem das borrachas EPDM e nitrílica. / The natural decomposition of rubber is a very slow process due to its three-dimensional network formed by vulcanized crosslinked structures becoming extremely difficult to reprocess this material. The present work aims to study the application of gamma irradiation as devulcanization process for material reuse/recycling. The interactions of elastomers with ionizing radiation of a gamma source were investigated and the changes in physicochemical properties of the materials were evaluated. Formulations of NBR (acrylonitrile - butadiene) and EPDM (ethylene - propylene - diene terpolymer) from the rubber industry were crosslinked by conventional sulfur-based mixing. Master - batch was processed with rubber powder (industrial waste) and virgin rubber. The raw material (master batch) was irradiated in 60Co source at doses of 50, 100, 150 kGy and dose rate of 5 kGy h-1 at room temperature. The irradiated material was incorporated in classical sulfur-based formulations. The formulations were characterized by: infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analysis (TG and DTG), tensile strength, elongation at break, hardness, abrasion resistance, rheometry and swelling. The results showed a predominance of chain scission at a dose of 50 kGy for EPDM rubber. For nitrile predominance of chain scission was observed at a dose of 100 kGy. These results show the possibility of the use of gamma radiation for the reuse/recycling of EPDM and nitrile rubbers.

A reciclagem de refugos é um processo estratégico que viabiliza a expansão do mercado de plásticos, podendo gerar novos produtos. A obtenção de blendas poliméricas é uma alternativa nesse processo, já que é conhecida a perda de propriedades mecânicas dos termoplásticos nas etapas de reprocessamento. Neste trabalho, o polietileno de alta densidade (PEAD) reciclado teve adições de borracha do monômero etileno-propileno-dieno (EPDM) puro em baixos teores (1 %, 5 % e 10 %), cujo objetivo foi formar blendas miscíveis e um produto final mais resistente ao impacto. O PEAD foi submetido a quatro ciclos de moagem, extrusão e injeção (reprocessamento) e misturado ao EPDM puro por extrusão sem o uso de qualquer aditivo. Os grânulos da blenda formada foram usados para confeccionar os corpos-de-prova por injeção para seu uso nas distintas metodologias analíticas. O processo de irradiação gama foi aplicado nas doses de 50 kGy e 100 kGy e os parâmetros físico-químicos e mecânicos dessas amostras foram comparados aos das não irradiadas. Tanto as blendas irradiadas como as não irradiadas mostraramse visualmente e microscopicamente homogêneas, indicando a compatibilidade da mistura, que também é verificada por seu comportamento térmico. Os parâmetros mecânicos provenientes dos ensaios de tração e flexão, foram semelhantes nas amostras do termoplástico virgem e do reciclado; o processo de irradiação nas blendas gerou sua reticulação, sendo esta verificada não só pelo aumento dos valores desses parâmetros como também pelo aumento da fração gel. A resistência ao impacto aumentou cerca de duas vezes e meia nas amostras com maior teor de EPDM e cerca de 6 a 7 vezes nestas mesmas amostras irradiadas a 50 kGy e 100 kGy respectivamente. O novo material obtido tem fortes indicativos para a sua utilização na pequena e média indústria de plástico, uma vez que já com 1 % de EPDM apresentam melhores características mecânicas em relação ao termoplástico reciclado quatro vezes e essas características foram incrementadas após o processo de irradiação gama. / Waste recycling is a process that allows for advances in plastics industry, particularly when new products are developed. Thus polymer blending is an alternative to recycling processes, since degradation of the mechanical properties of thermoplastics occurs during the reprocessing stages of the material. In this work, high density polyethylene (HDPE) was recycled and mixed to ethylene propylene diene pristine rubber (EPDM) in low concentrations (1%, 5 % and 10 %) to obtain a miscible blend and a final product with high resistance to impact. Pristine HDPE was submitted to four cycles of milling, extrusion and injection (reprocessing) and then mixed with EPDM by extrusion, free of any additives whatsoever. The resulting material was then injected to obtain standard samples submitted to several analytical methods during this research. Also, gamma irradiation process was performed with 50 kGy and 100 kGy absorbed doses; the physical-chemical and the mechanical parameters of these samples were compared to non-irradiated samples. Irradiated and non-irradiated blends were visually and microscopically homogeneous. This indicates a compatible mixture, something which was also verified from analysis of their thermal behavior; mechanical parameters such as stress-strain and flexural curves were similar for pristine and recycled HDPE thermoplastic. On the other hand, the irradiation process on blends generates thermoplastic molecular cross-linking which is verified from increased strength values of mechanical and gel fraction tests. Impact resistance had a 2.5 fold increase with samples with higher EPDM content and about 6-7 fold increase on irradiated samples with 50-100 kGy respectively. These new materials are aimed to small and medium-scale industries, for adding as low as 1% EPDM to the blends sharply improves their mechanical characteristics when compared to recycled thermoplastic. Also, these characteristics improve even further when these materials are gamma irradiated.