Page 16 - BOLA Catalogue

COMPANY
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION
Unbreakable, chemically resistant, sterilizable – high performance plastics such as Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) dispose of fantastic material properties and therefore, are indispensable in laboratories of this world. However, the most important raw material
of all flour plastics, Fluorspar, belongs to the finally available resources. We, at Bohlender, see it as our responsibility to handle this with care, where possi- ble, to save material and energy as well as to exploit
OUR FOUR PILLARS
1. Thinking ahead from the very beginning
For us, saving resources starts already in develop- ment and design. Our products are designed that they can be used multiple times and, if possible, used for years. At the same time, we take care of minimum use of materials and maximum reduction of production waste. For example, for the production of moulded parts working steps that produce chips are not required. Besides saving PTFE powder also less energy is consumed.
2. Recovery in view
Initially we process Fluoropolymers, particularly PTFE, as semi-finished products. The main products are tubes and rods or special moulded bodies. From this we produce tailor-made end products in sophi- sticated cutting processes.
Chips arising when drilling, turning, milling or similar are suctioned directly at the machine via a pipe system and collected. So, they do not become contaminated. We store them pure of type and free of any contaminations until we supply them to ex- ternal specialist recycling companies. This applies also for remaining pieces of semi-finished products. It is also possible that the reprocessed, sintered PTFE wastes come back to us. We process them to suitable products.
all recycling possibilities. Already for a long time there are also different possibilities for recycling for Fluoropolymers – both for processing waste as well as for products, which have reached the end of their useful life. The doctor of chemistry and expert in the field of fluoropolymers, Dr. Michael Schlipf, will present these in his lecture on page 350
3. Natural energy in use
We rely on solar energy in the manufacture of our products. Already in 2012, we installed a photovol- taic plant on our roof which does not only supply us with sufficient electric current but also saves about 150 tons CO2 emissions.
4. Safe use and waste disposal
Products made of the well-known fluoroplastics such as PFA, FEP, ETFE or PVDF are free of sof- teners and solvents. This means no harmful sub- stances are submitted to the environment.
Till 2015 the additives PFOA and APFO have been used for the production of PTFE. Both additives could be removed almost completely from the products within the frame of reconditioning and
be regained mostly. Nevertheless, notable ma- nufacturers of PTFE have committed to dispense completely with the use of this. This ensures that neither when using nor dispose our products harm- ful substances are submitted to human beings or environment.
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