BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION To meet the respective specific and particular packaging demands use of lamination of plastics and aluminium is a widely accepted practice in packaging industries.

Such packaging laminates aluminium foil with plastics either in one side or in both sides. In toiletries a particular tubes of such lamination is widely used. In medicinal strips or blister type packs such lamination is also widely used. In cable industry to protect cables from surrounding adversities a protective wrap-type packaging of such lamination is also widely used. Also, the use of such tammated pouches to pack beverages and processed foods are widely desperate.

Now, the entire manufacturing process, to reach up-to a final stage of packaging, en route, generate a huge volume of refuse in almost every chain of production process.

Such mass may be called in short as nmlti-layer laminated packaging industrial refuse (pre-use condition) where the chief components are thin foils of metal alurninium and polyethylene plastics.

In any convenient way these laminated stuffs are stubbornly non-recyclable and vulnerable for destroying despite their characteristic commercial valuations.

.'-\ planned so-called Eco-friendly projects of incineration or landfill treatments (mal- practicmg Earth as an eternal burial ground of industrial refuse) are real costly affairs as sell as bulden to economy, even to production of developed countries also.

In India, almost about in coarse average, around Rupees Sixty-three Million (around US $1.35mn) per year, or say, around Rupees One Hundred Seventy-five Thousand (around US $3800) per day can be saved, as well as, can be earned from the recovery of such packaging industrial laminated refuse generated industrially (that is pre-use stage) only.

The colossal mass of domestic (post-use) refuse, where the used such whole packaging are thrown away as garbage, again absolutely vulnerable for destroying, is enough tall to undercount.

In India almost about in coarse average around Rupees One Thousand Five Hundred Million (around US $ 32mn) per year or say around Rupees Four Million (around US $ 85,000) per day can be saved, as well as, can be earned from the recovery of such domestic (post-use) packaging industrial laminated refuse, obviously subject to recovery ) t and when is possible Thus, recovery and its subsequent proper recycle/reprocess/reuse will nurture and strengthen the main stream of economy as well as will save the ecology from notorious often carcinogenic and often susceptible ODS (ozone depleting, substances) releasing when burn in open air as in India} environmental pollution as well.

Since such refuse is out and out a waste, whatsoever stubborn it may be, its process of separation and recovery should be economical. A higher recovery process if dearer the cost of recovered material than that of the virgin would subsequently overcast the main intention obviously.

Patent Nos. DE 4122705. WO 9304116. and EP 599905 have specific relevance to the de-larnination of taminated packaging industria) refuse uses acetone-water as organic chemical solvents. Acetone water is comparatively dearer than solution of sodium hydroxide used herein. Acetone has a very tow Hash point and it is highly flammable and accident-prone. The plastics are also fairlv f7annrmable. In industrial application,

where huge volume of acetone will require, its affinity to accident is unpredictably dangerous US Patent No. 5, 246, ì 16 relates to the de-lamination of laminated packaging industrial refuse has used poly alkaline glycol polymer solution as solvent.

US Patent No. 5, 421, 526 teaches the use of volatile organic acids like formic acid, acetic acid, propanoic acid, butyric acid as solvents.

The aforesaid prior arts use organic chemical solvents only, such as, Acetone-water, Poty alkaline glycol polymer solution and volatile organic acids like formic acids, acetic acids, propanoic acid and butyric acid and does not teach the use of inorganic chemical compounds, in particular, inorganic bases.

US patents 5246) 16 and 542) 526 further make use of heat at temperatures of 80 C and 50 C respectively. Here, the material is extremely lighter in weight and is accordingly voluminous. In one 2001it. reactor with maximum 1901it. solvent, at one time, maximum 1 s shredded material can be processed. To process ten metric tons in a day it demands a series of big reactors and subsequent volume of solvents. Application of heat to such a big mass is obviously a costly affair.

None of the known art provides a process for the de-lamination of laminated packaging /industrial refuse which gives optimum economy and eco friendliness.

The applicant with a view to economize the treatment of such material proposed a process so as to recover useful constituent from multi-layer laminated fragments of packing industrial refuse from each other by treating the fragments with an inorganic solution in particular, nitric acid, so as to loosen the bonding of the constituents and recovering such constituents. The said process is covered in the applicant's International Patent Application publication No. WO/02/50175.

The applicant has now found that recovery of laminated constituents can also be economically effected by treating the matcria ! with an inorganic base, in particular sodium hydroxide. The use of sodium hydroxide is found to result in substantial economy because the organic compounds used in prior arts are relatively more expensive The process of the present invention is also relatively economical and efficient than that of the applicants earlier work being WO/02/50175 also because Sodium aluminate (NaA102) (either conc solution or dried powder) eventuate as a product of the process.

Thus the primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved process for recovery of constituents of multi-layer laminated fragments of packaging industrial refuse/scraps/waste etc.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an alternative process for the recovery of laminated constituents that is economical and does not involve any expelasive/sophisticated treatmelll A still further object of the present invention is to provide a process for the recovery of the laminated constituents that is Eco-ii-leiid) y.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a process for the recovery of laminated constituents such that the process, at its final stage, results profitable end products 'et a further object of the present invention is to provide a process for the recovery of laminated constituents such that the process is applicable even where the lamination is mechanically stubborn or where the aluminium foil is very thin.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION t hus according to the present invenuon there is provided a process for the recovery of useful constituents from multi-layered fragments of packaging industria) refuse by <BR> <BR> <BR> separating them as mdividua) constituents, the process comprising contacting the

fragments with an inorganic basic solution, so as to recover the laminated metal aluminium as metal aluminium salt and set free the fragments of polyethylene plastics from lamination The metal aluminium is recovered in the form of reusable salts while the plastics retains its physical form Contacting of the fragments with the inorganic basic solution is done for a period of between 48-84 hours.

The recovered aluminium salt is sodium aluminate.

From such produced Sodium aluminate, Aluminium hydroxide gel [Al (OH) 3] either of commercial grade or of pharmacy grade results as other product of the metal aluminium salt Also from thus obtained Aluminium hydroxide gel by adequate calcination dried powder of Alumina (A1203) can be yielded as other aluminium salt Again from Aluminium hydroxide gel through proper chemical reaction other aluminium salts as Aluminium sulphate [A12 (S04) 3], Aluminium nitrate {Al(NO3)3] etc can also be obtained.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT According to the present invention multi-layer laminated packaging industrial refuse 'animated with plastics and thin foils of aluminium, either in one side or in both the sides are used for recovery of plastics in as it is physical condition and metal aluminium foils in the form of aluminium salts. The entire refuse may appear either in sheets form, strips form, tubes form or sometimes in already shredded / trimmings form. The reference numerals in brackets refer to figure 1.

Through conventional shredder un-shreddcd forms are shredded breadth-wisely at an average 25mm to 50mm irrespective of length, but preferably not more than Imetre (1) (figure 1). The comminuted refuse fragments are dipped in inorganic base solvent, 2M

sodiunl hydroxide solution at ambient temperature (2). The mass is allowed to stand quietly under casual supervision for about 48 to 84 hours depending upon the size of shredding.

At ambient temperature 2M sodium hydroxide solution slowly by etching dissolves the aluminium and release the free plastics within the solution. When the aluminium foils get totally dissolved the plastics being freed from lamination come in a free Heating condition awaiting for removal from the solution.

Fragments of recovered plastics are then removed (3) from the resultant, a very dilute solution of Sodium aluminate (NaA102), and are allowed to undergo a dip with fast stirring in dilute nitric acid solution for about 1/2 to 2 minutes (4). Then the plastics are given sufficient water baths to wash away the adhered solvents (5).

Fragments of recovered plastics, getting washed with water, are then centrifuged to as far as possible dryness (6). Then they are allowed to have a sun bath or to dry in a dryer (?) for a total drying. The dried thus recovered plastics are then ready for producing saleable recycled plastic granules or also may be sold even as such.

The time factor varies directly with the size of shredding Breadth-wisely smaller fragments wit) take shorter time-duration. Density of sodium hydroxide / sodium aiuminate solution monitors the span of time also Care should be taken for tubes. Tubes of 0.25cm breadth-wisely shredding will go easy into the reaction.

The main volume of 2M sodium hydroxide so) ution after such certain frequent use, eventuate as Sodium aluminate solution, as the prime recovery ofmeta) aluminium satt of that metal aluminium foil the chief component of the aforesaid multi-layer laminated packaging industrial refuse. that in due time saturates sufficiently to discharge Aluminium hydroxide as preciptiation (9). Initially the precipitation appears in a just visible manner and then by means of effects of series of dipping, more and more dense precipitation of Aluminium hydroxide is discharged

The rcsuttant Atuminium hydroxide is collected through filtration (8). The fittrate (H) Sodium aluminate according to density may either be used for fur-ther dippings of such comminuted strips, or may taken for direct production of concentrated solution of Sodium aluminate (13).

In accordance with the percentage of moisture present therein, after centrifuged/press- filtered (10), the yielded paste of Aluminium hydroxide are mixed with conc. sodium hydroxide solution accordingly (12) to yield concentrated solution of Sodium aluminate (13) Within the prepared concentrated solution of sodium aluminate (13), the already produced concentrated sodium aluminate solution, generated in the previous phases as filtrate (11), are mixed (13) and a final concentration by boiling is reached which is then cooled and filtered to obtain a pure clean and clear solution of Sodium aluminate (14) at ambient temperature.

The stubborn non-recyclable notorious man-made industrial laminated refuse, somewhere carcinogenic somewhere ODS releaser, by virtue of this present invention having being) ost their rigidity is converted to easy recyclable free plastics as well as converted to a chemical in the form and frame of recovery, having a versatile productivity to produce a series of metal aluminium salts including a pharmacy grade buik drug Aluminium hydroxide gel of'fering a sound commercial profit.

An adamant waste plaguing highly detrimental and awful pollution to the living Earth is conquered to an extent to yield a medicine satisfies pharmacopoeia.

Now in thus produced concentrated solution of Sodium aluminate, [(who now itself is also a saleable product (14) (15)] concentrated hydrochloric acid is added (16) (24) to yield either Aluminium hydroxide gel of commercial grade (18) or Aluminium hydroxide el of pharmacy grade (26).

During the preparatory process of Atuminium hydroxide the filtrate (22) (30) we obtained, on evaporation to dryness will (31) will generate dry powder of pure Sodium chloride NaCI as a marketable by-product Again, to produce Aluminium hydroxide gel from such conc. solution of sodium aluminate instead of cone.. hydrochloric acid a number of inorganic as well as organic acids may also be taken for the use, where the resultant sodium salt (here as by-product) will only vary E.g. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) will produce Sodium chloride (NaCl), Sulphuric acid. (H2S04) will produce Sodium sulphate (Na2S04), Formic acid (I-ICOOH) will produce Sodium formate (HCOONa) etc.

Such obtained commercial grade Aluminium hydroxide get conventionally if adequately calcined would yield dried powder of ; \lumina (A1203) (32) which has its own various uses and concern market.

Such obtained Aluminium hydroxide gel conventionally through proper chemical reaction would yield other aluminium salts eg. Aluminium sulphate Al2(SO4)3, Aluminium nitrate Al(NO3)3 etc.(33) The entire process, en route, discharges absotute ZERO potiution to environments in any means.

EXAMPLES The process of the invention will now be demonstrated with reference to two working embodiments of the process Ex. xample - 1 (A) In a 1000 ml clear conical flask 66gms of pure dried sodium hydroxide flake is taken. Clear water is poured to make 800mls of 2M sodium hydroxide solution (B ) Few pieces of laminated toileiry tubes are taken. The shoutdcr and tail-end seal of the tubes are shredded out by manuai cuttings with scissors. Then taking 0. 25 cm

breadth-wisely the tubes are longitudinally shredded (1). All the contaminants are cleared and washed out (C) ln a sufficient quantity the 0. 25 cm shredded fragments of the laminated tubes are now dipped into that conical flask containing 800mis of 2M sodium hydroxide solution (2). The flask is closed with a stopcock. It is now allowed to stand for about 48 to 84 hours. In between times a six hourly stirring of the material is preferred so as to all the parts of the fragments get contact with the solution for reaction.

(D) The aluminium gets slowly dissolved by that time. When all aluminium get dissolved the two free layers of plastics, being freed from lamination, start to float within the solution.

(E) Such plastics free from aluminium lamination are taken out (3) and are given a dip in a dilute nitric acid solution (4) for about'/2 to 2 minutes with fast stirring. Then the plastics are taken off from the nitric acid and are given sufficient water bath to wash away all the adhered solvents (5). Plastics are then allowed a complete drying (6) (7).

Steps (B) and (C) and (D) and (E) are repeated.

Even now, subject to the concentration of sodium aluminate the precipitation of Aluminium hydroxide may or may not occur Again steps (B), (C), (D) and are repeated.

Either then or in the next phase/phases precipitation of Aluminium hydroxide occurs in a satisfactory quantity (2).

(F) By filtration (8) Aluminium hydroxide is then collected (9), either press- filtered/centrifuged and dried to a paste/cake (10). The filtrate, that is, solution of sodiun) atuminate is kept aside (11).

(@i) Now. in 100ml of conc. sodium hydroxide solution about 200gms of thus dried paste of aluminium hydroxide (10) is mixed (12) and boiled to dissolve. The resultant solution of sodium aluminate kept aside (11) is mixed within it (13). The entire solution is boi) ed, cooted and ftjtered to obtain a pure clean and c) ear solution of Sodium alunrinate (Al2O3 is in between 20-25%) at ambient temperature (14).

Now such concentrated solution of Sodium alcrminate [ (who itself is also a saleable product(14)(15)]is conventionally ready to produce either commercial grade (I 8), or pharmacy grade (26), Aluminium hydroxide gel by addition of necessary concentrated hydrochloric acid accordingly.

(H) Such produced commercial, grade Aluminium hydroxide get conventionally if properly calcined would yield dried powder of Alumina (32) while again conventionally if properly chemically reacted would yield other salts of metal aluminium E. g. Aluminium sulphate, Aluminium nitrate etc. (33) as well.

In one part of such sodium aluminate solution concentrated hydrochloric acid is mixed (16) to yield Aluminium hydroxide get, commercial grade (18). The gel is then centrifuged (19), washed and re-dried (20) to a paste. Thus generated paste could be dried (21) to produce dried powder of Aluminium hydroxide get of commercial grade.

In the other part of such sodium aluminate solution, in accordance with the assay of aluminium oxide (Al2O3) present within, the solution is given accordingly dilution and after that concentrated hydrochloric acid is mixed (24) to yield Aluminium hydroxide gel (26) satisfying pharmacy grade assay. It is then centrifuged/press- filtered (27), washed with sufficient boiled/sterilized water and again re-dried (28) to a paste. Half of it is then preserved (by addition of sodium benzoate) and packed as paste of Aluminium hydroxide Oel as per pharmacy specification.

(K) To get dried powder of Aluminium hydroxide gel of pharmacy grade the other half of the ytctded get in paste form is dried (29), pulverized (if necessary) and packed as per pharmacy specification.

(L) Here the obtained filtrate (22) (30) by evaporation to dryness (23) (31) will yield also pure Sodium chloride (NaCI), as a by-product, which has its own specific market.

Thus, by using a pure inorganic base sodium hydroxide, separation and recovery of laminated fragments of multi-layer laminared packaging industrial refuse is possible where free plastic fragments are recovered in as it is physical condition in one part and the recovery of metal aluminium primarily achieving in the form of metal salts like Sodium aluminate : (14)(15) or from such resultant sodium aluminate solution Aluminium hydroxide ge ! (as both paste and dried powder), either in commercial

grade (20) (21) or/and in pharmacy gradc (28) (29) are achieved, again where-atso fror) such obtained commercial grade Aiuminium hydroxide gel production of other aluminium salts E.g. Aluminium sulphate. Aluminium nitrate (33) or even Alumina (32) are achieved depending upon just planning and specific procedure and motto in the other part.

Thus a notorious laminated refuse stuff can be converted to a use of benefit even as a medicine satisfying pharmacopoeia EXAMPLE-2 (A) In a 2001it clear polythene drum I 5kgs. of pure dried sodium hydroxide flake is taken. Then clear water is poured to produce 1801its of 2 M sodium hydroxide solution.

(B) Around 10kgs. of multi-layer laminated packaging industrial refuse is taken. If the lot is un-shredded then either mechanical or manual shredding breadth-wise @ 0. 25cm - 0. 5cm and length-wisely 81metre is done, if necessary (1). All the contaminates are cleared and washed out (C) Cleared such comminuted fragments of refuse are now dipped into the drum containing 180 lit. 2 M sodium hydroxide solution (2). After covering the drum it is allowed to stand for 48-84 houra. In between times a six hourly stirring of the material is preferred so as to all the parts of the fragments get contact with the solution for reaction (D) The aluminium gets slowly dissolved by that time. When all the aluminium get dissolved the free layers of plastics, being freed from lamination, start to float within the solutions.

(E) Such plastics free from aluminium lamination are taken out (3) and are given a dip into a dilute nitric acid solution (4) for about ½ -- 2 minutes with fast stirring Then the plastics are taken off from the nitric acid solution and are given sufficient water bath to wash away all the adhcred solvents (5). The plastics are then allowed a complete drying (6)(7).

Steps (13) and (C) and (D) and (L) are repeated.

Even now, subject to the concentration of sodium aluminate the precipitation of aluminium hydroxide may or may not occur.

Again steps (B), (C), (D) and (E) are repeated.

Either then or in the next phase/phases precipitation of aluminium hydroxide occurs in a satisfactory quantity (2).

(F) By filtration (8) Aluminium hydroxide is then collected (9), either centrifuged/fitter- pressed and dried to a paste/cake (10). The filtrate, that is, solution of sodium aluminate is kept aside (11) (G) Now in 31it. of conc. sodium hydroxide solution 6kgs of such dried paste/cake of Aluminium hydroxide (10) are mixed (12) and boiled to dissolve. The resultant solution of sodium aluminate kept aside (I1) is mixed within it (13). The entire solution is boiled, cooled and tittered to obtain a pure c ! can and clear solution of Sodium aluminate (Al2O3 is in between 20-25%) at ambient temperature (14) Now such concentrated solution of Sodium aluminate [ (who itself is also a saleable product (14) (15)] is ready to produce conventionally either commercial grade (18), or pharmacy grade (26) atuminium hydroxide gei by addition of necessary concentrated hydrochloric acid accordingly.

(H) Such produced commercial grade Aluminium hydroxide gel if conventionally properly calcined \vould yield dried powder of Alumina (32) while again if conventionally proper ly chemically reacted would yield other salts of metal aluminium E.g. Aluminium sulphate, Aluminium nitrate etc. (33) as well.

(1) In one part of such sodium alurllioate solution concentrated hydrochloric acid is mixed (16) to yield Aluminium hydroxide gel, commercial grade (18). The gel is then centrifuged (19), washed and re-dried (20) to a paste. Thus generated paste could be dried (21) to produce dried powder of Aluminium hydroxide gel of commercial grade.

(J) In the other part of such sodium aluminate solution, in accordance with the assay of aluminium oxide (Al2O3) present within, the solution is given accordingiy dilution and after that concentrated hydrochloric acid is mixed (24) to yield Aluminium

hydroxide gel (26) satisfying pharmacy grade assay. It is then centrifuged/press- filtered (27), washed with sufficient boiled/sterilized water and again re-dried (28) to a paste. Half of it is then preserved (by addition of sodium benzoate) and packed as paste of Aluminium hydroxide gel as per pharmacy specification.

(K) To get dried powder of Aluminium hydroxide gel pharmacy grade the other half of the yielded gel in form is dried (29), pulverized (if necessary) and packed as per pharmacy specification.

(L) Here the filtrate obtained (22) (30), by evaporation to dryness (23) (31), will yield also pure Sodium chloride (NaCI), as a by-product, which has its own specific market Thus, by using a pure inorganic base sodium hydroxide, separation and recovery of laminated fragments of multi-layer laminated packaging industrial refuse is possible where free plastic fragments are recovered in as it is physical condition in one part and the recovery of metal aluminium achieving in the form of metal salts like Sodium aluminate (14)(15) or from such resultant sodium aluminate solution Aluminium hydroxide get (as both paste and dried powder), either of commercial grade (20) (21), or/and of pharmacy grade (28) (29) are achieved, again where-also from such obtained commercial Aluminium hydroxide gel production of other aluminium salts Eg Aluminium sulphate, Aluminium nitrate etc. (33) or even Alumina (32) are achieved depending upon just planning, specific procedure and motto in the other part.

Thus a notorious laminated refuse stuff can be converted to a use of benefit even as a medicine satisfying pharmacopoeia