BOSS technology
BOSS (Baffled Oscillation Separation System) was developed and commercialised in 2014. It separates post-consumer mixed waste plastic into a PCR flake at 95% purity — at commercial scale.
How it works
The BOSS technology covers rigid, flexible and fibre material dimensions — using water-based density separation tuned to each stream.
HOUSEHOLD MIXED RIGID PLASTICS
Oscillating baffles in water create whirlpools in a separation tank, exploiting the density difference between plastics to separate mixed rigid post-consumer waste plastic into high-purity PE and PP fractions at 95% purity. The denser PE sinks while PP floats, giving clean separation of the two principal polymer streams.
HOUSEHOLD MONO-AND MULTI-LAYER FILM
BOSS-2D separates mixed mono- and multi-layer flexible plastic film — including laminated formats from household collections that optical sorting and air classification cannot effectively separate. The denser multi-layer film sinks first, separating it from the lighter mono-layer fraction to produce a high-purity output.
HOSPITAL MEDICAL WASTE PLASTIC
Processing mixed sharps bin waste from hospitals and healthcare settings — a stream that conventional recycling cannot handle due to its mixed composition and contamination challenges. The process separates the combined flexible and rigid plastic content, recovering high-purity PP, PE and LDPE fractions that would otherwise be destined for incineration.
Whatever the stream, BOSS produces a clean, consistent polymer fraction. Where the recovered polymer meets spec it goes straight to mechanical reprocessing; where a fraction is too complex or contaminated for mechanical routes, the same clean output becomes prepared feedstock for chemical recycling.
The problem
Processors need predictable output quality, plant integration, and a clear route to recovered material value .
The challenge with mixed post-consumer plastic streams is contamination — conventional NIR optical sorting cannot identify the problem material. In rigid plastics, it's black and dark-coloured plastics. In flexible plastics, it's multi-layer laminates. In medical waste, it's the high level of mixed contamination — fibre, rubber, metal and plastic combined. In all three cases, the result is the same: valuable material that cannot be recycled through standard routes
Operators need a process that can be assessed against site footprint, feedstock variability, operating cost and offtake requirements. BOSS provides exactly that — a low-cost mechanical recycling solution that is significantly cheaper to install and operate than NIR-based sorting or chemical recycling, while delivering commercially proven separation results across rigid, flexible and medical waste plastic streams.
We have owned and operated our own recycling plants for over a decade, building deep operational expertise across rigid, flexible and medical waste plastic streams. BOSS is deployed at scale across three UK facilities and through our partnership with Syklo in Finland, with a combined operating capacity of over 90,000 tonnes per year — backed by ten years of hard-won commercial and technical experience.
Technical feature
BOSS is positioned as a licensable separation technology for mixed plastic streams. Each deployment conversation should connect feedstock, target polymer output, operating context and the evidence route needed for buyer reporting.
FAQ
Common questions from processors and material partners assessing commercial fit, evidence and licensing.
Start the conversation
Speak to Impact Recycling about recycling partnerships, recycled products, or licensing.
Our Recycling Plants
A wave of new regulation is creating growing pressure to find a credible, auditable UK-based recycling route for mixed post-consumer plastic streams. This includes Simpler Recycling (UK, 2027), the Plastic Packaging Tax, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reforms, the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), and new EU export restrictions on waste plastic to non-OECD countries from late 2026 — which are closing off traditional export routes for UK waste plastic.
Recycled Products
The Plastic Packaging Tax and ESG commitments mean buyers need PCR they can evidence, a certificate with a chain of custody. We provide a load-by-load record built for compliance reporting frameworks — and priced to compete with market alternatives.
License BOSS Technology
Processors deploy proven BOSS technology under licence at their own site. You retain operational control; Impact provides the technology, evidence pathways and ongoing support — so you add a commercially viable separation route without a greenfield build or years of in-house development.
