METHOD FOR RECYCLING A PAINT-COATED PLASTIC ARTICLE

The invention relates to a method for recycling a paint-coated plastic article, said article being made of plastic material and being coated at least in part with paint, the method comprising steps of: a) Crushing the article for forming raw particles, at least some of which containing a portion of the paint; b) Melting and kneading the raw particles; and c) Obtaining a recycled plastic material from which the paint is at least in part removed; the method being characterized in that it includes a further step b1) of blending a solid alcoholic paint film decomposition agent with the raw particles, during step b), for forming a reactive mixture while the raw particles are being melted and kneaded, at least a portion of the paint being degraded into degraded paint particles by the alcoholic paint film decomposition agent in the reactive mixture. The invention further relates to a paint film decomposition agent for use in the method for recycling a paint-coated plastic article as defined above, said paint film decomposition agent being solid, of the alcoholic kind, and includes at least one of the following: di-trimethylolpropane, sorbitol, 1,6-hexanediol, trimethylolpropane and pentaerythritol.