TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Process: Crushing procedure involves shredding or cutting the polymer to generate particles with a surface area of between 0.6 and 0.8 cm2; contacting the polymer cut with a detergent solution to remove remaining deposits or clusters attached to the polymer by mechanical application; removing detergent residue in the polymer, successive washing with tap water and then washing with distilled water until the rinse water has a conductivity and pH identical to that of distilled water; and leaving to dry the washed polymer at ambient conditions until its mass is constant. Qualitative characterization process involves dissolving a representative sample of the polymer in chloroform and then precipitating with methanol to remove commercial additives and the polymer recovered to dry under ambient conditions until its mass remains constant; contacting the polymer with chloroform to dry, where part of the solution is used to generate a sample to be analyzed with a spectrophotometer infrared (IR) and then comparing with the database spectra and determining a significant rapprochement with medium impact polystyrene (polystyrene -butadiene); and contacting a couple of drops of polymer-chloroform solution with bromine water to analyze discoloration; if fading, it is then possible to confirm that the polymer is impact grade (containing butadiene in its structure). Sulfonation process involves placing the polymer in contact with fuming sulfuric acid (18-24% of sulfur trioxide (SO3)) using ratios of 10:1 to 20:1 (volume acid (ml)/polystyrene mass (g)) with stirring at 240-320 revolutions per minute (rpm), taking out the procedure under fume hood for 130-170 minutes at a temperature of 70-78 degrees C. Recovery and washing procedure involves retrieving the sulfonated polystyrene container and putting in touch with distilled water and then shaking gently; separating the polymer from the water by filtration; then, the product is contacted again with distilled water and the procedure is repeated until the conductivity and pH of the wash water are identical to those of distilled water; and letting dry until the sulfonated polymer mass is constant. Qualitative characterization of the sulfonated polymer involves taking a representative sample of dry sulfonated polymer and mixing with potassium bromide to form a tablet which is analyzed with a spectrophotometer IR. Quantitative characterization of the sulfonated wastes, based on their ability to absorb water and methanol, involves despite a certain amount of sulfonated polystyrene, placing it in an infuser mesh lined nylon at 50 microns (280 mesh number); soaking the infuser in deionized water or anhydrous methanol and then hang at rest to remove excess fluid; and obtaining the absorption rate of the polystyrene fluid through the quotient of the difference of the mass of the polystyrene after being dipped and the initial mass of polystyrene, between the initial mass of polystyrene. Quantitative characterization of the sulfonated wastes involves taking a sample of known mass of sulfonated polystyrene and contacting it with distilled water; and placing polystyrene solution in water with a solution of 0.1N potassium hydroxide (KOH). Preferred Component: The sulfonated polystyrene is virgin medium impact polystyrene. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.