Abstract: Thermoplastic materials are separated and recovered, according to the present invention, utilizing a process wherein a mixture of the thermoplastic material to be recovered and one or more contaminants are simultaneously heated and agitated. The mixture is heated to the temperature at which the thermoplastic will adhere to itself, but at which the contaminant has not become tacky. Impacting thermoplastic particles agglomerate, while the contaminant particles do not adhere to other contaminant particles or to the thermoplastic particles. The resulting mixture is passed through a series of screens of increasing mesh size to separate the larger thermoplastic particles from the smaller contaminant particles.