Afbeelding
PET containers have long been praised for their versatility. They are ideal for packaging and transporting perishable products due to their low weight and gas-, and liquid-tightness. However, the character properties of the materials in the product make it difficult for them to lend themselves to full recyclability. Indeed, in addition to PET, the trays also consist of materials not made of PET, such as the adhesives used to seal the trays. Our project therefore carried out further research with the entrepreneurial field on the recyclability of different PET trays and their materials.
Reason
Continued developments in recycling rPET into new PET bottles have led to a reduction in available materials for various PET containers. Whereas in 2016, 38% of rPET (recycled PET, originating from PET bottles after consumer use) could be made into trays, in 2018, it was 30%. In particular, major brands using bottle-to-bottle recycling are increasingly responsible for this. Although the amount of recyclable materials available is decreasing, demand is increasing over the past few years. Indeed, a demand growth of around 5.2% has been recorded since 2014 to 2018. However, recycling PET containers is still problematic, as 85% pure PET cannot yet be recycled into transparent material. The following problems are currently registered when it comes to recycling PET containers;
- PET containers often end up in regular waste streams, in which the concentration of PET is low.
- Presence of other polymers in PET containers, which makes them not fully recyclable.
- Lower rPET quality after recycling PET containers.
The aim of this project is to make PET containers fully circular.
What problem does the project solve?
The combination of limited recyclability of PET trays and the increased demand for PET materials are both trends of recent years, which need to be actively addressed in the future. The discrepancy of these two trends has prompted research into the use of newly recyclable materials in PET trays. By making all materials in PET containers recyclable, we can better guarantee the material security of sustainable solutions for manufacturers.
In addition, it has dire environmental impact. A successful outcome would guarantee about a reduction of 900 kilotonnes per year in the waste stream.
Who are part of the project team
The consortium of industry and knowledge institutions consists of;
- DPI (Dutch Polymer Institute) - project leaders
- TNO/BMC - research into closure and quality analysis of recyclate
- NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences - research into contaminants in rPET, washing protocol for removal of seal layer
- Hordijk - PET tray producer, production tests, contact with market
- Dufor - development of PET seal layer
- Paardekooper - capping film solutions.
How does the project team tackle it?
The project team divides the various steps required to make PET packaging fully circular into seven steps.
- Manufacture of the design to make PET packaging circular. Including labels, cover film, etc.
- Investigation of the effects of potential contaminants from printing, labels, etc.
- Development of new PET-based capping films.
- Evaluation of the quality of treatment layers, including preparation of cleaning protocols.
- Development of ways to incorporate recycled PET into trays.
- Production of trays with recycled PET from the trays themselves and the recycled PET from the sealing films.
- Testing and validation of these trays on a commercial basis.
Main/preliminary results
An estimated 900 kilotonnes per year reduction in the waste stream in bin-to-bin recycling. This includes an estimated 3.5 million kilos of co2 emissions.
Partners of the project
- DPI (coördinator)
- TNO/BMC
- NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences
- Hordijk
- Dufor
- Paardekooper
