
Photo by Michael Heinzlreiter e.U.
Several Austria-based companies are collaborating to collect and process non-bottle PET scrap “to prove that PET [scrap] other than PET bottles can successfully be recycled into new high-quality products.”
Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen GmbH (NGR) and several other firms have launched the RePETitio project. Starting in June 2019, PET household scrap such as blister packaging, thermoformed trays and films has been collected so it can be sorted into six material types. The collection and sorting is being performed by OÖ Landes-Abfallunternehmen GmbH (LAVU) and Altstoff Recycling Austria AG (ARA).
According to a news release from NRG, “The subsequent high quality flake production – including washing and shredding – will be conducted by Kruschitz GmbH.”
The PET flakes will then be re-processed and decontaminated using NGR's LSP (liquid state polycondensation) process in Feldkirchen, Austria, where both rPET granulate and rPET sheets will be produced. During the LSP process, the rPET is decontaminated at the molecular level and the polymer chains are extended to increase the intrinsic viscosity, according to NGR.
In the next step, Teufelberger GmbH is using the rPET to produce strapping “with high mechanical strength requirements,” or Greiner Packaging GmbH will produce bottles and thermoformed trays for food and non-food applications. Ultimately, the products made of rPET will be tested and compared with those made of virgin PET, says NGR.
“Together with the Upper Austrian plastics cluster, we were able to initiate this project with leading Austrian companies and see the benefit above all in the lively dialogue to strengthen the recycling economy with PET [scrap] that has so far been little used,” remarks Thomas Pichler, managing partner of NGR.
Research and evaluation tied to the RePETitio-project is being backed by the Transfercenter für Kunststofftechnik GmbH (TCKT). RePETitio is scheduled to run until September 2020 and is financially supported by the Upper Austrian government with funds from the Innovative Upper Austria 2020 strategic economic and research program.
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