Petcore Europe invites input on opaque PET packaging recycling

Following a workshop on opaque and difficult-to-recycle (ODR) polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging in Brussels, Petcore Europe, Brussels, has launched a call for industry representatives to join its ODR Working Group. As PET is now expanding beyond transparent bottles and thermoforms into new applications, such as milk and home care containers, Petcore Europe says it wants to facilitate a dialogue across the value chain to find sustainable solutions for recycling this material.

The working group is organised by the following six task forces:

• TF1, market analysis: applications and compositions;
• TF2, challenges and impacts for MRF (sorting) / recyclers (end markets);
• TF3, solutions to improve sorting: current practices and future systems;
• TF4, end applications for ODR: current practices and new applications;
• TF5, current best practices / member states initiatives / new projects; and
• TF6, communication and define improved design-for-recycling principles.

So far, the group comprises 28 participants from the complete PET value chain, including among others resin and masterbatch producers, packaging material producers, label producers, associations, sorting and recycling machine manufacturers, brand owners as well as extended producer responsibility (EPR) organisations.

The ODR workshop that was organised 2 February 2017 gave an overview on the current status of markets, collection, sorting, best practices, applications and end markets in the field of opaque and difficult to recycle PET containers, Petcore says. It marked the starting point for the new Petcore Europe ODR Working Group and thus aimed at bringing all participants to a common knowledge base.

After an introduction given by Gian de Belder from Procter & Gamble, who is chairing the new Petcore Europe working group with Christian Crépet from PRE (Plastics Recyclers Europe), the event started with market presentations. Vincent Le Guen from Sidel gave an overview on dairy products in PET, and Paulo Correia from Logoplaste presented more detailed the move to PET in the milk ultra-high temperature (UHT) European market.

The next session dedicated to collection and sorting challenges featured a presentation by An Vossen from Plarebel/EPRO on evolutions in the collection of difficult to recycle PET containers. Afterward, Pascal Chapon from Sleever International presented its DuoLife Opaque film as a unique answer to allow recycling for dairy products. Antoine Bourely from Pellenc ST and Michael Perl from Sesotec gave an outline on the potential capability to use optical detection systems for enhanced identification and sorting of ODR PET.

After a networking lunch, Sophie Bonnier and Carlos De Los Llanos from Eco-Emballages explained R&D initiatives in France for opaque PET recycling.

The last session featured two presentations on applications and end markets. Mike Neal from CPME summarised the basics of PET and polyester performance and applications, followed by a presentation from Tonnis Hooghoudt from Ioniqa on chemical recycling.

The workshop concluded with an interactive session focusing on developing roadmaps for r-PET applications.

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Those interested in joining the ODR Working Group, please fill out this application form and send it to Eva Schneider, Petcore Europe communications officer, at eva.schneider@petcore-europe.org.