TECHNOLOGY | MATERIALS RECYCLING
Collaborative project shows how PET and PE can be separated in packaging
A collaboration between BASF, Krones, Sudpack and Tomra has shown it is possible to separate PET/ PE multi-layer packaging into its components – then return them to the materi- als cycle as raw materials. During the first indus- trial trial – conducted at a Krones pilot plant in Flensburg, Germany – the partners separated as much as 69% of the PET/ PE components and partially separated another 12%. It uses only existing infrastructure to recycle multi-layer packaging. The first phase of the
project began in 2021 when Tomra conducted the first sorting trials with PET/ PE trays. These had been manufactured by Sudpack using a ‘debonding
FLAME RETARDANCY Making foam more fire retardant
Tosaf has launched a new halogen-free flame retardant (HFFR) for polyethylene (PE) foams.
FR9185PE is an HFFR additive for
crosslinked and non-crosslinked PE foams. Even at low concentrations, it helps prevent the spread and accelera- tion of fire. This facilitates compliance with fire protection standards in industries such as construction, pipe insulation, automotive and shipment packaging, it says.
PE foams tend to have high corro-
sion resistance, dimensional stability and thermal insulation – but their low fire resistance requires the addition of
42 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | May 2023
flame retardants. Here, the trend is toward halogen-free formulations for environmental and safety reasons. Tosaf has expanded its range of FR masterbatches to include solutions that do not impair foam properties, but enable compliance with fire protection standards.
In the event of fire, its phosphorus- based active ingredient initiates a gaseous mechanism that stops combus- tion by reacting with the resulting free radicals. To achieve a similar perfor- mance to a halogen-based mechanism, 10-15% of the product is required. �
www.tosaf.com
www.filmandsheet.com IMAGE: BASF
adhesive’ from BASF. “Using our know-how in
water-based lamination, we were able to develop multi-layer films that can be separated by caustic hot washing,” said Carolin Grimbacher, managing partner at Sudpack, who is also responsible for R&D. To close the materials
cycle, the multi-layer films first had to be sorted out of
the waste stream. The main factor behind its success was the ability of Tomra’s Autosort technology to separate the recyclable PET/PE trays from non-recyclable trays. “Our NIR technology made this possible because it can detect the multi-layer PET trays containing BASF’s adhesive,” said David Ruessmann, manager of special projects at Tomra.
“With this, it’s possible to sort the trays out of the waste stream and add them to the recyclables.” The process of separat- ing the PET and PE is based on adhesives that were developed for the purpose. These are used during the lamination of multi-layer films to join different functional materials. “Our water-based Epotal adhesives already yielded very good results when separating multi-layer packaging in the laboratory. We consider it a huge success that we were able to completely separate 69% of the packaging during our very first industrial trial,” said Kresimir Cule, commercial marketing for industrial adhesives at BASF SE. �
www.basf.com
IMAGE: TOSAF
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