PROCESSING | CAPS AND CLOSURES


(EPBP) test protocols at concentrations above industry norms. While the additive is typically used at 1-2%, tests were conducted at a concentration of up to 5% with up to 50% recycled content. Testing according to the TCEP test protocol for thermoforming applications and EPBP test proto- cols for PET closures showed that there is no impact on colour, haze or IV, fulfilling the technical requirements for the additives to be used in the clear PET bottles recycling stream.


Above: Closure manufacturer Modulpac supplies scrap back to plastics producer Rondo Plast


environmentally friendly overall product, it says. Manufacturers of effervescent supplement tablets are under pressure to raise the sustainability of their products and packaging. The issue also plays an increasingly important role for consumers. In the tethered cap, the TE safety ring remains attached. This means that all plastic components will be recycled, reducing environmental impact. “Supporting a functioning circular economy is


important to Sanner,” said Stefan Verheyden, CEO of Sanner. “This applies to our products and our own operations.”


PET closures Sukano says it has developed an additive master- batch package that could allow PET closures to be recycled along in the same recycling stream as clear PET bottles. While PET bottles are widely recycled, the bottle cap has long remained outside the circular loop. Historically made from polypropylene (PP) or HDPE, caps have posed a multi-material challenge – having to be separated during the recycling process to allow full bottle-to-bottle recyclability. Sukano’s additive package allows production of


monomaterial PET or rPET caps that can be recycled seamlessly with the bottle. It eliminates the need to separate caps from bottles during recycling, achieving new efficiencies. With caps comprising up to 10% of bottle weight, this unlocks large amounts of bottle-grade PET for circular reuse. The additive package is compatible with thermoforming and injection moulding, enabling customers to transition to monomaterial bottle solutions without changing their existing produc- tion setup. Sukano validated the recyclability of each additive at its in-house recyclability laboratory, according to the Tray Circularity Evaluation Plat- form (TCEP) and European PET Bottle Platform


22 INJECTION WORLD | March/April 2026


Circular collaboration Plastics producer Rondo Plast – part of Polykemi – has a ready source of recyclate for its recycled grades: its customer Modulpac. Modulpac is a manufacturer of PE and PP caps,


jars, and lids. Both polymers are important to Rondo Plast – and are in high demand, it says. Since 2015, Rondo has regularly purchased this produc- tion scrap from Modulpac. “We’ve seen increasing demand for recycled plastic materials over the past 10 years,” said Patrik Lindqvist, category manager for recycled materials at Rondo Plast. “The demand primarily concerns PP, but also engineering plastics such as PC, ABS, PA6 and PA66.”


Modulpac has established efficient scrap management, while Rondo Plast has a supplier that can deliver plastic that is free from contamination and sorted by polymer. “Modulpac’s willingness to collaborate is highly valued by us,” said Lindqvist. “Their efficient han- dling is essential for our ability to upgrade and refine by-products into high-quality recycled plastic.” He says the collaboration is a good example of how by-products can be returned to the value chain and contribute to increased circularity. “For circularity to become a reality, it is impor-


tant to recognise that plastic can be recycled, and that recycled plastic can meet very high-quality standards,” said Lindqvist. “Unfortunately, recycled sources still suffer from an undeserved negative reputation.”


CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.kraussmaffei.com � www.sumitomo-shi-demag.eu � www.tedericglobal.com � www.engelglobal.com � www.khs.com � https://aptar.com � www.sanner-group.com � www.sukano.com � www.rondoplast.se � https://modulpac.com


www.injectionworld.com


IMAGE: RONDO PLAST


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