FILM | INNOVATION
Bringing together knowledge and expertise from across the complete value chain is starting to bring significant results in programs for film and flexible packaging recycling. By Mark Holmes
Stepping up innovation in PCR film recycling
Initiatives around the world are bringing wide- spread expertise across value chains to advance film recycling and bring the circular economy closer. Collaborative ventures bringing together recycling companies, machinery manufacturers, material suppliers and consultants specialising in environmental technologies are finding innovative ways to collect, identify and process plastic films and flexible packaging and then re-use post-con- sumer recycled resins. A Quality Recycling Process for flexible packag- ing developed by Ceflex and stakeholders has shown product yield and quality for applications suitable to replace virgin polymer grades using mechanical recycling. Ceflex (Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging) – a partnership of over 160 European companies, associations, and organisa- tions – adds that much can be delivered today with existing sorting and recycling technologies, if only the required infrastructure was in place to unlock its full environmental and economic potential. Col- laborating in a sustainable end markets workstream,
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
Ceflex stakeholders aim to bring the Quality Recycling Process to market, delivering recycled polymers for higher-value applications than are currently commercially available. The workstream is moving forward into industrial trials to build the business case for investment in the infrastructure that can leverage this process into a mainstream solution to keep the materials in the economy at the greatest value possible. Ceflex is demonstrating that recycling for a
wider range of non-food flexible packaging is possible, including more demanding applications through mechanical recycling via the Quality Recycling Process. In the process, film grade quality rPE and rPP polymers appropriate for non-food flexible packaging are produced by applying near infrared (NIR) sorting by polymer and colour, followed by hot washing and extrusion with extra filtration and deodorisation. Ceflex says film grade recyclates for natural rPE and all colour rPP can be obtained at good product yields and quality and with mechanical and processing properties that
January/February 2021 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 15
Main image: Flexible packaging recycling challenges include heavy printing and multi-material lamination
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
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