FILM RECYCLING | TECHNOLOGY


“significantly higher” degassing performance in post-consumer recycling. The technology uses water stripping to achieve up to 40% reduction in VOCs in the final pellets, compared with standard degassing with Intarema TVEplus. Huber-Lindinger said that the Volex technology


enables recyclers to enter new applications where they can use higher proportions of recycled pellets in new products, including a wide variety of film and regrind materials where high degassing perfor- mance is required. Erema sees opportunities in challenging applications such as film for transport packaging, lifestyle products, and furniture, as well as high-quality automotive interior components and robust transport solutions such as shopping baskets.


Plasticising update Another update from Erema was the expansion of its EcoGentle plasticising technology from PET to polyolefins – HDPE, LDPE, PP – plus BOPET. In the post-consumer segment, EcoGentle enables the reliable processing of regrind material with different bulk densities and viscosities, achieved through gentle processing at lower temperatures. For multipurpose applications, HDPE and PP,


Erema said the plasticising technology lowers the temperature of the melt by up to 13° C and reduces the power consumption of the extruder drive by up to 6%. EcoGentle is also available for inhouse recycling: with LDPE/LLDPE stretch film and with BOPET film material, the temperature of the melt is as much as 20° C lower, while the extruder drive consumes up to 15% less power. MAS has taken on the lightweight film recycling challenge in a partnership with Siempelkamp Size


Reduction (formerly Pallmann) which has come up with the iQonicTwin PreDensifier. The problem they identified is film recyclers processing low-density, fluffy films with air pockets, inks and adhesives, which are notoriously difficult to handle and often lead to inconsistent quality and energy inefficiencies. MAS said: “While the conventional cutter compactor route was considered, MAS and Siempelkamp Size Reduction chose to aim higher – pursuing unmatched performance and quality. Cutter compactors can no longer meet the grow- ing demand for top quality, as their process control cannot ensure a uniform melting process, leading to quality fluctuations in the extruder feed.” The iQonicTwin PreDensifier combines the


Pallmann predensifier technology with MAS’s conical co-rotating twin-screw extruder, leading to improved process stability, efficiency, and product


Alliance report offers insights into flexibles


The Alliance to End Plastic Waste has published a report – The Challenges and Solutions for Flexible Plastic Packaging Waste – which it says offers actionable insights on how to solve the issues standing in the way of creating circularity in flexible plastics. Focusing on Europe and North


America, the report from the alliance of materials producers, packaging groups and technology firms identi- fies five critical circularity enablers for flexible plastic: n Improving collection and sorting to improve feedstock quality. This can be done through segregated waste


www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com


collection and secondary sorting of plastics.


n Enabling end-market demand for recycled material to drive systems viability and justify investment throughout the value chain. It suggests policy mechanisms such as EPR schemes and mandatory PCR content targets.


n De-risking investment to attract the necessary capital, through tax relief, labour and energy subsidies, and concessional loans.


n Design-for-recyclability guidelines. n Eco-modulated EPR fees, which can accelerate the adoption of simpler


packaging design. In Europe and North America, the Alliance is developing a Flexibles Thematic Program Market involving: mapping and system design that quantifies end-market opportunities and quality requirements; showcasing demonstration projects to build confidence in systems solutions with government, industry, and community stakeholders; enabling replication by mobilising brands, recyclers, and governments to understand what it takes to create and proliferate effective systems solutions across geographies.


January/February 2026 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 15


Above: The iQonicTwin PreDensifier from MAS and Siempelkamp Size Reduction tackles the problem of processing low-density, fluffy films


S


I


M


G A


: E


M


A


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38