PET | INNOVATION
PET recycling systems are improving product quality, throughput levels and increasingly being combined with production systems for processing rPET in a single step. Mark Holmes finds out more
Taking the next steps forward in PET recycling
A major developer of PET recycling technology, Starlinger has installed more than 20 PET recycling lines for food grade applications in 18 countries worldwide over the past five years. The company manufactures PET recycling machinery in different extruder sizes (65/85/125/165/330) that meet the demand for various capacities, from an output of 150 to 3,600 kg/h. The company says that it offers different machinery set-ups in accordance with input material and final application of the recycled PET (rPET), with the main applications being bottle-to-bottle installations and food grade containers. Experts in the Starlinger recycling department see a number of trends and challenges in the PET recycling industry at present. In general, recyclers are facing smaller margins, and as a result, they aim to increase their output as well as the efficiency of their lines, says the company. In this case, Starlinger can offer an upgrade of the customer’s existing line to achieve a higher capacity. In addition, standards
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in PET recycling are constantly increasing, and especially the requirements of brand owners are getting more demanding (for example, with regard to odour and VOCs), and they aim to include an ever higher percentage of rPET in their products. These changing requirements can be addressed through consultation – ideally at the customer’s site – and possible modifications of the line. Another challenge is the processing of PET fines
from recycled bottles which occur during bottle washing. These fines were frequently sold to China, but due to China’s Green Fence and National Sword policies, they now need to be recycled locally. Depending on the amount of PET fines as well as their quality, Starlinger adds that it offers optional equipment for PET recycling lines which enables customers to recycle the fines along with the PET flakes without affecting quality or through- put. Finally, in Europe, additives such as oxygen blockers are often used in production and may cause yellowing of the flakes during recycling. In
May/June 2018 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 17
Main image: Technical advances are being made in recycling PET bottles
PHOTO: AMUT
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