Petcore Europe organised Workshop on Recycling Rigid PET Thermoforms in Brussels
Industry, collection agencies and recyclers work together to make PET thermoforms the best recyclable thermoformed packaging in its category.
Petcore Europe recently convened a workshop on the Recycling of Rigid PET Thermoforms in Brussels involving fifty leaders and experts from the whole PET value chain in Europe. Some of the most important companies and organisations from PET producers, to converters, users, recyclers, technology providers and collection agencies discussed how the industry can work together to make PET thermoforms the best recyclable thermoformed packaging in its category.
“The recycling of PET is a success story,” explained one of the organisers, Wim Hoenderdaal from Indorama. ”It is the only example on large scale where the circle is closed at the highest level and where new high quality packaging can be made out of recycled resin.”
Recycled PET is used to make new bottles and thermoforms. This is especially true for PET thermoforms (mainly trays) which are produced with a content of r-PET (recycled PET) often above 70% fully complying with food contact regulations.
The one-day workshop was structured in three parts: Collection and Sortingincluding the current state in different countries like Germany, Belgium, UK and France, Packaging Technologies as well as Recycling Technologies. Each session was followed by a lively panel debate where participants discussed and shared knowledge.
“PET is the only value chain that takes care of the complete life-cycle of its products, including thermoforms,” outlined Patrick Peuch, Executive Director of Petcore Europe. “Therefore, the goal of this workshop was to build and promote a working group to specifically update the state-of-the-art in PET thermoforms life-cycle, including design-for-recycling, packaging technologies, collection, sorting and recycling technologies.”
Petcore Europe believes that this workshop marks the beginning of a technical platform that will be set up involving the most important players of the industry to work on improving yet further the recycling of PET.
NEWS
