UV protection additive for rPET packaging
Repi has introduced UV-R Remap 00561, a new UV protection additive engineered specifically for recycled PET. Designed to enhance UV resistance without compromising recyclability, this development aligns with RecyClass protocols, supporting sustainable packaging solutions.
UV protection is critical for preserving the quality of products packaged in PET, as exposure to UV radiation can degrade taste, smell, colour, and biological properties. Many products contain light sensitive ingredients, and a PET barrier alone is not enough to protect them from degradation. Repi, well known in producing liquid colours and additives, addresses this challenge with its comprehensive portfolio of liquid UV additives tailored for diverse applications, including food contact and non-food sectors. As a globally active company, Repi provides products in full compliance with European directives, FDA, and regulations of other countries and regions.
The Remap UV absorber range provides several grades that cover different protection specifications set by final product needs, allowing customers to select the most appropriate additive, optimising the cost/benefit ratio, while increasing shelf-life. Remap UV absorbers, benzotriazole-free, claimed to capture UV radiation from 300 to 400 nm, providing different levels of protection, depending on the LDR and packaging wall thickness. In addition, they do not impact the shade of final product, allowing the user to be independent and flexible.
The latest addition of UV-R Remap 00561, is optimised for the use with clear rPET bottle flakes. It fulfils RecyClass recyclability protocols as it is increasingly important to consider the impact of additives in recycling streams, with the aim of safeguarding future feedstocks characteristics for an even more intensive use of rPET.
Over the years, Repi engineered high performance and reliable dosing units to support the needs of customers who use colours and additives in preform injection processes and beyond. The company’s equipment team is constantly engaged in developing new solutions to make the dosing process user-friendly and performing, to answer all technical needs, from a high dosing precision to a full bundled data collection. This last feature allows the sharing of data logs for a comprehensive control of dosing devices.
Beyond additives, Repi supports precision in production with its internally engineered dosing systems. The U2023X dosing unit, their latest release, features advanced capabilities such as dosing precision at low addition rates using a gear pump and brushless motor; easy cleaning to accommodate various colours without frequent pump changes or functionality alarms and Modbus TCP/IP for data sharing and control.
Repi also offers the Light Meter Plus (LMP), a patented analytical instrument that measures the intensity of the signal emitted by an RGB-UvIR light allowing to correlate it to colour and additive content and giving the user the chance to monitor the consistency of preform production for real-time monitoring of UV protection and opacity in PET preforms. By correlating light intensity with additive content, it ensures consistency and provides a reliable alternative to manual inspection. These innovations reflect an ongoing dedication to enhancing performance, sustainability, and user-friendliness in the plastics industry, says Repi.
