100% polymer aerosol

Plastipak, a leader in PET plastic aerosol moulding technology, has launched SprayPET Revolution, a 100% polymer aerosol, which is fully recyclable. SprayPET Revolution, including the valve, is all polymer and metal-free. Until now, PET aerosol containers used standard metal valves with rubber gaskets. Whilst many PET recycling plants are equipped to remove metal components in the recycling process, not all recyclers have this capability. Other components like rubber gaskets still cause quality concerns in the recycling stream.

Design for recyclability

Innovation in the polymer valve means that PET aerosol containers can safely pass through all PET reprocessing plants, without contaminating the recycling stream, and with no negative impact on the quality of recycled PET material. It has been assessed and approved by both the European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) and the USA-based Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR).

The valve utilises new polymers other than PET for sealing that have a molecular density of less than 1g / cm³. This means that the valve can be easily processed with the PET container during the recycling process.

The complete SprayPET Revolution container, including the valve is shredded. The resulting flakes enter a water-filled separation chamber, where due to the differing molecular densities, PET sinks to the bottom, and the other polymers rise to the surface, so easily separated. The PET is further processed and will be reused in applications such as new PET bottles and containers, trays, textiles and pallet strapping. The polymers in the valve will be recycled alongside other caps and closures, and reused in products such as garden furniture, decking and pipes.

Produced under license from Procter & Gamble, SprayPET Revolution uses spin welding technology to attach the valve to the container. It is available as a dip-tube or bag-on-valve application.

As well as being 100% recyclable, recycled PET (rPET) can be included in the SprayPET Revolution container body.

SprayPET Revolution is claimed to offer significant carbon footprint savings over aluminium aerosol containers, as demonstrated in an independent peer-reviewed life cycle analysis study, supporting reduction in Scope 3 emissions.

SprayPET aerosol containers offer design and shape flexibility for on-shelf differentiation and can be decorated with sleeves or printing directly on to the container using Plastipak’s Direct Object Printing (DOP) technology.

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