PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2012

MATERIAL / RECYCLING 11 PET planet insider Vol. 13 No. 03/12 www.petpla.net in rigid PET packaging that can be recycled time and time again. The balance is used in applications such as sheeting, fibres and strapping, meaning that 78% of rPET is not returning to the closed-loop cycle. APPE believes that the biggest challenge of all is getting the brand- owners and fillers to understand the huge complexities involved in processing rPET into new packaging while maintaining the necessary qual- ity controls. Additional activities such as blending, process controls and changeovers all lead to increased costs. “The greatest contradiction faced by rPET producers and processors is that despite these complexities and their cost implications, the industry still expects rPET to be cheaper than virgin resin,” said Blanchard. He believed there are several potential solutions for the current Appe and Artenius APPE has already responded to the surge in demand for rPET by investing a further €10m at Beaune, increasing its output by 40% from 25,000 to 35,000 tonnes. Further expansion of the facility is now being considered; however this could be constrained simply by the lack of post-consumer PET for processing. Artenius, the PET division of LSB now offers a PET packaging material called Artenius Elite (see PETplanet insider issue 1+2/12, page 6). This material combines virgin resin and post consumer rPET. www.appepackaging.com www.laseda.es situation, from better consumer awareness and education in order to improve collection rates and sorting, to establishing a realistic vision of rPET content and enhancing bottle technologies to support the recycling stream. Conclusions “The challenges of stepping up rPET usage, which several brands are now driving, are clear and we feel it is important that the industry under- stands the full picture,” concluded Mr. Blanchard. According to Blanchard, the industry as a whole needs to look to the material collection systems to keep pace in order to satisfy cus- tomers’ requirements. “Increased regulation also has a part to play. Until then, the potential for bottle- to-bottle rPET will always be limited by the amount of recycled material available.” Appe’s PET recycling plant in Beaune, France, has increased its output to 35,000t Frédéric Blanchard, Plant Manager at Beaune, France