PETpla.net Insider 05 / 2015

MATERIAL / RECYCLING 20 PET planet insider Vol. 16 No. 05/15 www.petpla.net Petcore Europe organised a Recycling Rigid PET Thermoforms workshop on March 11, 2015, in Brussels. Brussels workshop shares best practice on PET thermoform recycling Petcore Europe’s workshop on the Recycling of Rigid PET Thermoforms involved fifty leaders and experts from across the European PET value chain. PET producers, 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 Indorama’s Wim Hoenderdaal, one of the organisers. “It is the only large-scale example in which the circle is closed at the high- est level; new high quality packaging can be made out of recycled resin.” Recycled PET is used to make new bottles and thermoforms, particularly PET thermoforms – mainly trays. They are produced with an r-PET (recycled PET) content that is often above 70%, while fully complying with food contact regulations. The one-day workshop covered the current situation in various coun- tries, including Germany, Belgium, UK and France, and was structured in three parts: Collection and Sorting; Packaging Technologies; and Recy- cling Technologies. Each session was followed by a 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,” said Patrick Peuch, Executive Director of Petcore Europe. “The goal of this workshop was to build and promote a working group to specifically update the state-of-the-art in PET thermoform lifecycle, including design-for-recy- cling, packaging technologies, collec- tion, sorting and recycling technolo- gies.” Petcore Europe believes that this workshop marks the establish- ment of a technical platform that will see the most important players of the industry working together to further improve the recycling of PET. Petcore Europe, which is based in Brussels, is the trade association that represents the whole European PET value chain. Its mission is to ensure that the industry and its associations are aligned to deliver increased value and sustainable growth of the value chain, to ensure that PET is posi- tioned and recognised as an environ- mentally sustainable packaging mate- rial, to validate and support innovative packaging solutions from a recycling perspective and to work with all inter- ested parties to ensure the sustain- able growth of PET post-consumer collection and recycling. www.petcore.org