PETpla.net Insider 04 / 2017

TRADE SHOW REVIEW PET planet Insider Vol. 18 No. 04/17 www.petpla.net 64 Petcore Europe Conference 2017 on “PET 2020 - The future of the PET industry” Opportunities and challenges of PET packaging “In all its ongoing activities, Pet- core Europe is already well engaged as a significant contributor to the Circular Economy,” emphasised Patrick Peuch, Executive Director of Petcore Europe, who moderated the event. “PET is one of brand owners’ packaging materials of choice due to its outstanding performance in safely delivering products and its recyclabil- ity.” However, the PET value chain is also facing major challenges that were reflected in the conference debates. PET packaging 2020 From the PET producers’ side, Antonello Ciotti, Vice President of CPME (Committee of PET Manu- facturers in Europe) started with a business overview on PET global demand and the European market. He also emphasised the reasons why PET is one of the most sustainable packaging materials: beverages and food protection avoiding wastage, resource savings due to light weight, outstanding LCA and carbon footprint and its full recyclability. He also pre- sented the challenges posed by the Circular Economy, including shifting from fossil to bio-based PET. These challenges will require innovation from all actors and the PET produc- ers are committed to take part in this effort. Nicolas Rivollet from Husky and Carsten Lauridsen from Faerch Plast focused their respective presentations on the trends in PET packaging and design, while illustrating past and future developments. “In 2020 we expect to see 5% more bottles per ton of PET in a bale of recycled bottles: this results from the combination of the slow to negative growth of Carbonates Soft Drinks, an increased share of low volume formats and resin efficiency gains for a given format,” explained Rivollet. “Small CSD, juice sport drinks & teas, liquid dairy, home, personal care and food packag- ing currently represent the next frontier for PET: these applications require more engineered PET packages and the number of those packages could double by 2020.” Lauridsen showed a spec- tacular vacuum skin packed sirloin with a shelf life increase from 6 to 16 days and a food waste reduction from 34% to 18% in stores. Finally, leading brand owners out- lined their perspective on PET packaging and sustainability. Gian de Belder and Johannes Burghaus from Procter & Gamble as well as Françoise Poulat from Danone explained their respec- tive companies’ sustainability packag- ing solutions and innovations. P&G presented a range of new packaging such a PET aerosols and its new Head and Shoulders shampoo bottle made from recycled plastics collected from beach clean-ups. Danone emphasised their efforts in using recycled PET, while insuring food safety compliance, using eco-design tools in new projects, and considering bioplastics in the future. PET sustainability 2020 During the afternoon session, speakers from the European Com- mission, the European Environmental Bureau and the Ellen MacArthur Foun- dation were invited to give an outlook on the future environment in which the PET industry will operate. Focus- ing on the implementation of a Circular Economy, they emphasised the need for increasing recycling rates and also discussed critical environmental chal- lenges such as marine litter. In this context, Eric Liégeois from the European Commission presented the recently published roadmap for the Strategy on Plastics in a Circular Econ- omy, currently open for public feedback. He emphasised the three critical inter- In February, 160 delegates from the entire PET value chain from Europe and beyond convened in Brussels, Belgium, for the annual Petcore Europe Conference 2017. Under the theme “PET 2020 – The future of the PET industry” visions were presented and exchanged. Additionally, speakers from the European Commission, the European Environmental Bureau and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation gave an out- look on the development of the Circular Economy and other environmental challenges ahead.