PETpla.net Insider 04 / 2019

MATERIALS / RECYCLING PET planet Insider Vol. 20 No. 04/19 www.petpla.net 25 PETplanet talked to Roberta Gualtieri, Marketing Manager at Sipa PETplanet: This was the first time Sipa had taken part in the Petcore conference. What was the crucial factor that led to your decision? Roberta Gualtieri: It was the first time Sipa took part to the Petcore conference and the crucial factor behind this decision is Sipa’s aim to promote a different approach to the reuse and extension of plastic packaging life. Sipa in fact is engaged in a complete and coherent project for the reduction of environmental footprint of plastic and is highly committed to combine environmental sustainability and economic development. With Xtreme Renew, Sipa is ready with a technology that can close the loop for the Circular Economy. Not only it is 100% sustainable but it brings back countless advantages for the user: Energy savings: -30% (only 0.58 kWh/kg PET); CO ² emissions: -60% (compared to virgin resin); Advantage in logistics: -20% (logistics and transportation costs). PETplanet: What were you expecting from the confer- ence and have your expectations been fulfilled? Roberta Gualtieri: Yes, expectations were fulfilled as we were searching for a more comprehensive understanding about legislation, collection issues and recycling production chain. PETplanet: What are the challenges you see in the PET bottling industry over the next 10 years? Roberta Gualtieri: Within the industry, we all know that plastic packaging materials, and PET in first place, offer major benefits with their abilities to keep foods fresh, reduce energy consumption in transport and handling, and improve safety. PET packaging is already more sustainable than many other forms of packaging, but graphic images that demonstrate the results of the irresponsible and unthinking disposal of plastics packaging – massive floating islands of plastics in our seas, despoiled beaches and countryside, suffering wildlife and so on – are leading to a public backlash. We need to improve the culture of bringing back more post-consumer PET as only in this way we can demonstrate the real value of the plastic packaging as it can undoubtedly become a source of wealth and not a source of environmental contamination with its misusage. In synthesis, proper collection and sorting together with education are the biggest challenges. www.sipasolutions.com motan-colortronic gmbh - info@motan-colortronic.de www.motan-colortronic.com ETA plus® considerably reduces energy consumption and protects materials. Drying has never been this efficient: ETA plus ® LUXOR A Vist us: 09. - 11. 04. 2019 Hall 4, Stand 4-230 ture a milk bottle, closure and label all from sustainable sources, and fill it with organic milk The resulting pack is believed to be one of the first bio-based milk packages in Europe. The first production run at the dairy producer was made in autumn 2018, and the packs can now be found on the supermarket shelves already. We are currently in close contact with key resin suppliers and recyclers to under- stand and to align HDPE recycling activities/initiatives. In general we need to overcome the challenges, that HDPE passes food approval (odour, taste), that quality will be suf- ficient to ensure high performance of closures and colour varieties will be possible. www.bericap.com