PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2021

MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 03/21 www.petpla.net 23 +44 (0) 1254 584210 sales@petmachinery.com petmachinery.com Active for over 25 years, our global network and specialist knowledge makes us the go-to company for the sale or purchase of a PET machine. Commercially savvy, we work closely with our customers and our global network, to make sure everyone gets the best deal. Providing comprehensive advice throughout your sale or purchase; we can arrange dismantling, loading, packing, shipping, specialist insurance and commissioning. If you have amachine to sell or you’re looking to purchase, please get in touch. THE INDUSTRY EXPERTS PET used, the result can be anything from grey or pale yellow, to blue or greenish. The more recycled content the bottle has, the darker the end colour will appear. The Anti Yellow range comprises different liquid addi- tives able to balance the appearance of variations in material and to regain brightness, correct a greenish or grey- ish tone. Mechanical challenges instead include a drop of the Intrinsic Vis- cosity (IV) when using rPET. This happens because PET, after several production cycles, due to degrada- tion, shows a reduction in the molec- ular weight: Its chains are shorter, and the final product is mechanically weaker. Repi’s IV enhancer combine shorter molecular chain to longer ones, thus increasing the IV of the material. Besides additives, colours can also come to the rescue. When a very dark rPET is used and an Anti-Yellow additive is not enough, corrections through colour may be crucial. Repi’s Fumè colour range is made of shades like ambers, light blues, greens or greys, that are used at very low dosages (as low as 0.05%) so not to impact the recy- cling stream. The entire value chain of plastic packaging has been working hard and constantly for many years on making plastic recyclable and recy- cled. Now more than ever, coop- eration and constructive approaches are crucial. Instead of blaming one packaging solution against the other, let us prepare for the “roaring 20s” with renewed energy and focus on what “delivering the circular economy” means, without forgetting the carbon footprint impact of our choices. This is the only way to get to structured solu- tions that will be effective and positive in the long run. www.repi.com Reducing, reusing, recycling, and refitting One way can be choosing addi- tives and colours that add perfor- mance and aesthetics while having negligible impact on its recyclabil- ity. This is at the basis of the Refit concept. Repi as a global colour and additive solutions supplier to the pack- aging industry is strongly promoting its vision on circular economy, by adding a 4 th “R” to the three well known: reducing, reusing, recycling and refit- ting. Refit means having an all-round approach to carbon footprint contribu- tion. Protagonist is the liquid colour and additive technology that can be defined as a low carbon footprint tech- nology. Why? A few main reasons can be found:  Process: The manufacturing pro- cess of a liquid colour/additive is energy efficient since no high temperatures are needed to blend carriers (that are already liquid) with pigments or dyes. Regardless from the specific production cycle, all processes happen at room tem- perature.  Logistics: The high concentration of liquids leads to less space needed for transport and therefore signifi- cant CO 2 saving.  Stockage of liquids at the custom- er’s site is highly space efficient, reducing space needed in ware- house. Refit comprises additives and colours that are dedicated to plastic recycling and offer a broad-spectrum support in the form of aesthetics enhancers and mechanical boost- ers: Anti Yellow (AY) additives and IV enhancers. The colour of rPET varies a lot from supplier to supplier (and even from one batch to the other) and depending on the ratio of recycled