MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 10/21 www.petpla.net 16 RECYCLING PETplanet: During the pandemic, work was cut back and tightly managed in many companies. You, on the other hand, expanded. Can you please briefl y explain what investments you have made and what might be next on the agenda? Strasser: Increased demand for resource-saving recycling prompted us to invest in expanding our facilities despite the Covid crisis. This involved extending the outdoor and storage areas and increasing production capacity with a second granulation plant, which can produce 2 t/h of food-grade PET recyclate. An additional label removal system prior to wet washing helps in improving the cleansing process. In addition, the silo facility for washed flakes was expanded as a storage unit before food-grade processing. With these investments, we have not only ensured the seamless and resourcesaving recycling of PET bottles but also created eight additional jobs. PETplanet: From which area do you obtain the bale goods that are processed by you? Strasser: The demand for recyclable PET bottles is very high throughout Europe. These recyclates can be used in all applications, even if high-quality recycling is no longer possible afterwards. Therefore, PET to PET must also source bottle bales from all over Europe, as far as transport costs will allow. PETplanet: How long does a process take from the fi rst processing step of the baled goods to the compounded rPET ready for delivery? Strasser: The recycling operation takes 10-12 hours, depending on the process used. Two different techniques are used to convert PET bottles into PET flakes or PET granules. One plant thoroughly washes PET flakes using patented URRC (United Resource Recovery Cooperation) technology while in the second, PET is melted down and processed into granules. This produces quality that meets the highest food standards. PETplanet: In the EU, an average of 25% rPET content in bottles will become mandatory from 2025, with some brands pledging themselves to 100% rPET. In your eyes, what is the most appropriate recycled content ratio to ensure good material quality in the long term? Strasser: Many manufacturers have increased recyclate usage rates in recent years, with new bottles now being produced from 100% recyclate. It ultimately all comes down to the average value that is fi xed on the market as a whole. As is readily apparent, a 100% closed loop for all bottles is neither realistically achievable nor sustainable. Based on previous experience, we believe a sensible recyclate usage rate of 50% on average is reasonable in order to ensure consistent material quality over a long period of time. This includes very ambitious quotas of 100%, as well as very low ones of less than 30%. The average value that emerges on the market is relevant in all this. PETplanet: When Europe switches to 25% rPET initially and 30% rPET from 2030 onwards, the demand for food-grade material will also continue to increase. Can you imagine opening more locations? Strasser: Such options cannot be ruled out but there are currently no specifi c plans to do so. In any case, further expansion of the bottle-to-bottle cycle of the PET beverage bottle will require additional capacity for high-quality recycling plants. PETplanet: Which “design for recycling” aspects, implemented in PET bottles, would make your work easier - or which additives, colourants, material combinations… are the most challenging to recycle? Strasser: Any change or modifi cation to the molecular structure of PET is problematic. This applies both to PET bottles, sorted by colour and pressed into large bales. One bale weighs about 250 kg and contains around 10,000 PET bottles. (Photo: Andi Bruckner) PET to PET recycles bottles from all over Europe. (Photo: Andi Bruckner)
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