TRADE SHOW REVIEW PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 07+08/23 www.petpla.net 36 PETplanet: The rPET share of the Vöslauer returnable bottle is currently 30%. The company would like to use a higher proportion of recyclate. But since the logistics chains were reorganised after Covid in the second half of 2022, virgin PET is very cheap in Europe and is displacing PET recyclates. The still high inflation is also depressing consumption. Recyclers are left with a lot of material on their hands. How do you assess the current situation? Hagspiel: You are right - the current price for new PET is a real challenge for recyclers and the critical market situation is exacerbated by reduced consumption in the private sector. The first recycling plants in Germany have already had to stop production due to the current sales and price situation. But we are facing another big challenge or rather a new danger. It is the import of rPET from countries outside the EU. The material is cheaper than the material produced within the EU. Yet we have no certainty about the origin of the material, while the EU is demanding ever stricter documentation and proof of the origin and quality of rPET or other types of recyclates. At Alpla, we are countering this trend by expanding our own recycling plants. In this way, we want to ensure that we can continue to provide our customers with sufficient high-quality recyclates in the future to meet the ambitious targets set by the EU and other requirements. PETplanet: For Donat Mg mineral water in Slovenia, Alpla has developed a closed-loop system with its own recycling facilities. This closed loop makes them independent. The Slovenian government is still discussing whether and when to introduce a DRS system. In your opinion, what should a longterm strategy for the PET recycling system look like? Hagspiel: The deposit system (DRS) as an extended producer responsibility (EPR) model will be an integrated long-term strategy for recycling at a high quality level. In general, what has no monetary value has no value to the individual citizen. Sorry to put it this way, but money seems to be the most effective (maybe even the only) incentive to return the bottle. In Germany, we have a 97 per cent return rate for PET bottles through the deposit system. This clearly shows that this route can work and, of course, also enables us as recyclers to get hold of more material. However, it is important that returned bottles also become bottles again and that the material is not downcycled, which unfortunately often happens at present. We will also have a DRS system for other materials - as we currently have for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and batteries in several EU countries. France will or has already integrated EPR systems for DIY and toys. This is a very important step towards a stronger circular economy. Why various EU member states are hesitant may be due to the projected costs of the system. But the environmental cost of “doing nothing” will be much higher! PETplanet: Laws and directives can provide investment security for the economy. What is your opinion on the EU directives such as the SUP & PPWD for the plastic packaging industry? What are the challenges for the relevant stakeholders like producers, retailers and consumers? Hagspiel: As you mentioned, EU regulations are a challenge for the plastics industry. Currently, EU regulations focus mainly on plastic and largely neglect other packaging materials. We call for fair competition for all packaging materials. The only basis for accepting or banning a packaging should be the carbon footprint or, more generally, the environmental footprint of a product or packaging material. So here we are definitely advocating for eco-modelling and we are also advocating for it at the EU level. Because, for example, producing a combination of paper with a non-recyclable plastic layer just to avoid or minimise a plastic tax is definitely the wrong way to go and does not lead to a successful circular economy. Retailers are the direct link to the consumer, and they are also affected by the SUPD and PPWR. For example, they need to offer reusable packaging. When we look at the end consumer, we need to offer them a convenient way to be part of the circular economy and raise awareness that all empty packaging is valuable raw material, even if we have to do this through a deposit scheme. PETplanet: Alpla has not limited itself to the classic PET bottle for the use of rPET. rPET is also used in thin wall injection moulding and thin wall extrusion blow moulding. The entire packaging market is covered. In addition to PET or rPET packaging, Alpla is also developing alternative packaging material that is bio-based or paper-based. For what applications is the material intended? What is the proportion of bio- and paper-based material in current production? Hagspiel: At Alpla, we are always looking for the best solution for our customers. And we notice that the demand for alternative material is increasing. Therefore, we are also looking for the best solution in this area. For PET, the only recycled material (rPET) that can be used for direct contact with food and nutrients, we have to meet the recycling target of the EU regulations. And with the development of thin-wall injection moulding, we are on the right track of this strategy. The question of paper-based or bio-based material is part of the same strategy. Why are we working on this? Because we are providing the solution for our customers and developing the packaging that is an integrated part of the circular economy. The paper bottle we develop must be recyclable in the paper recycling stream. When it comes to biopolymers, we have to distinguish between biobased and/or biodegradable. The biodegradable materials will play a role in very specific niches, for example, coffee capsules or tea bags. Currently, however, these packages cannot be industrially composted together with the (used) contents, tea or coffee. This is because they take longer to degrade than the turnaround time in professional composting plants. In this area, we at Alpla have launched a coffee capsule that is home compostable - with the used contents and the fleece. However, material
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