APR recognizes innovations that support plastics recycling
APR recognizes innovations that support plastics recycling
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The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), Washington, recently recognized four innovations in plastics recycling as part of the 2019 APR Plastics Recycling Showcase. The event was held during the 2019 Plastics Recycling Conference and Trade Show in National Harbor, Maryland, March 11-13.
The APR says it developed the showcase to highlight and promote industry-leading innovations that have a positive effect on plastics collection and recycling. In determining the showcase, the APR focuses on recently commercialized innovations developed by its member companies.
Four companies were honored this year:
- Circular Polymers, Lincoln, California, is recycling carpeting using Cleveland-area company Broadview Group International’s rotary impact separator to mechanically disassemble the carpet into its primary components: face fiber, backing fiber and adhesive. The company is creating clean low-ash fibers or polymer pellets.
- SKC Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of South Korea-based SK Group, developed the washable ink shrink sleeve (WISS) made with SKC’s Ecolabel film for use on Colgate’s Palmolive Oxy Dishwash bottles. The WISS uses SKC’s crystallizable PET copolymer film that is compatible with the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle recycling stream.
- Cincinnati-based MCC’s deseaming shrink-sleeve labels use a special seam adhesive that is designed to release its bond when exposed to a mild caustic solution in the whole bottle wash portion of the recycling process. They are used on Vitafusion MultiVites and improve the recyclability of PET containers by reducing misidentification of PET containers during sorting and opportunities for contamination in recovered PET flake.
- Cleveland-based PolyOne Corp. developed its SmartHeat RHC reheat technology for PET bottles. The additive is designed to be added at the injection-molding phase as a liquid dispersion. In the recycling process, the additive aids in the reduction of yellowing and can allow for increased recycled PET (rPET) content.
A committee comprised of APR members representing a variety of roles within the value chain selected the winners.
“Innovation in packaging design and recycling technology continue to drive the growth of plastics recycling,” says John Standish, APR technical director. “These and other innovations are particularly critical at a time when recyclers are dealing with a tremendous evolution in packaging design and the evolving ton of material in the recycling stream.”
“As plastic packaging continues to come under attack, it is innovations like these that exemplify how the recycling industry is continually working to address the issues of sustainability and to reinforce the message that recycling is the key to plastic packaging and container sustainability,” says Steve Alexander, APR president. “The annual Showcase program is yet another demonstration of how the recycling industry works to address and solve issues relative to the recyclability of plastic packaging. We applaud these companies and all the companies who have participated in the past to support this dynamic and technology-focused industry.”
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Source: Recycling Today
APR recognizes innovations that support plastics recycling
<![CDATA[The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), Washington, recently recognized four innovations in plastics recycling as part of the 2019 APR Plastics Recycling Showcase. The event was held during the 2019 Plastics Recycling Conference and Trade Show in National Harbor, Maryland, March 11-13.The APR says it developed the showcase to highlight and promote industry-leading innovations that have a positive effect on plastics collection and recycling. In determining the showcase, the APR focuses on recently commercialized innovations developed by its member companies. Four companies were honored this year:Circular Polymers, Lincoln, California, is recycling carpeting using Cleveland-area company Broadview Group International’s rotary impact separator to mechanically disassemble the carpet into its primary components: face fiber, backing fiber and adhesive. The company is creating clean low-ash fibers or polymer pellets.SKC Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of South Korea-based SK Group, developed the washable ink shrink sleeve (WISS) made with SKC’s Ecolabel film for use on Colgate’s Palmolive Oxy Dishwash bottles. The WISS uses SKC’s crystallizable PET copolymer film that is compatible with the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle recycling stream.Cincinnati-based MCC’s deseaming shrink-sleeve labels use a special seam adhesive that is designed to release its bond when exposed to a mild caustic solution in the whole bottle wash…