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Circularity Study on PET Bottle-To-Bottle Recycling

Author

Listed:
  • Elisabeth Pinter

    (Department of Applied Life Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Helmut-Qualtinger-Gasse 2, 1030 Vienna, Austria)

  • Frank Welle

    (Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging, Giggenhauser Straße 35, 85354 Freising, Germany)

  • Elisa Mayrhofer

    (Department for Microbiology and Cell Culture, OFI–Austrian Research Institute for Chemistry and Technology, Franz-Grill-Straße 5, Object 213, 1030 Vienna, Austria)

  • Andreas Pechhacker

    (Starlinger & Co GmbH, Sonnenuhrgasse 4, 1060 Vienna, Austria)

  • Lukas Motloch

    (Starlinger & Co GmbH, Sonnenuhrgasse 4, 1060 Vienna, Austria)

  • Vera Lahme

    (Eunomia, 37 Queen Square, Bristol BS1 4QS, UK)

  • Andy Grant

    (Eunomia, 37 Queen Square, Bristol BS1 4QS, UK)

  • Manfred Tacker

    (Department of Applied Life Sciences, FH Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Helmut-Qualtinger-Gasse 2, 1030 Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

With the European Green Deal, the importance of recycled products and materials has increased. Specifically, for PET bottles, a high content of recycled material (rPET) is demanded by the industry and consumers. This study was carried out in a lab environment replicating real-life industrial processes, to investigate the possible impacts on rPET quality over eleven recycling loops, aiming to use high amounts of rPET repetitively. A cycle included extrusion, solid state polycondensation (SSP), a second extrusion to simulate bottle production, hot wash and a drying step. 75% rPET and 25% virgin PET were extruded in eleven cycles to simulate a recycling and production process. Samples underwent chemical, physical and biological analysis. The quality of the rPET material was not adversely affected. Parameters such as coloring, intrinsic viscosity, concentration of critical chemicals and presence of mutagenic contaminants could be positively assessed. The quality of the produced material was likely influenced by the input material’s high standard. A closed loop PET bottle recycling process using an rPET content of up to 75% was possible when following the proposed process, indicating that this level of recycled content can be maintained indefinitely without compromising quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Elisabeth Pinter & Frank Welle & Elisa Mayrhofer & Andreas Pechhacker & Lukas Motloch & Vera Lahme & Andy Grant & Manfred Tacker, 2021. "Circularity Study on PET Bottle-To-Bottle Recycling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-15, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:13:p:7370-:d:586499
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Erik Pauer & Bernhard Wohner & Victoria Heinrich & Manfred Tacker, 2019. "Assessing the Environmental Sustainability of Food Packaging: An Extended Life Cycle Assessment including Packaging-Related Food Losses and Waste and Circularity Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-21, February.
    2. Luc Alaerts & Michael Augustinus & Karel Van Acker, 2018. "Impact of Bio-Based Plastics on Current Recycling of Plastics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-15, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sameh Al-Shihabi & Mahmoud Barghash, 2023. "A System Dynamic Model for Polyethylene Terephthalate Supply Chain in the United Arab Emirates—Status, Projections, and Environmental Impacts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-14, August.
    2. Wankmüller, Christian & Pulsfort, Johannes & Kunovjanek, Maximilian & Polt, Romana & Craß, Stefan & Reiner, Gerald, 2023. "Blockchain-based tokenization and its impact on plastic bottle supply chains," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).

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