EMMTEC services has released a ‘ White Paper which provides insightful data on ” how to control the product quality of recycled PET polymer and packaging” . In addition, the right set of chemical analyses techniques to detect relevant substances and PET properties are discussed.
During PET production, product use and PET recycling, the PET product quality can deteriorate significantly by:
Thermal degradation
The presence of solid contaminants.
The presence of taste & hazardous substances (such as resp. limonene & benzene)
Discolouration that affects the PET product appearance in visibility applications.
Therefore, cost-effective processing and obtaining the right and safe recycled PET quality is essential for both PET recyclers, PET packaging manufacturers and brand owners. Chemical analyses techniques are vital to monitor and control the quality of the PET polymers and packaging. It contributes to improve product safety risks and saving costs.
The White Paper explains in-depth how:
Substances such as limonene, benzene & acetaldehyde are frequently present in rPET. Typical limonene, benzene & acetaldehyde concentrations in rPET detected by EMMTEC are 0.1, 0.05 and 0.5 mg/kg (ppm), respectively.
PET flakes and recycled PET typically contain respectively 113,000 and 14,000 particle contaminations. This is respectively 64 and 8 times more than present in virgin PET! The more particle contaminations, the more haziness in rPET packaging. The unique EMMTEC Partisol analysis method detects contaminations in PET and helps PET recyclers & packaging makers to improve the product quality. How the color and intrinsic viscosity change by recycling PET.
Co-authors: Mr. Emiel Klootsema and Mr. Fred Odolphy,
Sign in to download the full paper
Mr. Jan Willem Slijkoord is a material scientist and entrepreneur. During his 25-year career, he has worked for various organizations active in process technology including Akzo Nobel, Tata Steel, Norit Activated Carbon, EMMTEC services and for the Dutch National Laboratory of applied sciences, TNO. Mr. Slijkoord has a strong circular affinity to make "something" out of "nothing". That's why he has founded CiorC in 2015. CiorC is a tech startup that develops sustainable technology and links it to high-quality circular businesses. CiorC is currently developing new chemical recycling technology for plastics and textiles. In addition, CiorC develops & delivers sustainable materials for 3Dprinting applications, such as InnoCircle 100% recycled and food-compliant PET and low-warping biobased, soil- and marine degradable polyester-based polymers.
EMMTEC AT A GLANCE
EMMTEC helps companies run their business processes efficiently and effectively. We do so at the emmtec Industry & Businesspark in Emmen, at other sites in the Netherlands and in foreign countries. As a company with more than 65 years of experience and some 350 enthusiastic employees, we supply utilities and services in the fields of engineering, laboratory analysis and logistics. We provide innovative products and services that satisfy your requirements across a broad spectrum, varying from power generation to water treatment, tank cleaning to warehousing and process optimisation to laboratory analysis. Solutions that make your company stronger, smarter and more efficient.