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Package Design for Easy Recycling - How to Increase the Recyclability of Plastic Packages?
Package Design for Easy Recycling - How to Increase the Recyclability of Plastic Packages?
Packaging plastics consist of around 36% of all plastics produced. It is undeniable that plastic packages are favorable because they keep our many products and food safe, and extend their shelf life. However, nearly 85% of plastic packaging materials end up in landfills as plastic waste. Reducing the negative impacts of packaging plastic waste on the environment and economy is possible through the package design for easy recycling. We can also extend the lifecycles of plastics with efficient plastic recycling machines.
Tips for designing plastic packages for easy recycling
Designing plastic packages through easy recycling can be achievable in several ways as we mention below. Implementing these elements will be extremely helpful for increasing the recycling rate of packaging plastics and reducing plastic waste.
1. Using mono-material packaging
Mono-material packages refer the packages made from a single type of plastic. It is easier to recycle them, and the final recycled pellets made from them are more likely to be pure and similar to virgin material characteristics.
2. Avoiding mixed materials usage
On the contrary, using mixed materials in packaging reduces recycling efficiency and limits the application fields of recycled pellets. Such as laminated films are one of the common examples of mixed material packaging.
3. Choosing materials that are easy to recycle
Some plastics are more easily recyclable than others. Using plastic materials that are widely accepted in recycling programs and commonly used in plastic packaging such as PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, CPP, OPP, and PS can help these kinds of materials circulate in the economy through recycling.
4. Using minimal ink and labels
Additional inks in the plastic packaging materials turn into gas during the recycling process. This negatively affects the pellet quality. Especially paper labels and their glues can also negatively affect the purity of the material and/or can cause material loss during recycling.
5. Designing for disassembly
Plastic packages might consist of several different parts that are made of different materials and required to be recycled separately. Designing packages that can be easily disassembled into their parts not only saves time and effort but also increases the amount of plastic recycled. Easy-to-remove glue-less plastic bottle labels can be a common example of this.
Plastic pelletizer tips to increase the lifecycle of packaging plastics
Plastic pelletizers are the most important components of the recycling process. For recycling packaging plastics several times to boost their circulation in the economy, plastic pelletizers must be efficient and economical.
The following are the crucial points to consider while buying a plastic pelletizer.
1. Consistent feeding for higher and stable yield
( Cutter compactor Integration )
Different types of waste plastic materials require different feeding systems to gain maximum performance from the pelletizer. For instance, POLYSTAR’s cutter compactor integrated plastic pelletizer Repro-Flex is a good choice for processing soft and fluffy packaging plastics such as film and bags. Soft materials fed to this recycling system without pre-cutting will be reduced by size, compacted, and preconditioned by the cutter compactor to increase the feeding amount.
( Shredder Integration )
On the other hand, while shredder-integrated plastic pelletizer Repro-One provides a similar solution with its single shaft shredder for uncrushed PP raffia, woven bags, and rigid packaging plastics in terms of feeding efficiency; hopper-feeding plastic pelletizer Repro-Direct provides direct feeding for regrinds and flakes of plastic packaging materials.
2. Efficient degassing for removing ink and gas to increase product quality
The ink, moisture, and trapped air in the material turn to gas in the extruder during recycling. Gas is unwanted in the final pellets because it will decrease the quality of the plastic products made of them. Such as decreasing product strength, and elongation. POLYSTAR solves this problem with single and double-vented (triple-vented for two-stage pelletizers) vacuum degassing system options, resulting in degassed high-quality pellets.
3. Enhanced filtration for the purer recycled pellets
Having a good filtration system to filter out contaminants for obtaining purer recycled pellets is also crucial in plastic recycling. POLYSTAR’s dual piston filtration system provides a wider filtration area, filter changing without stopping the machine, and no material loss during the mesh changing. Upon customers’ need a back-flush filter or a third-party advanced filter integration can be provided.
4. Stable pellet cutting system for highly reusable recycled pellets
POLYSTAR water ring pelletizer (die head pelletizing) system provides uniform shape and size pellets with automatic pelletizing knife speed and pressure adjustment. In the plastic production by these plastic granules, the heat will be applied to them in the extruders equally and from all sides. This will provide equal melting, smooth material flow, and prevention of plastic overcooking in the extruders.
Conclusion
Recycled pellets obtained from easy-to-recycle packaging materials have higher reusability. Because these purer, less or even not contaminated recycled pellets can satisfy the requirements for plastic production similar to or even the same as virgin materials.
Even though not all packaging plastics are easy to recycle, POLYSTAR provides efficient packaging plastic recycling solutions to increase the lifecycle of the packaging plastics, through continuous re-engineering to make recycling simple for plastic package producers and recyclers.
About the Author
Resul Gökpınar
International SalesResul creates up-to-date content based on his experience, gained by solving customers' problems in Turkey and the EMEA market.