Sidel, a provider of equipment, services and solutions for packaging, has opened a new hub dedicated to PET recycling in Octeville, France.

At its small-scale PET recycling pilot line, Sidel will develop its understanding within the field with the aim of giving comprehensive support to the market as it transitions to greater use of recycled PET (rPET).

The line will enable Sidel to develop its knowledge about the recycling of food-contact PET bottles. The company will assess the impact of additives and primary packaging materials on rPET resin and aims for the facility to become a reference for raw material producers, recyclers and recycling regulatory organisations.

Sidel global packaging expert, Naima Boutroy, said: “There is a big move towards recycled PET, but demand is outstripping supply”.

Boutroy continued: “The market still has a lot to learn and we can provide valuable insights. There is variability in recycled PET resin grades, and standardisation is still in development. We need to address this to create the best possible finished bottles. Our line will test the recyclability of post-consumer PET bottles from different feedstocks, including additives and caps as well as labels, inks and glue.

“We will be working with traditional Sidel customers such as brand owners, converters and co-packers, as well as other suppliers like raw material producers, recyclers and regulatory organisations, to enable the scaling-up of rPET capacity. We can also check if any innovations comply with bottle-to-bottle recycling.”

Sidel will give the packaging industry the opportunity to access a fully equipped pilot line. This line covers every step of the recycling process: from washing, drying and pellet extrusion, to solid-state polymerisation.

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