ALPLA PET plastic and Recycling economy

Austrian plastics and recycling center

When it comes to plastics our questions expected to be answered by experts might bring some clarity to these confused starts and finishes can be such as less plastic means that still this plastic needs to be recycled?

what happens to the packaging once the product is fully consumed? Do consumers know how to dispose of it? Does the packaging system allow a thorough removal of residues? Are there established recycling streams for the materials used? Can common sorting systems recognize the materials without issues? Do caps, labels, adhesives or inks reduce otherwise good recyclability? What barriers are truly necessary and what additives are most suitable for this without lowering the quality of the recycling stream? How should we design the packaging so that a high proportion of recycled material is brought back into the packaging? And if all that were not complex enough, design for recycling also requires that the packaging’s functionality be guaranteed. After all, we all know that the packaging’s handling, durability, product protection and logistics cannot suffer from the ideal recyclable packaging. I am fan of the new amenities like pills without plastic, but how about our milk, liquids, food and medical parts in need of plastic?

we are in need of a sophisticated plastic biodegradable comfortable to be collected, recycled, processed and reused

We are in need of 1.  a sophisticated type of plastic biodegradable or/and with option 2. To be easily collected, recycled, processed and reused. It is not in my intention to go deeper than I can understand but my voice will be always on for the suggestion for the plastic producers to implement in recycling dynamically. Since we know that PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), 2-HDPE (High-Density Polethylene) and Polypropylene (5-PP) are mainly used in the food industry, why the State does not harmonize usage and recycling through a particular law to facilitate both commercial utilization yet proper recycling? Wouldn’t be easier for coffee shops, delivery units, food industry to utilize a specific type of plastic and be obliged to collect in special waste bins for the Recycling units to deliver?

wouldn’t be easier for coffee shops, delivery units, food industry to utilize a specific type of plastic, obliged to collect in special waste bins for the Recycling units to deliver at no difficulty for separation?

I always loved Austria. I consider Austrians a mix of a superior race yet with the heart of the Mediterranean, or better said the Balcans. And now is the time to talk for a family business, ALPLA  in Austria to be introduced. At ALPLA Company, the development of a new packaging solution starts after its use. In other words, the recycling of a beverage or detergent container does not just start at collecting and sorting.

The production occurs the innovative packaging systems, bottles, closures and injection-moulded parts for a wide range of industries. The circular economy can only be made a closed loop when the materials used are compatible with the cycle and can be processed to be utilized again. This is what Alpla do through the affiliate Recycling Unit in care of planet’s sustainability. I wonder if Alpla Greece in my country operates a similar program of recycling and for sure will try to find out. Let’s introduce the brand now.

ALPLA is an innovative company producing innovative biodegradable packaging systems, bottles, closures and injection-moulded parts for a wide range of industries. Operating in 46 countries with 181 worldwide locations, the company remains a family business steeped in tradition, yet always looking towards the future. In the 1960s, company founder Alwin Lehner laid the foundations for the success of ALPLA through exceptional technical developments. Today, an entire team works exclusively on the future of plastic packaging. Innovation is an important topic at ALPLA. In order to constantly meet the current and future requirements in the packaging industry and stay ahead in the market, it is essential to come up with new ideas and solutions. This means developing original, advanced, more effective and sustainable solutions than there are on the market.

Packaging plays an important role in the goods we use in our daily lives. For example, it facilitates the transport of products and protects food from spoiling, so we can enjoy it for longer. Good packaging can actually keep prices down, since it reduces the cost of transport, distribution, storage, retailing and all types of food wastage. The optimisation of packaging certainly is a continuous and never-ending process. An important part of this process is the optimisation of resources. ALPLA is a remarkable company to offer everything from a single source throughout the world, from creative design and independent tool and mould construction through to process engineering, customers receive samples based on their specifications within just a few weeks of the initial briefing. This enables the customers to examine marketing ideas through consumer tests or to discontinue filling lines, for example and receive the advanced and market competitive packaging. ALPLA operates seven Technical Centers throughout the world – in Hard/Austria, Toluca/Mexico, Sao Paulo/Brazil, Atlanta/USA, Bangkok/Thailand, Shangai / China, and Hyderabad/India with technology experts develop plastic packaging from the initial idea through to the finished product.

To reduce CO2 emissions, ALPLA uses renewable energy sources, with own photovoltaic modules to produce electricity for their production processes worldwide. The Austrian sites obtain a large amount of electricity from alternative sources (water, sun). ALPLA has cooperation with a wind farm in Mexico, which covers over 60 per cent of its energy demands.

ALPLA operates its own recycling plants: PET Recycling Team with two sites in Austria and Poland, and in the form of joint ventures in Mexico and Germany. The annual capacity of these facilities is around 60,000 tonnes of food-grade rPET. The technology has now become so sophisticated that the production of rPET at Wöllersdorf (Austria) generates only one tenth of the greenhouse gas emissions of virgin materials. Recycling therefore has enormous potential and can play a major role in achieving global climate targets. IN the premises it is produced high-quality PET Regranulate out of PET Bottles through state-of-the-art technology. Then PET Regranulate is again used for the production of food packages, bottles for food and industry films or fibers. The spirit of „Bottle-To-Bottle“ is shown in the chart below – The PET Cycle. A smart process to perform the automatic sorting, washing, extrusion and quality check.

ALPLA cooperates with the family company Werner & Mertz, which specialises in cleaning and care products, has been a customer of ALPLA for over 20 years. Werner & Mertz also relied on our expertise in the production of recycled plastics and processing into new bottles for its recycling initiative. The result of this is sustainable packaging solutions that have received multiple international awards.

ALPLA developed the ‘Eco-Bottle’ for Arla Foods UK. This HDPE bottle is extremely light and uses around 20 per cent less materials across all container sizes. The recycling rate is up to 40 per cent. Other dairy businesses are now also using the Eco-Bottle. In cost-sensitive markets, this is a good and sustainable alternative to pouches. (Product: ultralight milk bottles made from HDPE, with up to 40 per cent recycled material)

The Slovenian drinks manufacturer Fructal implemented a closed loop with our help: used PET bottles are collected, processed into regranulate by the PET Recycling Team, which ALPLA uses to produce new drinks bottles. The recycling rate for bottles is 50 per cent. (Product: PET drinks bottles, 50 per cent rPET from used Fructal bottles)

Last year ALPLA joined forces with Swedish packaging materials provider BillerudKorsnäs to create a new joint venture and develop a sustainable paper bottle. The companies have formed a joint venture in the Danish paper bottle company Ecoxpac. BillerudKorsnäs is currently the majority owner and has been a shareholder in the firm since 2015. Once the transaction has been completed, both Alpla and BillerudKorsnäs will own equal parts. By combining their resources, Alpla and BillerudKorsnäs support Ecoxpac in the commercialisation of a fully bio-based and recyclable paper bottle, driving packaging innovation in a sustainable direction.

It is not easy to talk of plastic when you believe in sustainability and in public debate, plastic packaging is often associated with harmful plasticisers. Countless warnings can be found online: plastic bottles should not be left in cars in the summer because the heat can cause toxic substances to be released into the liquid. In addition, baby bottles allegedly contain the highly toxic bisphenol A (BPA) and should therefore not be used under any circumstances. If that is the case as stated above, the question now is which substances can really be found in plastic products? And just how harmful are they? At ALPLA Company they do not use or add harmful additives when manufacturing its packaging solutions. The type of plastic used most frequently by ALPLA is PET (polyethylene terephthalate). PET is transparent and is highly suited to use as packaging for foods and liquids. No harmful additives are needed to manufacture PET and also certainly not any plasticizers. The accusation is frequently levelled, however, that PET packaging contains acetaldehyde and that this is passed on to the food in harmful amounts. This is not the case. Acetaldehyde is a natural substance that occurs as an intermediate in many biological processes. For example, acetaldehyde can be found in foods such as fruit, fish and cheese, and sometimes has a major part to play in creating a fruity and aromatic flavor. It is also a by-product of alcohol being metabolized in the human body. High doses can be harmful to the organs but this equally applies to various day-to-day substances such as salt and pepper. And the PET Recycling Team makes interesting the recycling part.

Wouldn’t be a solution in the globe for a homogeneous material utilized in food and cosmetic industry to make a sense in terms of costs the devoted recycling center and reproduction of same materials? By this Governments would be able to fund a program considering prototype units like this one of ALPLA and Recycling Center.  http://www.petrecyclingteam.com/en

enjoy darlings 

Axiom by ECODNA.ART
Nomadic Lifestyle Blog & Mobile Magazine and Life Daily, by the Global Visionary Citizen Maria Bakalakou, a Seanomad in Bohemian Living, in care of Peace and Multiculturalism, Planet Sustainability through Evolutionary Projects. Superyacht Frantic & Pro supporting interfaith initiatives, solidarity, sustainable communities.

Follow @ecodna.art in media to join our multicultural community

Bridges in cultures and coexistence. Human Solidarity. Modesty, tolerance, knowledge. Coexistence and Sustainability. Good health & Peace upon you!