In the wake of dwindling petroleum resources and the ongoing sustainability debate, the recycling of plastics is gaining more and more attention. The so-called recyclates - recyclable plastics made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) are particularly interesting for the packaging industry. Plastic recycling of this kind is no longer just a theoretical idea, but has great practical significance. We have worked out for you in this article how this plays out and what future the market around recyclates could have.

Take a look at our blog! There you will find exciting information about recycling and our products.

What are recyclates?

Resources such as pet roleum are scarce. Many products that we can no longer imagine our daily lives without are manufactured on the basis of petroleum. Bottles and containers made of plastic are among these products, which are indispensable in many areas.

Therefore, plastic waste is a valuable resource in its own right. Non-recyclable plastic waste pollutes the environment because it is often disposed of uncontrollably on land and in bodies of water. By itself, plastic decomposes very slowly. A plastic bag takes about 10 to 20 years to decompose.

However, this does not mean that the problem has disappeared from the environment. Plastic waste deposited in the sea, for example, sinks to the seabed as microplastics after decomposition. The consequences for flora and fauna, and not least for humans, are dramatic.

Microplastics are increasingly being found in soils, waters, and animal and human tissues. This means that microplastics do not dissolve. It is therefore more than obvious to develop recycling processes that solve the plastic problem from different angles.

Recyclates are created as secondary plastics from plastics that have previously been included in the recycling loop at least once. This means that these products made of PET, PE or PP have already been disposed of at least once. After being recycled, they are used to manufacture new products.

Recyclates are recycled plastics that are reused in production processes after initial disposal.

What are the different types of recyclates?

Not all recyclates are the same. When recycling disposed plastic waste, three different types of recyclates are produced:

1. The ground material is obtained by simply grinding Plastic. The process produces plastic particles in the particle size of 2 to 5 mm. Completely pure Plastic often does not arise in this process, dust particles may also be present. Therefore, the ground material is not easy to further process.
   
2. The regranulate is produced from regrind in a melting process. With uniform particle size and freedom from dust particles, this recycled plastic is excellent for further processing.
3. Regrind is also produced by a melting process. It differs from the regranulate by additives which can lead to desired additional properties. Apart from the intended additives, a uniform particle size free of dust particles is also produced here.

Production of recyclates

The production of recyclates takes place at various levels. In the industrial sector, manufacturing companies today often already recycle production residues and waste generated in the manufacturing process of plastic products on site.

In these in-house recycling processes, too, the experts end up talking about recyclates. Strictly speaking, the term does not fully apply here, as this recycled material has never been in use before. It is the recycling of surplus plastic.

For household waste, the entire recycling process is more complex. The grade purity required for recycling is the biggest problem in practice. Many everyday plastic products such as packaging contain other materials. Some of these wastes are therefore not suitable for recycling.

Disposed plastics must first be sorted in the case of private waste. It is important to separate the different types of plastic from each other and to identify possible impurities as a first step.

Likewise, more complex product compositions from different materials are sorted out. Pure plastics such as PET/PP and PE can then be subjected to the grinding and melting processes in the next step.

Recyclates can only be produced from single-variety plastics. Therefore, the separation and sorting of more complex multi-material packaging is of great importance here.

Advantages of recyclates

Recyclates bring various advantages for the environment and the sustainable use of resources. Among other things

• the raw material use of limited resources such as crude oil is minimized.
• reduces the risk of plastic waste entering the environment in an uncontrolled manner.
• the costs for production can be reduced by saving material and energy.
• products made of plastic are more durable and thus better appreciated.
• awareness of sustainability and recycling is growing in everyday life.
• CO2 emissions can be reduced through the use of recycled materials.
• the security of supply of raw materials such as crude oil can be guaranteed for longer.

How much recycled material is there in Germany?

Around 2 million tons of recyclates were produced in 2019. Around a quarter of these were used in new packaging. PET bottles account for a large share of the use of recyclates.

If you want to put these figures into perspective:
In the same year 2019, more than 6 million tons of plastic waste were generated in Germany. Over 85 percent of this waste is generated in the private sector as so-called consumer waste. The rest is generated during the processing and production ofplastics in industry.

The interpretation of these figures allows only one conclusion: the recycling of plastics and the production of recyclates have not yet reached satisfactory levels. Only one third of the plastics are recycled and thus become part of new products.

What should be the overall goal in recycling recyclates and their use?

At present, plastics recycling is still unsatisfactory. The goal here should be to install closed-loop recycling for certain plastics such as PET, PE and PP. The current figures are still far from this. The reasons for this are manifold.

The simplest and most effective way to create circuits is to use the

recycling of plastics has already been realized in the industrial sector. Industrial participants also have an easier time of it because they have to deal with sorted production waste from the outset. Recycling in the private waste sector is much more difficult.

Waste disposal companies in the Federal Republic of Germany are not all at the same technical and structural level. This means that not every municipality and every city recycles plastics equally effectively. Here, the sorting possibilities, the technical equipment and, last but not least, money are lacking.

The political and legislative requirements for plastics recycling, including the production of recyclates, must therefore be driven forward even more intensively. It can be assumed that the packaging industry is prepared to play its part in increased plastics recycling.

For packaging companies, one of the issues is to implement packaging that is as single-sort as possible. Here, industry participants face many challenges because consumers are also accustomed to certain forms of packaging and logistics are also based on certain types of packaging.

Only if all stakeholders pull together can recyclates achieve the economic significance they could have. Plastic waste is generated in sufficient quantities that, if waste management companies and businesses were properly equipped, many more recyclates could be produced.

But it's not just about the production of recyclates. These must also be available where they can be processed into new products. The associated logistics could also be improved.

Consumers must value plastic packaging even more and remain consistent in their waste separation. However, waste separation is of no use if, in the end, the waste disposal company is unable to recycle plastics.

Time and again, consumers have realized that only a smaller portion of separated plastic packaging waste is sent for recycling. The ensuing, understandable frustration can also lead consumers to take a more relaxed view of their part in waste separation.

Conclusion

Due to the scarcity of raw materials such as crude oil and rising energy prices, there is currently no way around recyclates. However, they still do not occupy the position in overall plastics production that they should.

By no means all suitable plastics are recycled. There are deficits here, particularly in the area of consumer waste. Legislative requirements and initiatives on a voluntary basis could possibly encourage even more waste disposers to invest in plastics recycling.

Likewise, morale must be maintained among consumers. Careful waste separation is one of the prerequisites for being able to process plastics such as PET or PP into recyclates.

A circular economy for recyclable plastics is still only in its infancy. It is the ultimate goal in the use of plastics. This is not only about conserving resources, but also about the controlled disposal of plastic waste.

The possible consequences of uncontrolled plastic disposal in the environment cannot yet be fully analyzed. However, it is already becoming apparent that these could be devastating. That is why initiatives to further drive the growth market of recyclates cannot be delayed. Research and development are also needed to define even more effective techniques for producing recyclates.

FAQ

1. Why is suitable plastic waste only recycled to a smaller extent in practice so far?

   For the most part, the problem here lies with private plastic waste. Only single-variety plastics can be processed into recyclates. In everyday life, we still have to deal with very complex packaging made of different materials. Likewise, by no means all waste disposal companies are yet set up to produce recyclates.

2. Do recyclates have a future?

   This is a growth industry, as resources such as petroleum are becoming increasingly scarce and energy prices are rising. However, all the necessary conditions must be created for recyclates to be seen as a self-evident premise in waste disposal.

3. What other measures may become important in the management of plastic waste?

   Manufacturers of plastic products such as packaging are being asked to push back on composite packaging made of different materials. If plastic is used, it should be processed as purely as possible or the different materials should be easy to separate. This is currently still one of the problems that make the production of recyclates difficult.
   
   

Do you have any questions about recyclates? Please contact our expertswho will be happy to support you or write to us via hello@palamo.com.