PCR is short for post-consumer recycled. PCR products are made from recycled plastic from discarded materials from households, commercial, industrial and institutional facilities. Post-consumer waste is the world&#;s largest waste stream. Therefore we are constantly looking for ways to reduce the size of this stream. In order to make PCR plastics, waste is converted into raw materials. This makes it a very eco-friendly solution. In the following article we answer frequently asked questions about this material.
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How is PCR plastic made?
The production of PCR plastics starts with the collection of post-consumer waste. Through specialised sorting (manual or otherwise), thorough cleaning and reheating and grinding, the PCR granule is produced. This granulate is then used to make new products.
What is the difference regarding other recycling streams?
Another recycling stream is PIR: Post Industrial Recycle of Regrind. This uses post-industrial waste. This is waste generated in the production process of products. This can be material that ended up on the factory floor or material with a production error. Many companies already recycle their own stream of post-industrial waste, making this material unavailable to the free market.
Post-consumer waste, on the other hand, originates at the end user. Examples include paper waste, green waste and plastic packaging that the consumer throws away. This is not yet recycled on a large scale because the loop is larger, which increases the uncertainty in terms of purity and uniformity of the material. As it is the largest waste stream, it is precisely here that most environmental gains can be made.
What is the advantage of PCR plastic over virgin plastic?
Reuse of plastic that has already been made is not only a cost-effective process, but also a waste reduction process. In addition, processing the used plastic requires less water, less fossil fuels and less energy. The use of PCR also has indirect benefits. All the benefits are listed below:
What are the disadvantages of PCR?
Of course, the material also has disadvantages. For example, PCR plastic may not (yet) be used in the food industry, due to the strict regulations surrounding food safety. Because the course of the material is large, the uncertainty in terms of purity and uniformity of the material increases. As a result, it may also be unclear, for example, whether the material contains harmful substances.
It is also not yet possible to obtain UN approval. This is because practice is still ahead of the legislation. In order to obtain a UN approval, raw material suppliers must be able to give a certain guarantee, which is then laid down in the legislation. Applications for this have already been submitted in Brussels by major parties such as Suez. See question 4.a for more information on UN approval.
Furthermore, some colours of PCR plastic are difficult to make because the material is not completely transparent. Particularly light, transparent and pastel colours are difficult. Colours from the middle range are always possible. If the waste is very well separated manually, even transparent and light colours are possible.
What is a UN approval?
A packaging that has a UN approval means that the packaging has been tested and certified under the supervision of national authorities. The UN approval consists of a number of tests, including air pressure, drop and stacking tests. The approval is based on a specific packaging composition, which includes the closure, type of tape and the absorption material used. Approved packaging is given a UN mark which indicates the type of packaging, packaging group, maximum weight or air pressure, liquid or solid marking, year of production and registration number. The UN marking must always be clearly visible and in a certain size on the packaging at all times.
Which PCR plastic products do we offer?
We already produce clear shrink films with 50% PCR with a thickness of 35my, potting soil films with even 80% PCR from REKS and transparent and translucent collection bags of up to 99% PCR.
Both are made from recycled LDPE/HDPE, only with PCR it is a given that it comes from post-consumer waste. In contrast to rLDPE/rHDPE, where it may also be made from post-industrial waste, for example. Post-industrial waste is already recycled by many companies. This is not always the case for post-consumer waste.
These are just examples of the possibilities with our PCR material. For each situation and application we can, in consultation with the client, look at the opportunities that exist in terms of applicability.
Where does our PCR come from?
The waste streams that are processed into new material come from all over Europe. Current capacity is 10,000 tonnes per year with the aim of doubling this by the end of . Whereas previously these waste flows were shipped in huge quantities from Europe to Asia, or were processed to lower quality (less homogeneous) regranulate within Europe, our REKS recycling plant now offers an answer to the increased export problems and the increasing need for high-quality plastic packaging with recycled content with this capacity. The plant meets all the high European requirements for, for example, water management, energy management, occupational health and safety requirements, REACH and the processing of residual waste. This assures you of a high quality film produced in a safe and responsible manner using certified PCR material.
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Theo SchilderPCR, short for post-consumer resin (post-consumer recycled), is an environment-friendly packaging option that is made from recycled plastics, most commonly PET and HDPE plastic products. Instead of being sent to a local landfill, used items such as bottles, milk jugs, buckets, and industrial products like IBC totes and polydrums can be broken down, melted and reconstructed to make a resin material that&#;s then added to create a new product&#;PCR packaging.
PCR packaging is used to propel a continuous cycle of creating various "new" products with used recycled plastics. In addition, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), post-consumer recycled production reduces the reliance of fossil fuels as well as raw materials for its formulation in comparison to virgin resin products.
After consumers recycle their products, recycling plants sort the bottles according to their plastic type. Because PET and HDPE plastics are most commonly used to manufacture PCR products, these plastics are collected, washed and broken down into resin pellets. The resulting pellets are then reheated, molded and formed into new plastic containers.
PCR can be added in percentages ranging from 10% to 100% along with virgin plastic depending on the manufacturer's preference.
If post-consumer resin is used to manufacture a plastic bottle, a higher percentage can impact transparency and color. Some companies choose to incorporate less PCR in their products and more virgin resin so the material can retain the look of virgin resin. For example, if a product is composed of 25% PCR and 75% virgin resin material, then the product will look more like a virgin bottle. Additionally, many PCR plastic bottles are typically intended for products that do not require transparent packaging.
Virgin resin is the term for new and unused plastic resin without any recycled products to generate an original product. Due to its clean appearance and stable nature, virgin resin is heavily used to produce a wide variety of plastic products.
PIR, or post-industrial resin, is reworked plastic produced in the manufacturing process. PIR consists of grinded resins that were collected either from extra scrap parts during the molding stage of production or finished products that did not pass the quality control standards of the original product. Despite never being used before, the material is not considered virgin because it has been put through a second reheating process.
PIR products have not reached the consumer whereas PCR products include used material that's already reached the consumer and returned.
While PIR is reprocessed resin, PCR is made of used and recycled resin. Like PCR packaging, PIR also helps decrease the amount of plastic sent to landfills as well as reduce the demand for raw materials.
The term biodegradable is defined as the length of time it takes for plastic to fully break down and degrade by the consumption of living microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria. While PCR is a more environmentally friendly option (in comparison to virgin resin) since it's made from recycled plastic, according to The Federal Trade Commission's Green Guides, the plastic itself is not biodegradable unless it is decomposed within a year of being disposed of in landfills, incinerators and recycling plants.
If you wish to explore other eco-friendly packaging alternatives from PCR packaging to glass containers, our packaging experts can assist with finding the best product to meet your requirements. Contact us today to discuss your packaging needs!
The company is the world’s best Post-Consumer Plastic Reuse supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.