New PET film line launched in Wiesbaden
Mitsubishi Polyester Film GmbH has put a new PET film line into operation.
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VinylPlus is the European PVC industry's sustainability programme, founded in Brussels in 2011, which aims to promote the recycling of PVC with around 200 partners across Europe. VinylPlus recently announced the launch of a new project to recycle medicine blister packs.
VinylPlus PharmPack is closely aligned with already established recycling projects in the healthcare sector. These include the VinylPlus Med recycling programme, which was launched in 2021 and deals with the recycling of used disposable PVC medical products in hospitals. Recycling is now to be extended to pharmaceutical blister packs. These blister packs are usually made of PVC and aluminium foil and protect the sensitive contents thanks to their good barrier properties.
Waste from the production of pharmaceutical blister packs, such as punching grids and rejected empty packaging, is already being collected and mechanically recycled by recycling partners. Both the PVC recyclate and the aluminium are then fed back into the material cycle and used as secondary raw materials for the manufacture of new products.
The VinylPlus PharmPack project is now In addition to the established recycling of pre-consumer waste, we also recycle post-consumer waste. one. Other recycling technologies are also to be investigated as part of the project in order to assess further options for recovering the raw materials.
One million tonnes of recycled PVC in 2030
According to its own figures, the European PVC industry has processed more than 6.5 million tonnes of recycled PVC into new products since 2000. VinylPlus aims to recycle 900,000 tonnes of PVC per year by 2025 in line with the Circular Plastics Alliance's targets, and one million tonnes of PVC per year by 2030. Despite the difficult economic conditions, VinylPlus already recycled around 810,000 tonnes of PVC waste last year and reused it in new products, which corresponds to around 26.9% of the total PVC waste generated in 2021 in the EU-27, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Manufacturers who process PVC recyclate can use the emphasise the sustainability of their product solutions with the VinylPlus Product Label sustainability mark. The label comprises eight core criteria that companies must fulfil, including a sustainable energy and climate strategy, controlled material cycles and recycling, the procurement of PVC raw materials from sustainable sources and requirements for procurement management and organisation.
In Germany, the Arbeitsgemeinschaft PVC und Umwelt e. V. (AGPU) has been closely associated with the European PVC programme VinylPlus for many years. In 2021, it changed its name to VinylPlus Deutschland e. V. The network of over 50 member companies in the German PVC industry According to its own information, it represents the entire value chain, bundles expert knowledge, promotes exchange and engages in dialogue with decision-makers and opinion leaders.
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AVU criticises lack of recycling incentives
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VerpackDG: What will change with the new Packaging Act
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Werner & Mertz criticises new packaging law
Werner & Mertz warns that without targeted incentives for high-quality recycling, the circular economy in Germany could be significantly weakened by 2030.
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