Mosca is launching the „Loop that!“ project and, together with Interzero, aims to establish a closed loop for strapping in order to make optimum use of resources, minimise waste and contribute to environmental protection. At the same time, „Loop that!“ is intended to initiate an industry solution for the entire strapping industry.
Mosca GmbH has been working on sustainable solutions together with the circular economy service provider Interzero since 2023. The focus here is on Mosca strapping. To date, a large proportion of made from so-called bottle flakes, i.e. crushed PET bottles. Mosca only uses PET flakes, which cannot be reprocessed into bottles due to their low quality.
A raw material that could become scarce at some point. This is because the beverage industry wants to optimise processes so that the deposit cycle can be closed. This would mean that only new bottles could be produced from used bottles. This Impending material shortage in the PET sector for Mosca was a key driver for the Development of our own closed-loop solution for strapping tape. However, not only for PET, but also for PP strapping, the aim is to establish long-term, secure material flows in order to ensure sustainable production that is less dependent on external raw material sources.
Cooperation for recycling
Due to its almost unmixed composition of mono-materials such as PP and PET, strapping is ideal for high-quality recycling. This is where „Loop that!“ comes in. The aim is to, produce new strapping from used strapping, This results in a continuous, quality-assured material flow.
„We deliver a large amount of material. If we get this material back unmixed - because it is not a composite material, but a very pure PET with more than 90 per cent purity - then we can reintegrate it very well into our production process. Thanks to modern recycling processes, the recycled material achieves the same quality as virgin material. This is a great advantage, and this cycle can theoretically be repeated an infinite number of times.“
Thorsten Ehnert, Strategic Project Coordinator Global Strap at Mosca
In addition to simply implementing a closed loop for its own strapping, Mosca is pursuing a more ambitious vision with „Loop that!“: the company wants to establish an industry solution. The initiative is an explicit invitation to all manufacturers of strapping to join this approach and become part of it. jointly create a standardised, industry-wide cycle. Mosca is convinced that a shared infrastructure and standardised processes can make the recycling of strapping significantly more efficient and sustainable. The aim is to establish „Loop that!“ not just as a project in its own right, but as a reference model for the entire industry in order to make a significant contribution to a genuine circular economy in the field of transport packaging.
„Companies are well advised to secure access to their own recycled raw materials at an early stage and thus strengthen their control over resources in times of potentially volatile supply chains.“
Sabine Hahn, Senior Circulation Manager at Interzero
The „Loop that!“ process: simple and transparent
Companies that produce strapping waste can collect it by type and either shred or press it. Interzero collects the processed material for a fee, pays for it and sends it for recycling. Participation in „Loop that!“ offers companies financial benefits, such as fixed prices for collection, the elimination of costs and fees as well as material reimbursement, while also making an important contribution to sustainability. „In this way, the use of primary resources in production is reduced and supply bottlenecks are avoided for the recycled quantities,“ explains Sabine Hahn from Interzero.
For a smooth process, it is crucial that the tape remnants are collected by type (in most cases: PET green and PP black or white) and without impurities. They should also be chopped or compressed and packed in big bags on pallets or in pallet cages. The collection of the collected materials can be arranged individually with Interzero. It is advisable to collect a certain quantity before ordering a collection.
Source: Mosca
