Advanced mechanical recycling thanks to a fully automated system<\/strong><\/h2>\nAs early as 2012 Werner & Mertz<\/a> Together with Alpla and other co-operation partners along the entire value chain, the Recyclate initiative<\/strong> and since then has been committed to ensuring that recyclable materials are reprocessed and reused to a high standard after use and thus remain in the cycle.<\/p>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/PJ-Eigenwerbung-English-03.png\")
<\/a><\/div><\/div>\nIn 2014, for example, the PET bottles of the well-known Frosch brand to switch to 100 per cent PCR (post-consumer recyclate), 20 per cent of which comes from the Yellow Bag source<\/strong>. The remaining 80 per cent comes from the European beverage bottle collection (bottle to bottle). Over 440 million of these bottles have been sold to date.<\/p>\n![\"Graphic](\"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Werner-Mertz-gelingt-Recycling-Quantensprung__Print-1024x935.jpg\")
(Picture: Werner & Mertz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWerner & Mertz has long sought to increase the proportion of rPET from the Yellow Bag. Until now, the existing technology has not allowed the desired transparency to be achieved with rPET. A decisive step forward has now been taken: PET Recycling Team Wolfen<\/strong> has been active since October 2020. Into the one from Alpla<\/a> The joint venture established with Fromm involved an investment of more than eight million euros.<\/p>\nAlmost everything at the new recycling plant is fully automated: The PET delivered comes from yellow bags or bins exclusively from German plastic collection systems and plastic processors and is pre-sorted in so-called lightweight packaging systems.<\/p>\n
This is followed by an exact separation into transparent PET and coloured PET. The high-quality Fine sorting is a further development of the familiar infrared technology<\/strong> (NIR). In the next step, Texplast Wolfen turns it into transparent granulate, which Alpla then processes into preforms and bottles.<\/p>\nIn this way, recyclable materials from Germany are recycled in Germany and reprocessed into bottles for internationally active companies. A Completely national solution<\/strong>, which also minimises transport distances.<\/p>\n\u201eWerner & Mertz is not only a long-standing and valued customer for us, but also a driving force for the entire industry. We hope that this example will motivate other companies to use these high-quality recyclates. Everyone is talking about sustainable packaging, together we are proving that it works,\u201c says Georg L\u00e4sser<\/strong>, Head of Corporate Recycling at Alpla Group.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nReinhard Schneider<\/strong>, owner of Werner & Mertz, emphasises that the new bottles do not differ in look and feel from the previous packaging: \u201eThe customer will not notice any difference in quality. We are deliberately not revealing which format we will change to first - we did the same when we switched to 20 per cent Yellow Bag to test the reactions. The result: none at all. Nobody noticed. For us, this is the best proof that Real sustainability is also possible without sacrifices or half-hearted compromises<\/strong> is.\u201c<\/p>\nCalls for legal incentives for the use of PCR<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe example shows: High-quality sorting technologies are available and the quality of the recyclate is high. But why is Werner & Mertz still as good as it is alone in the use of recyclate from the Yellow Bag?<\/p>\n
Reinhard Schneider: \u201eThe higher costs of recyclate compared to virgin plastic continue to deter many manufacturers<\/strong>, This problem has been exacerbated by falling crude oil prices. But if the high recyclate qualities are not in demand, there is no basis for investing in better sorting and processing, as Alpla has just done on a large scale. Recycling becomes more economical the more people join in. An enormous opportunity.\u201c<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/div><\/div>\nIn 2014, for example, the PET bottles of the well-known Frosch brand to switch to 100 per cent PCR (post-consumer recyclate), 20 per cent of which comes from the Yellow Bag source<\/strong>. The remaining 80 per cent comes from the European beverage bottle collection (bottle to bottle). Over 440 million of these bottles have been sold to date.<\/p>\n Werner & Mertz has long sought to increase the proportion of rPET from the Yellow Bag. Until now, the existing technology has not allowed the desired transparency to be achieved with rPET. A decisive step forward has now been taken: PET Recycling Team Wolfen<\/strong> has been active since October 2020. Into the one from Alpla<\/a> The joint venture established with Fromm involved an investment of more than eight million euros.<\/p>\n Almost everything at the new recycling plant is fully automated: The PET delivered comes from yellow bags or bins exclusively from German plastic collection systems and plastic processors and is pre-sorted in so-called lightweight packaging systems.<\/p>\n This is followed by an exact separation into transparent PET and coloured PET. The high-quality Fine sorting is a further development of the familiar infrared technology<\/strong> (NIR). In the next step, Texplast Wolfen turns it into transparent granulate, which Alpla then processes into preforms and bottles.<\/p>\n In this way, recyclable materials from Germany are recycled in Germany and reprocessed into bottles for internationally active companies. A Completely national solution<\/strong>, which also minimises transport distances.<\/p>\n \u201eWerner & Mertz is not only a long-standing and valued customer for us, but also a driving force for the entire industry. We hope that this example will motivate other companies to use these high-quality recyclates. Everyone is talking about sustainable packaging, together we are proving that it works,\u201c says Georg L\u00e4sser<\/strong>, Head of Corporate Recycling at Alpla Group.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Reinhard Schneider<\/strong>, owner of Werner & Mertz, emphasises that the new bottles do not differ in look and feel from the previous packaging: \u201eThe customer will not notice any difference in quality. We are deliberately not revealing which format we will change to first - we did the same when we switched to 20 per cent Yellow Bag to test the reactions. The result: none at all. Nobody noticed. For us, this is the best proof that Real sustainability is also possible without sacrifices or half-hearted compromises<\/strong> is.\u201c<\/p>\n The example shows: High-quality sorting technologies are available and the quality of the recyclate is high. But why is Werner & Mertz still as good as it is alone in the use of recyclate from the Yellow Bag?<\/p>\n Reinhard Schneider: \u201eThe higher costs of recyclate compared to virgin plastic continue to deter many manufacturers<\/strong>, This problem has been exacerbated by falling crude oil prices. But if the high recyclate qualities are not in demand, there is no basis for investing in better sorting and processing, as Alpla has just done on a large scale. Recycling becomes more economical the more people join in. An enormous opportunity.\u201c<\/p>\nCalls for legal incentives for the use of PCR<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Forklift](\"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ALPLA-Recycling-Incoming-Material-1024x683.jpg\")