Uncertainty limits use of recycled plastics

Demand for circular plastic packaging is rising, especially now that the European Commission is introducing stricter requirements through the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). For flexible packaging, such as films and shipping bags, the gap between current practice and the new standards is still enormous.

According to UT Professor Roland ten Klooster, one of the biggest challenges is the uncertainty in material properties. “Even if you sort, wash, and recycle materials exactly according to the guidelines, a small amount of unknown contamination always remains. That means you can never fully predict how the material will behave,” he explains. “That’s exactly why you should design from recycled material, not despite it. Only then do you find solutions that are truly circular.”

Innovation project CIFLEX

This challenge becomes clear in the innovation project CIFLEX. Three companies from the south of the Netherlands and two knowledge institutions, including the University of Twente, collaborated to bridge this gap. The UT’s Packaging Design and Management Group focused on improving product quality when recycled materials are used. The researchers also contributed to the Design from Recycling guideline, which helps companies apply recycled content responsibly.

All knowledge and experience from CIFLEX is being translated into practical design guidelines. These support the wider plastic packaging industry in meeting or even exceeding the European requirements. The results show that it is possible to achieve circular goals without compromising performance or cost-efficiency.

The images show photographs of two plastic films that were processed under the same conditions. The batches were sorted with extreme care. Nevertheless, one film proved to be sealable, while the other did not. Without the seal tests, this material cannot simply be used for certain purposes.

More information

All insights from CIFLEX will be incorporated into practical design guidelines to help the plastic packaging industry meet the new European standards. The project was made possible by OPZuid 2021–2027, supported by Stimulus Programme Management, and funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).