Sidel opens new PET recycling hub in France

According to Sidel, the packaging industry is in the middle of a transition period that aims to replace virgin PET with recycled PET. Sidel engages with this transition to circular packaging, enabling r-PET to be more widely used. 

The unique small-scale PET recycling line will allow Sidel to develop advanced knowledge about recycling food-contact PET bottles. As Sidel packaging experts assess the impact of additives and primary packaging materials on r-PET resin, the facility will become an essential reference for raw material producers, recyclers, and recycling regulatory organizations. The line will also enable Sidel to develop its knowledge, ideas and innovative packaging solutions further.

‘There is a big move towards recycled PET, but demand is outstripping supply,’ said Naima Boutroy, Sidel’s global packaging expert. ‘The market still has a lot to learn and we can provide valuable insights. There is variability in recycled PET resin grades, and standardization is still in development. We need to address this to create the best possible finished bottles. Our line will test the recyclability of post-consumer PET bottles from different feedstocks, including additives and caps, labels, inks and glue. We will be working with traditional Sidel customers such as brand owners, converters and co-packers, as well as other suppliers like raw material producers, recyclers and regulatory organizations, to enable the scaling-up of r-PET capacity. We can also check if any innovations comply with bottle-to-bottle recycling.’

Sidel’s new line will take raw materials from industry partners such as sorting facilities, recyclers and brand owners. It will then recreate and study all aspects of the process from bales to flakes, including pellets ready to be injected into preform, injection and blow molding.  

The company will give the packaging industry the opportunity to access a fully equipped pilot line. This line covers every step of the recycling process: from washing, drying and pellet extrusion to solid-state polymerization, including dedicated process and laboratory controls at every step.