How has the last year been for Extrupet since the third food-grade line installation?
What an amazing time to be in this space. Caring for our environment around the world has taken on a whole new focus, and for Extrupet to be at the forefront of both rPET and rHDPE recycling has been such a privilege. The third line has been a well-timed addition to our production capabilities.
How has the flagship PhoenixPET® brand grown in popularity with multinational brands?
It is now used for 100% inclusion rates by several multinationals – although the question about whether 100% recycled resins are actually sustainable is rather contentious. Extrupet has technically advanced rPET solutions that run at 100% inclusion rates, well within the AA level and colour measurements required.
What is the driving force behind a bottle-to-bottle recycler being so focused on quality?
Extrupet is BRC, ISO, FDA, EFSA and GRS certified as many of these requirements have come directly from our multinational partners, who have global standards in place. We have been fortunate to work with wonderful partners over the last two decades, and our quality standards are the output of these collaborations.
What changes have you witnessed in the recycling space with the pandemic?
We have seen pressure placed on the supply of raw materials due to slower economic activity. However, we prepared in advance for this and are in a good position to keep our three lines running well into the future.
The quality of the feedstock has become very important, and we’ve noticed that when brand owners don’t take a relevant position on how their packaging will be reused or recycled in the South African context it hurts the whole chain.
To grow the recycling industry, there needs to be an understanding of what is relevant in the specific geography where companies are doing business. In South Africa, most of the raw material we use originates from landfills. Therefore, when brands design bottles they need to understand how their packs will be collected from landfills and if there’s enough value in the chain to make sure they are actually recycled. We see many brands pay lip service to this topic and continue designing bottles doomed to end their lives on landfill or in our oceans.
Can everything be recycled?
Regrettably, that isn’t the case. From a ‘green washing’ perspective, anything can be recycled. However, from an actual reuse perspective, unless the packaging is well designed initially, it won’t be recycled.
A few examples include various coloured HDPE bottles, opaque PET bottles, PET bottles with metal closures and shrink sleeved packs. Ultimately, if brand owners don’t design their packaging for recycling, then local recyclers cannot get value from that bottle. It is the industry’s responsibility to make the necessary changes to ensure a positive outcome when designing each bottle.
Why is it important for the industry to make the necessary changes?
As recyclers, we hope that brand owners and bottle producers understand the necessity and importance of their designs. However, advertising and sales tend to take preference over good bottle design. Many in the private sector believe that to improve sales, they need to prioritise colour and design because they are eye-catching for consumers, above using the correct materials for our environment. The recent film Don’t Look Up reflects on how unimportant our planet is until it’s too late. According to experts in the field, like David Attenborough, we are already there.
Click here to read this article in the E-Mag.
