The European Union’s Circular Economy Strategy stipulates that all plastic packaging in the European Union must be 100% recyclable by 2030, which has resulted in the introduction of new regulations in Spain.
One current challenge is the restriction on the use of recycled materials in food packaging to guarantee food safety.
For example, in Spain, only recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) has been authorized for post-consumer recycled content for food packaging.
In addition, flexible PET packaging cannot be recycled using conventional mechanical technologies because of its multilayer composition.
AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, Covinil and Eroski have launched the
BOTTLE4FLEX Project to develop 100% recyclable flexible skinpack packaging using
rPET. Skinpack creates an invisible “second skin” around the product that allows
consumers to examine its quality, thus improving the shopping experience with 3D
presentation and easy opening. This type of packaging is attractive to consumers due to
the premium product appearance and to producers and distributors for its cost-
effectiveness and flexibility. However, despite its popularity and efficiency in terms of
space and transport, this multilayer packaging faces serious difficulties for recycling.
Through innovations in chemical recycling and polymerization technologies, the project
consortium aims to overcome the challenges of recycling multilayer PET flexible
packaging and promote sustainability and the efficient use of recycled materials in the
food industry. The research project is funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and
Universities and the European Union through Next Generation funds within the framework
of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
In order to comply with the EU’s Circular Economy Strategy, it is crucial to carry out
research and develop single-material film based on rPET. This material is widely used in
trays and is currently the only one recycled in Spain, primarily for rigid packaging due to
high demand that exceeds supply. This makes it necessary to develop new recycling and
circularity systems for packaging waste to ensure the film’s high flexibility, barrier
properties and heat-sealing capacity.
The BOTTLE4FLEX Project therefore focuses on promoting solvolysis processes for
recycling and to modify the properties of PET through partial depolymerization. It also
seeks to make use of innovative technologies such as reactive extrusion, as well as
monomers and additives to increase the flexibility of recycled PET. The goal is to develop
efficient, sustainable methods that promote the circularity of plastics and lead to new
circular production models.
