Clemens Kitzberger, EREMA Group GmbH, Business Development Manager for Post-Consumer Applications, has been appointment to the CEFLEX board where he will represent suppliers, end users and machine builders and push for the entire value chain’s move towards circularity.
What do you hope to bring to CEFLEX as a board member?
I have over 20 years’ experience in recycling and with CEFLEX for three years where I was part of a group of machine builders that helped develop the
‘Quality Recycling Processes (QRP) For Flexible Packaging’. We showed there is already great technology on the market and that if we combine these solutions then a very valuable recyclate quality can emerge. That is why it’s important to have a voice for machine builders on the board because we can develop better ways to work together and help push a stronger flexible packaging value chain.
How can recyclers help generate more demand for the circular economy for flexible packaging?
We need to move towards to more and higher quality recyclate. Most of the available markets today are served with some degree of recyclates, but if we are looking for new value then we have to go to higher end applications. That means widespread adoption of the
‘Designing for a Circular Economy’ guidelines and packaging recyclability, achieving higher standard recyclates and taking more quality out of flexible packaging waste. In the QRP process we do sorting on colour and take out natural films, which is 30- 40% of a sorted PE flexible packaging bale, and this material then goes through a hot wash and Intarema high degassing extrusion with double filtration where we can get down to 50-micron filtrated recyclate.
After that we can add more value through deodorization equipment where we reduce volatile organic compounds (VOC´s). CEFLEX members have shown that up to 30% of these recyclates are good enough for high value products, like shrink films – something that was not possible three years ago. That shows that design for recycling and existing technology can achieve so much more for the circular economy. However, we need to be careful to protect existing markets because we do not want to lose this recyclate demand, whether that’s from garbage bags or from the construction industry.
“We cannot recycle everything at the moment into high value recyclates. The sector needs to adopt a default position of design for recycling to see more high quality recyclate brought into a greater range of quality end products. That means plastic and packaging producers need to rethink their processes. Recycling guidelines like those from CEFLEX and value chain collaboration are a tremendous asset to engage with and drive progress in this.
… Overall, the value chain needs to realise that aligning to the circular economy is not four to five years away, it’s only one to three years away – this has to be to be in all of our minds. Each player must do their homework because if we do not solve this issue, together with policymakers, it will be a huge problem for the long-term sustainability of the plastic industry and global economy.”
How can other parts of the value chain help galvanize this shift towards higher quality recyclate?
We cannot recycle everything at the moment into high value recyclates. The sector needs to adopt a default position of design for recycling to see more high quality recyclate brought into a greater range of quality end products. That means plastic and packaging producers need to rethink their processes. Recycling guidelines like those from CEFLEX and value chain collaboration are a tremendous asset to engage with and drive progress in this.
We also need to look towards harmonising collection schemes in Europe to not only get higher-quality materials coming through, but also to reduce contamination of flexible packaging. And then of course, we need the consumers on board again and find ways to to get back the trust that plastic is not bad if it is treated in the right way. Plastic is an important element to reduce CO2 footprint. We already see this is possible with PET and HDPE bottles where we have very high recycling rates including food contact non-objective letters from FDA. Exactly because of design for recycling efforts.
Overall, the value chain needs to realise that aligning to the circular economy is not four to five years away, it’s only one to three years away – this has to be to be in all of our minds. Each player must do their homework because if we do not solve this issue, together with policymakers, it will be a huge problem for the long-term sustainability of the plastic industry and global economy.
Clemens Kitzberger on LinkedIn
