PET Recycling: PET Circularity Testing Tool Released to Simulate Multiple Recycling Cycles

The European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) is an industry organization dedicated to promoting the circular economy development of the PET bottle value chain. The platform has released its recyclability testing protocol. This pioneering tool can simulate multiple recycling cycles during the research and development phase.

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EPBP had previously launched the "Design for Recyclability Test Protocol," which aligns with the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The recently released Circularity Test Protocol can be seen as the next advanced step towards a true circular economy.

"This (circularity testing) protocol provides a reliable framework for industry stakeholders to assess and improve the recyclability of PET bottles during the R&D phase," said John McClelland, co-chair of EPBP and representative of Petcore Europe, the European PET Recycling Association. Petcore Europe is one of the supporters of EPBP.

In the initial phase of the EPBP plan, applicants requiring recyclability or circularity assessments will be provided with both testing protocols simultaneously. EPBP will collaborate with relevant stakeholders to establish a transition period for the newly developed PET circularity protocol and its accompanying design guidelines. This transition period will assist the industry in preparing for the new "Circularity Design Guidelines," which will be officially announced by EPBP in the near future.

During the transition period, applicants may choose to validate their packaging innovation results based on either the recyclability protocol or the circularity protocol. However, EPBP strongly recommends that applicants adopt the circularity protocol as early as possible, because innovative results validated under the recyclability protocol may face challenges if reassessed under the circularity protocol in the future. This also highlights the importance of adopting the new protocol at an early stage.

EPBP has always played a key role in ensuring the production of high-quality recycled PET (rPET) by providing Design for Recycling (DfR) guidelines and evaluating innovative PET bottle packaging solutions based on the PET recyclability testing protocol.

In addition, EPBP is also the liaison body of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Packaging Technical Committee.