Technological watch
Ferrero to study recycling processes
Ferrero to study recycling processesIneos Styrolution (Frankfurt / Germany; www.ineos-styrolution.com) said it has signed an agreement with chocolate maker Ferrero to explore the feasibility of using the chemical and plastics groupâ??s advanced recycling concepts, including depolymerisation, for future packaging solutions. The Ineos subsidiary is developing technology to convert complex plastics waste back into monomer and subsequently into fully recyclable, near-virgin-quality materials that meet EU circular economy goals and guidelines for food contact applications.
Ferrero is replacing its plastic spoon for the â??Kinder Joyâ? chocolate eggs with a paper variant (Photo: Ferrero)Like a number of European brands that use packaging, Ferrero has committed to making all of its materials 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. The company is working with Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE, Brussels / Belgium; www.plasticsrecyclers.eu) and others to develop PREâ??s â??RecyClassâ?, a pan-European online tool for assessing packaging material recyclability in existing streams (see Plasteurope.com of 01.07.2019). In 2021, Ferrero plans to substitute a paper-based version of the plastic spoon that comes with its â??Kinder Joyâ? chocolate eggs. This could save around 1,500 t of plastics per year, the company said.
Ineos Styrolution noted that it is already working with a number of companies and initiatives to explore concepts for chemical recycling of packaging. It recently joined the Flemish â??Remove2Reclaimâ? project that seeks to reclaim plastics and additives through the dissolution process (see Plasteurope.com of 23.10.2020). In September, the company agreed to cooperate with US polystyrene supplier Trinseo (Berwyn, Pennsylvania; www.trinseo.com) and AmSty, Trinseoâ??s joint venture with Chevron Phillips Chemical (The Woodlands, Texas / USA; www.cpchem.com), to test depolymerisation processes in a pilot plant at Ineos Styrolutionâ??s Wingles / France site (see Plasteurope.com of 21.09.2020). The test facility seeks to convert 50,000 t/y of post-consumer PS food packaging waste back into styrene monomer to produce new polymer for food-contact applications.24.11.2020 Plasteurope.com [246386-0]
Ferrero is replacing its plastic spoon for the â??Kinder Joyâ? chocolate eggs with a paper variant (Photo: Ferrero)Like a number of European brands that use packaging, Ferrero has committed to making all of its materials 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. The company is working with Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE, Brussels / Belgium; www.plasticsrecyclers.eu) and others to develop PREâ??s â??RecyClassâ?, a pan-European online tool for assessing packaging material recyclability in existing streams (see Plasteurope.com of 01.07.2019). In 2021, Ferrero plans to substitute a paper-based version of the plastic spoon that comes with its â??Kinder Joyâ? chocolate eggs. This could save around 1,500 t of plastics per year, the company said.
Ineos Styrolution noted that it is already working with a number of companies and initiatives to explore concepts for chemical recycling of packaging. It recently joined the Flemish â??Remove2Reclaimâ? project that seeks to reclaim plastics and additives through the dissolution process (see Plasteurope.com of 23.10.2020). In September, the company agreed to cooperate with US polystyrene supplier Trinseo (Berwyn, Pennsylvania; www.trinseo.com) and AmSty, Trinseoâ??s joint venture with Chevron Phillips Chemical (The Woodlands, Texas / USA; www.cpchem.com), to test depolymerisation processes in a pilot plant at Ineos Styrolutionâ??s Wingles / France site (see Plasteurope.com of 21.09.2020). The test facility seeks to convert 50,000 t/y of post-consumer PS food packaging waste back into styrene monomer to produce new polymer for food-contact applications.24.11.2020 Plasteurope.com [246386-0]
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 870292.
