Bottle-to-bottle recycling Anne Roulin PTI Europe, Switzerland & Jean Bina Phoenix Technologies, Bowling Green, USA

Outline Brief introduction to PTI and Phoenix Objective of recycling studies Steps required to evaluate new materials & technologies Examples of previous studies

Part of Plastic Technologies Inc Preform, bottle and package prototyping Package & mould design Material and package testing Consulting services Training seminars Recycling technology development

Phoenix Technologies, Bowling Green, USA PTI Subsiduary

Phoenix Technologies Largest merchant pelletiser of recycled PET material in the world Largest merchant supplier of food grade RPET material Bottle to bottle for non-food applications since 1992 (capacity 24ktons) Bottle to bottle for food applications with FDA approved process since 2000 (current capacity 10ktons)

Objective of recycling studies: To evaluate the compatibility of a specific bottle technology as it becomes part of the commercial recycle stream New barrier technology New colour New additive

Scope of recyling evaluation: Preliminary evaluation may be done on post-industrial flake Comparisons to be made between a washed RPET control flake & the washed flake of the test  material Visual inspection for any black specks, particulates, gels etc Steps should cover the following: Step 1 Extrusion & pelletisation Step 2 Solid stating (or decontamination) of the material Step 3 Injection moulding of preforms Step 4 Blow moulding of bottles Step 5 Testing

Bottle to bottle recycling study Recommended to be carried out at minimum of two concentration levels. For example: 25% test flake 75% virgin 100% test flake 25% control flake 75% virgin 100% control flake Other concentration levels can be evaluated as appropriate Testing programme on standardised bottle for example 0.5 litre bottle with petaloid base

Visual inspection of flakes Visual quality of the flakes will be compared: Potential concerns: black specks, particulates, coloured particles etc

Step 1 Pelletisation Incoming flake study and control materials will be pelletised under identical conditions Experience from PETCORE tests for fibre & other applications will be used Drying will be done to below 50 ppm Pressure drop differences across the melt filter will be monitored. Build up or residual on melt filter screen will be evaluated Any significant differences between the two materials shall be noted Process conditions will be recorded

Step 2: Solid stating Stokes vacuum reactor (545kg max capacity) will be used to solid state control & test materials Minimum 60 kg is recommended to conduct the injection, blow moulding & testing programme

Step 2 Solid stating Rate of IV build-up to the target PETCORE protocol value will be carefully monitored via hourly IV checks. When target IV is achieved pellets will be cooled Example of specific conditions Starting IV 0.73. Final IV 0.84. Temp 200°C. Time 4 – 10 hours depending on the batch size, bulk density & material characteristics. Any significant differences in solid stating between the two variables will be noted.

Injection moulding of preforms Dry blend with virgin PET same IV as target value Each material will be dried to below 50 ppm residual moisture Preforms from control and study material will be injected on a single cavity Arburg (using for example a 0.5 litre 25g preform) Conditions are carefully developed for recycled material to produce a production type preform with minimal thermal and shear stress while maintaining reasonable production process conditions (haze free, low mould stress etc)

Monitoring during injection moulding Temperature settings in the various zones Back pressure Screw speed Injection pressure Holding pressure & time Cooling time and injection times Any significant differences between control and test material will be noted.

Step 3: Blow moulding Control and test preforms will be blow moulded using a Sidel SBO1 machine Monitoring: Oven lamp settings, overall power, low blow position, high blow position preform temp. Any differences seen in the control and test material will be noted

Testing: Resin Solution IV on incoming flake, pellets after extrusion, and pellets after solid stating Colour (L, a, b) on flake, extruded pellets and solid stated pellets AA solid stated pellets

Test programme: Preform Visual inspection for any black specks, particulates, gels etc Solution IV AA Colour and haze Any significant differences between the control and test materials will be noted

Test programme: Bottles Dimensional and appearance data Visual inspection for any black specks, particulates, gels etc Section weights (neck, label panel, base) Colour and haze Brimful & fillpoint volumes Height Any significant differences between control and test materials will be noted

Test programme: Bottles Performance data Headspace AA, burst strength, drop impact, top load, stress cracking, thermal stability, CO2 loss by FTIR Any significant differences between control and test materials will be noted.

Examples of bottle-to-bottle recycling studies done by PTI Tetra Pak: Glaskin Plasma coating SiOx Sidel: Actis Plasma coating carbon BP: Amosorb oxygen scavenger Pechiney: multilayer EVOH Evalca: EVOH development materials BP Amoco: PEN materials PPG: Bairocade epoxy-amine spray system