Amcor’s small container tech prevents PET slipping through the recycling cracks

17 Nov 2021 --- Amcor Rigid Packaging has designed a container that collapses in a controlled way to maximize its width, enhancing the recyclability of small PET bottles. The new technology overcomes the common issue of smaller bottles, like 50 mL liquor bottles served on airplanes, becoming lost in the recycling process due to their size. 

Launched in conjunction with America Recycles Day, the packaging supplier says the technology will enable more than a billion 50 mL spirits bottles to be crushed, captured and recycled.

The company will first apply the technology to 50 mL PET spirits bottles. Despite PET widely being considered an infinitely recyclable material, the size of these bottles presents challenges at most US material recycling facilities. The bottles can slip out of the sorting process, where broken glass is filtered out for disposal.

“We know many small bottles are falling through screens in our materials recovery facilities designed to separate glass, so this is a major development – it allows these bottles to pass this step in the process and have the opportunity to be captured by the appropriate equipment downstream,” explains Curt Cozart at the Association of Plastic Recyclers.

According to Innova Market Insights, over half (53%) of US consumers believe plastic offers good (29%) or excellent (24%) recyclability.

Aiding America’s fractured recycling
There are growing concerns around the US recycling system. Recently, the Consumer Brands Association published a report illustrating how standardized recycling definitions are the gateway to fixing America’s “broken” waste management system.

Meanwhile, the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) revealed the North American PET recycling rate, including Mexico, has dropped from 35% in 2019 to 33.9% in 2020, largely due to COVID-19 disruptions.With a collapsed width greater than 5 cm, Amcor’s new container would not slip through the cracks in most US recycling facilities.

However, NAPCOR monitored a 10% increase in recycled PET (rPET) end-use consumption in the US and Canada in 2020.

“At a time when the recycling industry is constrained by material supply, every additional pound diverted from waste makes a big difference,” says Cozart. Amcor has pledged to develop all its packaging to be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025.

Collapsible containers
Amcor Rigid Packaging’s team of engineers examined the small bottle recycling issue and designed a container that collapses in a controlled way to maximize its width. With a collapsed width greater than 5 cm, this design would no longer slip through the cracks in most US recycling facilities.

“This discovery was made by the Amcor team when testing revealed the bottles collapse in different ways,” explains Terry Patcheak, VP of research and development and advanced engineering at Amcor Rigid Packaging.

“Our simulations demonstrated that when these tiny spirits bottles are designed to collapse in a specific way, fewer bottles fall through the cracks. The potential here is higher recyclability rates and more recycled content for multiple segments and materials.”

The supplier’s bottle design includes intentional failure points. The container is based on the Association of Plastic Recyclers’ specific guidelines. Meanwhile, Finite Element Analysis testing is being undertaken to better understand the dynamics of these small bottles during the recycling process.NAPCOR reports the North American PET recycling rate has dropped from 35% in 2019 to 33.9% in 2020.

Real-world data
Additionally, Amcor Rigid Packaging will partner with recycling facilities to capture real-world data about the recyclability of its new bottle.

“We look forward to seeing the data and continuing to use this kind of creative approach to look at all of our packaging,” adds Patcheak. “In partnering with Amcor Rigid Packaging, we are looking at size, color and material to increase the amount of recycled material that can be turned into more bottles.”

In other news, Amcor Rigid Packaging recently introduced cooking oil bottles made entirely from rPET in Colombia. The 100% recycled bottles are reportedly a first for the country.

Amcor also recently unveiled a technology enabling brands to drive consumer engagement through online experiences by customizing closure liners, including the underside of bottle caps, with digital enhancements.

The consumer packaging giant announced a record annual profit of US$939 million for the fiscal year 2021, up 53% against 2020. The company reported growth in meat, coffee and pet food packaging, offsetting decreased demand for healthcare applications.

By Joshua Poole