Big bags: Industry collaboration joins forces on recycling bulk containers for PET transport

18 Oct 2023 --- Alpla Group, LC Packaging, Starlinger and Velebit Recycling have joined forces on creating flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), commonly known as big bags for industrial goods, composed of 30% recycled content. FIBCs are used for a wide range of bulk materials, such as recycled material.

The project falls under the “Packaging with a Future” platform, a collaborative industry body involving companies along the packaging value chain. Starlinger, a machinery supplier for manufacturing plastic fabric packaging and plastic recycling, is spearheading the project. 

LC Packaging, a company specializing in manufacturing and distributing big bag solutions, was joined by the PET Recycling Team (PRT), a part of the Alpla Group, in developing the solution. 

Velebit Recycling was also brought on board for the project. “The shared objective was clear from the outset: to develop a closed-loop solution for the big bags used by PRT,” says Andreas Anderl, recycled PP (rPP) project manager at Starlinger.

Storing and transporting recyclates 
PRT uses big bags to store and transport PET/HDPE flakes and regrind material. 

Once the bags have been emptied, they are gathered, compacted and transported to Velebit Recycling’s facility, where they are transformed into post-consumer regrind material PP pellets (PCR rPP pellets), utilizing Starlinger’s recycling technology. 

LC Packaging’s production partner uses these pellets to produce new big bags for PRT. This process employs the specially developed rPP extrusion technology by Starlinger. The closed loop is achieved when the big bags containing 30% recycled material arrive at PRT and are subsequently used for non-food applications.

For LC Packaging, the project is one of the first closed loops set up for rPP big bags. 

“A major advantage of this project is the continuous access to high-quality recycled material,” says LC Packaging’s managing director Thorsten Classen. 

“Starlinger’s recycling and extrusion technology is the link in this project, supplying high-quality recycled PP strips needed for big bag production.” 

Velebit Recycling will also benefit from a constant supply of recycled materials. “This means we can operate our machines with high efficiency,” says Manfred Pribyl, CEO of Velebit Recycling.

The next step: Food-safe big bags 
While PRT’s recycled big bags are being used to transport and store materials for non-food packaging production, the original bags are food-safe, explains the collaboration. The next step is to make the recycled bags food-safe. 

This will require the materials to be traceable and each process step properly controlled and documented. The companies say they are currently working to develop a solution for this. 

“This project demonstrates that a closed-loop solution, benefiting everyone, can make a substantial environmental impact when the right stakeholders collaborate, invest and lead the way,” says Classen. 

“We are ready to take on the next challenge as we work toward establishing a food-safe closed loop in the future.”

Edited by Louis Gore-Langton