Circularizing rigid plastics: How AI, machine learning and biotechnology are changing the market

11 Sep 2024 --- Rigid plastics packaging has the highest recycling rates of all conventional polymer-based materials, and makes up the majority of plastic packaging formats. While debates are raging over whether production should be legally capped, industry leaders are working to boost recycling rates further and use biotechnology to circularize feedstocks through product design.

The UN Global Plastic Treaty is set for final negotiations in November, with many nations in the “High Ambition Coalition” calling for blanket caps on plastic production. These nations include EU countries and the US, who will be pitted against petrochemical trade partners in the Middle East and Asia. 

Industry stakeholders in the US recently branded the government’s decision to back production limits as a “betrayal,” and claim that recycling is the needed priority. But whatever the outcome of the treaty, vast amounts of rigid plastics will continue to be produced every year. Plastics Europe estimates global production was at 390 million tons in 2021. 

We speak to Ed Kosior, industry expert and founder of Nextek and Nextloopp, Jörg Sabo, innovation director at Greiner Packaging and Thomas Philipon, CEO of TotalEnergies Corbion, to hear how the industry is striving to increase recycling rates under the umbrella of global legislation as it currently stands. 

We discuss collection and sortation technology, access to recyclate feedstocks, monomaterial structures, the role of bioplastics and how to maintain profits in a shifting regulatory landscape. 

AI entering the sortation space

Kosior says that one of the most important developments over the past year has been the introduction of AI and machine learning to recycling systems. 

“The biggest breakthrough [for Nextloopp] has been our shift from markers in sorting to AI. This has been the biggest game-changer since we launched in 2020.” 

“While it was clear the PolyPrism marker technology we had developed was highly efficient and allowed a wide range of products to be uniquely separated from a mixed stream of packaging items, it did require brand owners to make changes to their labels and industry was slow in deciding which overall standard to opt for,” he explains. 

“Nextloopp had also been exploring the use of AI in sorting together with Tomra and the breakthrough came in February 2024 during sorting trials that utilized near-infrared and visual spectrometry alongside the company’s latest deep-learning technology, GAINnext. 

PET accounts for roughly 27% of plastics that get recycled annually.During these trials, GAINnext sorted 5 tons an hour of mixed plastic waste and exceeded 97 percent purity levels in food-grade packaging applications.” 

This technology can now be implemented across all PP packaging sorting facilities, facilitating the production of valuable food-grade PP PCR streams, Kosior says. 

Monomaterials for recycling 

Nextek’s project Nextloopp works to create monomaterial PP products, which are easier to recycle at scale, have similar qualities to virgin polymers and can be used through multiple cycles. The company is about to expand into the US. 

“We have reached a number of key milestones: in one of our more recent trials, 18 of Nextloopp’s brand and converter participants finalized 55 commercialization trials using five PPristine resin grades,” Kosior says. 

“Just to give you an idea, trials using 30% of Nextloopp PPristine resins in extrusion and thermoforming trays achieved product quality that is comparable with virgin products with no changes in processing conditions.” 

“These trials have given the Nextloopp participants the chance to identify challenges and possible roadblocks that the Nextloopp technology participants have addressed as they arose.” 

“This in turn has resulted in a range of innovative products being launched on the market, which are already having a positive impact on the industry, including adhesive-free monomaterial IMLs [in-mold labelings] that are fully recyclable, PP lids to replace the current foil lids on PP tubs that leave a residue that impacts sorting and innovative PP wash-off label adhesives,” he explains. 

Boosting the recyclate market  

The biggest challenge in growing the monomaterial market is in three key areas, Kosior says, and can only be overcome by close cooperation with businesses involved in the packaging and recycling supply chain: 

• Mobilizing EFSA to make progress with the new regulation for the ‘novel technologies’ route for the approval of recycling processes for plastics other than PET.
• Transforming the design of post consumer packaging to ensure that they are readily and simply recycled.
• Boosting the quantity of post consumer packaging that is collected by the formal recycling sector as this is limiting  the volumes of food grade PP packaging that is available for recycling and boosting investment into new recycling facilities. 

Sabo also says that Greiner has been working to increase its access to recyclates but faces the trouble of fluctuating prices and availability. 

“Despite the existing challenges, positive developments can be observed. At Greiner Packaging, there is a general sense of optimism, as suppliers are working hard to continuously improve the availability of recycled materials,” he says. 

“Progress in the recycling process is already visible. Although the path to a circular economy remains demanding, there are promising signs that we are on the right track. With technological innovations, strategic adjustments and close collaboration within the industry, we are confident that the requirements of the PPWR can be met and the transition to a functioning circular economy successfully achieved.” 

“At the same time, we strive to maintain profitability while meeting our environmental targets. Balancing these objectives requires constant innovation and efficiency improvements.” Bioplastics offer a circular solution from renewable feedstocks, but some experts are doubtful as to their potential.

The role of bioplastics

Bioplastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) have been touted as a potential solution to the global plastics crisis and are being promoted for their ability to work off renewable feedstocks such as sugarcane and other agro waste. 

However, there are disputes as to whether these products cause microplastic pollution, whether they cause consumer confusion regarding disposal and if they can ever achieve price competitiveness with fossil-based polymers.

Thomas Phillipon says the company’s Luminy PLA has a 75% lower footprint than conventional plastics and a 75,000-ton annual production capacity. The market is set to grow significantly, he says. According to analysts, the market is expected to reach approximately US$16.8 billion, with a CAGR of 19.3% through 2034. 

Despite the promises bioplastics show, many other industry experts are doubtful of their possible impact at scale. Kosior says: “Bioplastics are still niche materials without a formal end-of-life destination other than landfill or waste to energy since suitable composting facilities do not exist for packaging made from these materials.” 

“This situation does have any drivers that will create any rapid change given the high cost and high carbon footprint and is likely to stay as a niche and small volume market.” 

But Phillipon says that with better consumer education and legislation, PLA will become a central part of the plastics industry. “A rapid expansion will be driven by a collective push from both consumers and governments to reduce reliance on conventional plastics and adopt more circular, eco-friendly alternatives.” 

By Louis Gore-Langton