German parliament approves packaging law extension to PET juice bottles, KHS offers recycling solutions

26 May 2021 --- The majority of parliamentarians in Germany’s Bundestag have approved changes to the German Packaging Law, which will see an extension of the mandatory deposit to include PET juice bottles from January 2022.

Stricter regulations on recyclability and the amount of recycled content in PET bottles will also apply in the future.

German filling and packaging systems supplier KHS endorses the updated legislation and points to its closed-loop recycling technologies as solutions to new national requirements.

Among them is FreshSafe PET glass coating technology, enabling pure-grade bottle-to-bottle recycling without contaminating the recycling loop. 

“Producing designs suitable for recycling, especially as regards single-use PET bottles, is now even more important following the decision made by the German government,” notes Philipp Langhammer, product manager for barrier technology at KHS.Philipp Langhammer, product manager for barrier technology at KHS.

A huge challenge
KHS says implementing the new legal requirements is a huge challenge for the entire value chain – from retailer to recycler.

“For instance, juice and nectar bottles made of PET that may contain additives with oxygen absorbers can no longer be collected through the yellow recycling sack system but are to be returned to the recycling loop,” explains Langhammer.

“However, these additives make them more difficult to recycle than a normal PET bottle, in turn complicating joint processing of both bottle types.”

“With our FreshSafe PET barrier technology, an interior SiOx coating of chemically pure glass, we provide an established system for this relevant problem. It makes bottle recycling much easier as the coating can be simply washed off during the recycling process.”KHS creates a sustainable alternative for secondary packaging by processing film made of 100% recyclate on shrink packers.

Increased rPET availability
KHS says it is “extremely likely” more recycled PET (rPET) will be available for bottle production by including PET bottles in the deposit system.

According to a 2018 study by packaging market research institute GVM, around 10 percent of all PET bottles each year are lost to the closed recycling loop due to the limitations of the mandatory deposit system.

This amounts to approximately 40,000 metric tons of plastic per year that cannot be reused to make food packaging.

In Langhammer’s view, extending the mandatory deposit system can facilitate greater use of rPET in bottles.

Furthermore, bottle-to-bottle recycling provides carbon reduction benefits, says Langhammer. “rPET has a [carbon] balance up to 60 percent better than new material in this respect.”The InnoPET Blomax can be automated with a Unit Mold Control system to regulate rPET variance.

KHS solutions
KHS’ InnoPET Blomax Series V PET stretch blow molder processes preforms made of up to 100 percent recyclate.

If required, it can be supplemented by the digital, automated Unit Mold Control system for regulating rPET variance.

Another eco-friendly option from KHS is the Beyond Juice 100 percent recyclate bottle concept with a FreshSafe PET interior coating.

This solution can be combined with Nature MultiPack, a container system holding bottles together with dots of adhesive, which are strong and secure yet easy to remove, reducing the amount of packaging waste by up to 90 percent.

All KHS’ shrink packers can also process film made entirely of recyclate. “We’re continuously developing our technologies further with an eye to sustainability and consistently supporting the idea of the circular economy,” says Langhammer.

Edited by Joshua Poole