Industrial ingenuities: The challenge of circularizing bulk containers in global supply chains

06 Mar 2024 --- Flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs) are large bags typically made from woven PP designed to transport and store bulk materials such as powders, granules and flakes. FIBCs are seen as a more environmentally and financially sustainable alternative to traditional rigid containers as they can be reused and often recycled at end-of-life.

Often, FIBCs can carry around 1 ton of material while weighing only 2-3 kg in packaging weight. We speak to experts from Alpla and Starlinger to learn more about the latest developments in the industry.  

Andreas Anderl, project manager rPP Starlinger, explains that the company provides technology for producing heavy-duty tape fabric from rPP and polyester (PET) for FIBC production. 

Worldwide, billions of FIBCs are circulating every day, Anderl says. The majority of them are used one time only — and then discarded. “If all of them would be collected, recycled and turned into new FIBCs again, huge amounts of resources could be saved, and environmental pollution reduced significantly.”

“The vast majority of FIBCs are made from PP. Starlinger has proven that post-consumer rPP can replace at least 50% of the virgin material in FIBC production without compromising tape and fabric quality, thereby reducing CO2 emissions and the use of natural resources.”

“Even though PP is degrading in the recycling process, rPP FIBCs can be recycled several times. PET, on the other hand, can be repolymerized during an additional conditioning process where the material can be ‘repaired’ and used almost similar to virgin material.” 

Starlinger FIBCs.Circularizing FIBCs
Last year, Alpla Group, LC Packaging, Starlinger and Velebit Recycling joined forces to create FIBCs composed of 30% recycled content. 

Christian Hude-Burian, plant manager and sales manager for Alpla’s Recycling Division, tells us: “It is important that the use of recycled material in the production of new FIBCs does not compromise the quality and mechanical properties. The goal of obtaining food approval for FIBCs with recycled content should also be a top priority.” 

“As a recyclate producer and user of FIBCs, we were not aware of or familiar with the guidelines for designing a sustainable FIBC before the project. However, as with our packaging solutions, the possibility of recycling must be taken into account right from the initial product design in order to develop sustainable products in a targeted manner,” he says.

“It is important to have sufficient raw materials, for example, used FIBCs, available so that a recycling process can be carried out sensibly and economically in the long term. Further work needs to be done on collection infrastructures and closed loops between manufacturers, distributors and end users.” 

Recycling FIBCs 
Anderl explains that the biggest challenge Starlinger faces in the recycling process remains to obtain sufficient quantities of high-quality regranulate — be it PET or PP. 

“Only then can high shares of recycled material be included in the production of FIBC fabric without compromising the quality. Collection and returning used FIBCs into a closed loop recycling stream is still an issue with room for improvement — many big bags still are incinerated or downcycled for other applications because there is no adequate collection infrastructure in place,” he says. 

“FIBC fabric needs to meet very high criteria with regard to strength and tear resistance to ensure safe transport and storing without putting human lives in danger. Our recycling and tape extrusion technology ensures that these high-quality standards are met when using recycled materials.”

The condition of collected FIBCs for recycling, for example, cleanliness and material composition, play an important role in safeguarding the quality of recycled material obtained. 

“One step to make FIBCs easier to recycle is to design them for recycling,” continues Anderl. 

“Ideally, they should be produced from one single material. The main fabric, suspension loops, sewing threads, and possible in-liners should all be made of PP or PET, respectively. This is not always possible as different filling materials have to be taken into account. In this case, in-liners, labels etc., should be easy to remove.” FIBCs can carry large volumes of material with minimum packaging weight.

“Proper material separation is the first step to producing high-quality recycled material for new FIBCs. EFIBCA, the European Flexible Bulk Container Association, has developed a ‘Design for Recycling’ guideline together with European FIBC manufacturers and traders to help make FIBCs easier to recycle.”

Infrastructural problems
Developing the required infrastructure for collection, sortation, recycling and distribution is a crucial part of the circular economy. 

“A specialized industry like the big bag industry requires high-quality recycling material which cannot be produced on standard machinery. Thus, for both the recycling part and the manufacturing part certain investments are required to process post-consumer rPP/rPET material and achieve the quality needed,” says Anderl. 

“Policymakers could help with defining a clear legislative framework for the collection and reuse of plastic packaging. For example, setting up deposit systems for FIBCs and defining minimum amounts of recycled content in them. With its Plastics Strategy, the EU has taken a step towards a carbon-neutral and circular economy. Countries like the UK are pushing manufacturers and importers of plastic packaging to include a minimum of 30% recycled content. Otherwise, they will undergo taxation.”

“However, the unclear situation in the EU regarding import requirements and documentation for recycled plastics and finished products such as big bags claiming to contain high — and obviously fake — amounts of recycled content turns them into a threat to a sustainable circular economy in Europe.” 

European plastics recyclers are struggling because increasing exports of EU plastic waste have reduced their input material drastically and caused the shutdown of plastics recycling facilities across Europe. Recently, the EU banned plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries. 

By Louis Gore-Langton