Interpack 2023: Viscotec Starlinger displays new viscoZero plastic recycling tech

11 May 2023 --- Viscotec Starlinger showcased its new post-consumer PP, HDPE and PS packaging recycling technology viscoZero at Interpack 2023 in Düsseldorf, Germany. 

We speak to the company’s sales director, Andreas Fuchs, about the company’s recycling technology and its heat-resistant and recyclable packaging material made from 100% rPET. 

“Our new recycling technology [viscoZero] also focuses on [more conventional] PET polyester recycling but especially also on post-consumer PP, HDPE and PS packaging back into food-grade recyclate, branded ‘viscoZERO,’” Fuchs tells PackagingInsights.

He explains that the technology is important for the future to gain recycled content within other polyolefins. 

Furthermore, the viscoZero produces recyclate according to food grade standards from PS, PP and HDPE and increases the intrinsic viscosity of polyester. Using viscoZero enables:

• Zero contamination: Post-consumer recycled materials are safe for direct food contact. Thanks to efficient decontamination and homogenisation of the material.
• Zero waste: Zero waste is achieved through a 100% recycling rate. ViscoZero recycles different types of high viscosity input materials.
• Zero odor: Efficient removal of high and low volatile odors. Results in pure and odorless recyclate for demanding applications and packaging solutions.
• Zero limits: Zero limits to grow business. Flexibility to process a wide range of input materials into quality resins.

“Starlinger has a long history in the recycling business. We are world-famous for our bottle-to-bottle recycling process, where we are also a market leader. On the K-show seven months ago, we, for the first time, presented this new machine,” says Fuchs.

Andreas Fuchs, sales director at Viscotec Starlinger.Heat-resistant packaging 
Viscotec furthermore presented its heat-resistant and fully recyclable packaging material made from 100% rPET, called rPET100, at Interpack. 

“The rPET100 is a product developed by Viscotec. Traditionally, PET is not heat-resistant so we found a solution to make the PET heat-resistant and recyclable,” explains Fuchs.

“In the past, the problem with heat-resistant solutions was that they were not fully recyclable. With this product, we found a special recipe to make the PET heat resistant and it is ideally used for dairy cups but also hot drinks and meals. Furthermore, as the food delivery trend is still continuing, this is also an area where we see the rPET100,” he continues.

Fuchs says that he furthermore sees market demand for heat-resistant packaging in the dairy business “simply because the sterilization process in the dairy business is done with hot steam, so we need heat resistance.”

“Also for coffee cups and lids, so you can see this product in many market segments,” he adds.

Interpack trends
Fuchs highlights that the trend for recyclable packaging solutions is continuing. “Packaging should be as easy as possible so that you increase recyclability of the end product and this we are doing in all of our divisions at Starlinger.”

“At Viscotec, we are focusing on the thermoforming in the food packaging business, in the recycling division on the bottle business but also at the textile division, where we are using recycled PET for jumbo bags for example, but also PP bags which we recycle in the future.”

Earlier this year, Starlinger presented its first sustainability report for 2022, in which it details plans to reduce its environmental footprint through a number of measures across the company’s supply chain. 

The report provides information about the corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy that Starlinger has included in its corporate strategy and its implemented measures. 

“Starlinger’s first sustainability sets out the CSR policy that we have defined for our company concerning environment and society and provides an overview of measures which have already been taken in various areas such as resource and energy management, procurement, training and professional development or health and safety,” said Clarissa Graf, responsible for CSR at Starlinger.

By Natalie Schwertheim