Juicy circularity: KHS unveils 100 percent rPET bottle at K 2019

18 Oct 2019 --- German filling and packaging systems supplier KHS has launched the first recyclable juice bottle made of 100 percent recycled PET (rPET) at the ongoing K 2019 show in Düsseldorf. PackagingInsights speaks to Philipp Langhammer, Product Manager Barrier Technology for KHS, from K 2019 about how the Beyond Juice bottle achieves full recyclability and “maximum product protection” for sensitive beverages.

There is an increasing demand from consumers and the beverage industry alike for packaging which saves on resources. Notably, the EU Plastics Strategy dictates that all packaging waste in Europe must be recyclable by 2030.

KHS is addressing precisely this demand with its new Beyond Juice concept. “When developing the bottle we strictly adhered to our credo of environmental protection, recyclability and maximum product protection,” explains Langhammer. The rPET container was designed by KHS experts from the holistic Bottles & Shapes consultancy program together with environmental service provider Interseroh from Cologne.

“The Beyond Juice bottle is fully circular: it is 100 percent rPET and can be fully recycled into new Beyond Juice bottles. This has been tested by the German Recycling Specialist Interseroh according to a sorting, collection and recycling test method. The beyond juice bottle achieved top grades in this test method (20 out of 20 points). Also, the label can be easily removed due to an adhesive which is compatible with the EPBP recycling design guidelines,” Langhammer tells PackagingInsights.

Langhammer says that the 100 percent rPET content means that the bottle is not as clear as a virgin PET bottle, but once the bottle is filled with juice it is hard to tell the difference.

Fully circular product protection
Julian Thielen, Packaging Engineer for Interseroh notes that the Beyond Juice bottle achieved top recyclability marks because of its KHS SiOx barrier technology. “Alternative composite materials utilized as a barrier often color the recyclate and yield an inferior quality.” However, Beyond Juice does not apply these difficult-to-recycle composite materials to protect the product.

FreshSafe PET technology also ensures that sensitive, high-quality juices and spritzers keep up to ten times longer than those filled into uncoated bottles. This is primarily thanks to the wafer-thin layer of glass applied to the inside of the bottle, which prevents oxygen from penetrating the bottle and CO2 from escaping from it.

Easy recycling of the entire bottle
The label area on the Beyond Juice container has been kept so small that sorting systems recognize it as a PET bottle. This ensures that the container can be reintroduced to the recycling loop rather than being used to make energy.

The new KHS bottle concept has also been developed as a film-free pack for recycling purposes. Dots of adhesive which are strong and secure yet easy to remove hold the bottles together. With Nature MultiPack from KHS, the film otherwise used to package the PET bottles as a six-pack is no longer required. This adhesive is also easily removed during recycling. “By doing away with the secondary film around the pack, we’re helping to further reduce this type of packaging waste by up to 90 percent,” Langhammer says.

As the Beyond Juice bottle is made entirely of rPET, it helps to reduce the carbon footprint throughout its entire life cycle. New studies by recognized trade associations confirm that PET bottles made of 100 percent recyclate have a much lower carbon footprint than containers made of virgin PET. “At a production of 50 million bottles a year, more than 1,500 metric tons of raw material in the form of new PET could be saved by our bottle,” Langhammer notes.KHS' new wide-neck PET containers for hot filling, currently on exhibit at K 2019.

Currently showcasing at the ongoing K 2019 show, Langhammer tells PackagingInsights that we can expect to see the Beyond Juice bottle on supermarket shelves around the world soon. “It all depends on the companies and their willingness to invest in the necessary machinery to produce such sustainable packaging,” he concludes.

KHS develops wide-neck PET containers for hot filling
KHS is also exhibiting its new wide-neck PET containers, which are suitable for the hot filling of food, at K 2019. With its low weight and good recycling properties, this line-compatible container reduces the carbon footprint throughout its entire life cycle. This alternative to the non-returnable glass receptacle also provides a high level of product safety thanks to its FreshSafe PET coating.

“Saving carbon dioxide is an important issue for food companies, both regarding the design of the packaging and the way their supply chains are organized,” says Sebastian Wenderdel, Non-Beverage Global Product Account Manager for KHS. “We aim to not only reduce our customers’ carbon footprint but also increase production reliability. Individually designed, lightweight containers also improve consumer experience.”

KHS recently published its sustainability report for 2017/2018, reporting significant gains in water reduction and outlining future strategies for lowering carbon emissions across its product and service concepts.

By Joshua Poole