Successful separation: Greiner lights up FachPack 2021 with cardboard-plastic cup recyclability innovation

30 Sep 2021 --- Greiner Packaging is showcasing its new self-separating cup innovation today at FachPack 2021. The K3 r100 cup is a cardboard-plastic combination delivering enhanced recyclability with an easy-to-detach tear-off system. Significantly, if consumers choose not to utilize the tear-off system, the cup’s cardboard sleeve detaches by pressure at recycling centers. 

PackagingInsights discusses the innovation with Jörg Sabo, global marketing and innovation director for Greiner Packaging, live at the show in Nuremberg, Germany.

“One of the main issues with our cardboard-plastic cup combination is that most of the time consumers are not separating the cardboard from the plastic and this is having a negative impact on the recyclability rate,” explains Sabo.

“We are happy to announce we have developed a new solution [for this issue] – we call it the K3 r100. When the cup is thrown away, and the consumer is not separating the cardboard from the plastic, the cardboard is removed by pressure during the recycling sorting process. This [solution] means the separated materials can go into the correct recycling streams.”

Jörg Sabo, global marketing and innovation director for Greiner Packaging, speaking at FachPack 2021.Moreover, since the white or transparent plastic cup is unprinted, it can be recycled effectively. The cup’s carbon footprint is also “significantly smaller” than alternative packaging solutions.

Cyclos-HTP has given K3 r100 with a standard aluminum lid a recyclability rating of higher than 90%.

The solution was also evaluated and certified in accordance with RecyClass recyclability standards and the Design for Recycling guidelines and received a Class A rating, indicating the top level of recyclability for a packaging item.

High-temperature rPET solution
Another solution on display at Greiner Packaging’s FachPack stand is the rPET HTS cup. Sabo explains the biggest issue with PET – or recycled PET (rPET) – material is temperature stability.

“In the dairy industry, often the packaging is undergoing high temperature, sterilization up to 120 degrees. The material is not melting but it is shrinking. We needed to find a solution, especially because rPET is the material available in good quality for the food market.”

“We have been working intensively in recent months to develop this solution. We are happy to have the product here at the booth and in the final stage of the development process.”Sabo demonstrates how the K3 r100 cup can be easily separated by consumers.

Digital watermarks
Greiner Packaging is part of the pioneering Holy Grail 2.0 project, advancing plastics packaging recycling through intelligent identification systems in partnership with Digimarc, Paccor and other leading companies. PackagingInsights also spoke with Andreas Schütte, Paccor’s CEO, about how the project is progressing.

“We see a great opportunity with digital watermarks,” says Sabo. “We have prepared samples for the semi-industrial sorting tests. We are waiting for the results, and we will also try to participate in the industrial sorting tests, which will probably take place at the beginning of next year.”

“If the tests work out, we see great potential for much more efficient sorting of our material [at recycling centers]. We are looking forward to this technology becoming successful on the market.”

FachPack trends
What are the big trends at FachPack 2021? For Sabo, unsurprisingly, sustainability remains a key topic.

If the K3 r100 cup is not separated by consumers, pressure applied during the recycling process detaches the components.“We see [sustainability] when we look at all our competitors’ booths. The circular economy is still a major topic, as is the use of recycled material and mono-material solutions.”

“The focus is also on packaging’s CO2 footprint and what kind of digital tools and technologies we can use to support the circular economy and sustainability.”

The K3 r100 cup innovation can be sampled today at Greiner Packaging’s FachPack booth. The Swiss Packaging Awards’ jury praised the tear-off system for being “easy to see and use” and “self-explanatory.”

The rear side of the cardboard wrap is also designed to provide product information and brand engagement opportunities.

At this year’s FachPack, PackagingInsights also spoke with Mondi, Coveris, Schubert, Syntegon and other leading packaging companies.

By Joshua Poole, reporting from FachPack 2021 in Nuremberg, Germany