EREMA technology produces PCR-HDPE for food packaging

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved the food contact compliance of post-consumer recycled HDPE (PCR-HDPE) produced with the EREMA patented INTAREMA TVEplus RegrindPro extrusion system in combination with the ReFresher module.

The company believes this will open new opportunities to close the loop in food packaging made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

Clemens Kitzberger, Business Development Manager in the EREMA Group for the post-consumer sector, explains: "FDA approval means that new food packaging can contain up to 100 percent of PCR-HDPE produced using this recycling process."

The starting material for the PCR-HDPE is a defined post-consumer input stream consisting of 99 percent food containers such as milk and juice bottles. PCR-HDPE produced from this can be processed into bottles, food dishes and similar products.

EREMA achieves the necessary purity of the PCR-HDPE by combining the INTAREMA TVEplus RegrindPro extrusion system with the ReFresher module, a highly efficient anti-odour technology.

The efficiency of the ReFresher was tested and confirmed in a separate challenge test using highly contaminated input material.

As the ReFresher uses the latent energy of the pellets preheated by the extrusion process, this system is particularly energy-saving.

These and numerous other technical innovations and highlights in the PET, post-consumer and in-house recycling areas will be presented by EREMA at K 2019 as part of "seeds for your performance".