EPL’s Platina PRO HDPE tubes technology approved by RecyClass

Following RecyClass approval of two Platina tubes last year, an independent laboratory testing demonstrated that EPL’s ‘Platina 220 PRO’ and ‘Platina 250 PRO’ tubes can be equally recycled in the HDPE containers recycling stream.

The tubes are made from a laminated HDPE structure with an HDPE shoulder and were tested unprinted and without the cap. Both tubes contain an EVOH barrier of a concentration below 5 per cent of the total weight of the packaging, compatibilised with over 2.5% PE tie layers grafted with at least 0.1% maleic anhydride.

Since the Platina PRO technologies received recognition from The Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR), RecyClass equally approved the technologies as fully compatible with coloured HDPE recycling. The tubes pose no negative impacts to the rigid HDPE recycling stream when the set conditions are fulfilled. The cap must also be made of PE and the application of decorative technology must be in line with RecyClass recommendations.

Plastics generated from the recycling of the tubes can be used to manufacture high-quality blow moulding applications.

Since the tubes were tested without the cap and with printing, the approval applies solely to the tubes. To assess the full packaging, an additional assessment is recommended to review the impact of the closure system and decorations on the quality of recycled HDPE.

These analyses were carried out with the aim of improving the quality of recycled HDPE and European recycling rates.