Editor Rebekah Jordan learns more about QC Polymer's mission to strive for a circular economy, by investing in advanced recycling technology and AI sorting, with the company's managing director, Arpan Dhanuka.
Q. Could you elaborate on the specific areas where the investment in advanced recycling technology is being allocated?
We are looking to get more advanced equipment, such as a new granulator to give a better flake size and bulk density and install machinery to give us more data on our input material with the help of AI. Going forward we are looking to add machinery to add value to our waste products such as our rejected flakes and caps and labels.
Q. How is the rPET virtually indistinguishable from virgin PET? What benefit does this serve in terms of applications and sustainability?
We maintain no metal in our flake and have very low contaminants (below 50 ppm). This means that the flake can be used for multiple applications - almost identical specifications to virgin PET.
Our rPET has the following characteristics:
Broad Range of Applications: Since rPET is virtually indistinguishable from virgin PET, it can be used in the same applications without compromising performance. This includes packaging materials like bottles and containers, textiles, and even some medical and food-grade products, which require strict safety and performance standards.
Circular Economy: The ability to use rPET in place of virgin PET supports a circular economy, where materials are reused and recycled rather than discarded. This reduces the demand for raw materials, specifically petroleum, from which virgin PET is derived.
Reduced Carbon Footprint: Producing rPET generally requires less energy compared to manufacturing virgin PET, leading to lower greenhouse gas emissions. This contributes to a reduction in the overall environmental impact of PET products.
Resource Conservation: By recycling PET into rPET, we conserve resources and reduce the need for new plastic production. This decreases the environmental impact associated with extracting and processing raw materials and reduces waste sent to landfills.
Consumer and Brand Appeal: Many consumers and brands are increasingly valuing sustainability. The use of rPET, which is indistinguishable from virgin PET, allows companies to market their products as environmentally friendly without compromising on quality, thereby meeting consumer demand for sustainable options.
Q. How does QC Polymer's advanced recycling technology differentiate it from competitors in the market?
We use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to judge quality and have the best bottle and flake sorters i.e. TOMRA's. We use three hot wash tanks and customer feedback says our flake is very clean because of this. We are also looking to get the best German granulator i.e. Herbold to give the right size of flake.
Q. What are the key criteria for selecting partners, such as local councils, waste management companies, and major brands? How will these partnerships contribute to the company's growth and sustainability objectives?
We wish to work with local partners, however, we do work with councils all over the UK. We try to work with members of recoup and British Recycling Federation as much as possible - our customers supply to brands such as Tesco and Marks and Spencers to name a few.
We are moving towards circularity and the only way to do that is through partnerships with larger brands that sell and buy the bottles and other food packaging that we are tackling.