Recycling: Growing demand for large-scale PET recycling systems

Demand for solutions for bottle-to-bottle recycling is increasing worldwide, even in countries like China. In view of this trend, the specifications for PET recycling machines to handle higher capacities are also growing.

With its Vacurema technology, machinery provider Erema says it offers a system that enables throughputs of up to 6 tonnes/hour.

“While the bottle-to-bottle market initially tended towards 3-tonne machines, over the past three years we have been seeing increasing demand for PET recycling solutions with throughputs in excess of three tonnes per hour,” says Christoph Wöss, Business Development Manager for the Bottle segment at Erema.

In total, a dozen Vacurema machines with throughput capacities of four to six tonnes have been installed and commissioned worldwide since 2020, according to the company.

“Together, these large recycling machines produce almost 350,000 tonnes of rPET per year, which is a clear sign that this order of magnitude is now commonplace in the industry,” adds Wöss.

Meanwhile, with its Vacurema technology, the Austrian machine maker says it offers a proven system for throughputs between 600 and 6,000 kg/hour. This technology is said to achieve efficient decontamination and gentle IV treatment and fulfils the strict requirements of the European and North American food safety authorities.

Even the basic version produces food-grade rPET, providing the basis for a wide range of end applications. Whether the pellets are then used with SSP for IV adjustment for bottle-to-bottle or high IV applications, an additional upstream vacuum treatment enables direct connection to preform production, or the material is processed inline into sheets or fibres.

“This versatility allows users to react flexibly to changes in the market and fluctuations in demand, an important advantage in a dynamic market environment,” adds Wöss.

The company also provides the advanced Vacunite technology that combines with the Vacurema system with integrated vacuum-assisted SSP in a nitrogen atmosphere. This combination further optimises the material properties and significantly reduces the yellowing of the pellets, which is an important quality factor in bottle-to-bottle recycling, says Erema.

What is more, the closed nitrogen cycle and optimised process control ensure even lower nitrogen consumption, and ultimately, a particularly efficient and environmentally friendly process.

Vacunite technology is available on machines for throughputs of up to 2,500 kg/hour that feature particularly low energy consumption and a compact design.

“In several markets, like Latin America, there is a clear trend towards larger PET recycling machines. We expect the market to develop this way in China too, to meet the increasing demand for high-quality rPET suitable for sensitive applications such as food packaging,” says Wöss.

Erema adds it has already installed more than 50 Vacurema and Vacunite systems in China, but only a few with throughputs in excess of 4 tonnes/hour. Wöss sees opportunities here: “For Chinese recyclers, the bandwidth and flexibility of the systems offer great potential for a wide variety of applications.”

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