Coexpan, a subsidiary of Grupo Lantero, and Trinseo, a manufacturer and material company of rigid plastic panels and thermoformed products, have jointly launched a work to validate various polystyrene recycling technologies. The two companies are seeking to develop a polystyrene material with recyclable ingredients suitable for the fill and seal (FFS) market in the global dairy industry. As a leading supplier of filling seals for dairy packaging, Coexpan is very active in this field.
Although the dairy FFS packaging market has traditionally tended to use polystyrene, interest in alternative polymers is also rising here, because polystyrene has long been considered non-recyclable and therefore unsuitable for use in a circular plastic economy.
Trinseo and Coexpan said this is a misunderstanding. At present, the two companies are testing different recycled materials at Innotech, Coexpan and Emsur's rigid and flexible packaging innovation technology centers in Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
According to partners, r-PS is a rule changer in the FFS market. Polystyrene not only has a unique closed-loop recycling potential, but the process is relatively simple, which can reduce the carbon footprint and extend the life cycle.
Nicolas Joly, vice president of Trinseo Plastics and Materials, said: "The complete recycling of polystyrene is coming soon."
The two companies believe that this gives polystyrene a major competitive advantage over other alternatives. Industrialized mass production is expected to go online in the third quarter of 2022.
Dinis Mota, CEO of Coexpan, said: "We are very pleased to have established this partnership with Trinseo, which will allow us to demonstrate the feasibility of polystyrene mechanical and chemical recycling processes." He added that Innotech is constantly innovating , With the concept of recovery and recycling. "Until the circulation problem is solved, we will not launch any products."
"This partnership is the key to accelerating the transition to a circular economy and promoting the European Commission's recycling goals." Joly added.