COEXPAN, well aware of the importance of high-quality PET sheet for thermoforming applications and the increasing scarcity of non-renewable resources, was keen to support the undertaking announced by PET Sheet Europe and the challenge was taken up by the company´s plant in Italy, COEXPAN Montonate, one of the founder members of the PET Sheet Europe association. Following the success of this project, it is soon to be replicated by COEXPAN Germany and other Coexpan subsidiaries.
The main difficulty lies in rPET packaging for food applications since the highest levels of food safety are required when post-consumer materials are put back into circulation as food use containers. CorePET, the new 100% rPET sheet specifically formulated for the thermoforming market, is manufactured using state-of-the-art technology and it meets all the legislative requirements, including EFSA approval. CorePET does not rely on a ‘functional’ virgin PET barrier for food contact approval. All the raw materials used are suitable for direct food contact without any barrier layer.
rPET sheets are readily available with different percentages of recycled content: 50%, 70% and 85%, with the possibility in this latter case of reaching up to 100% and producing sheets in different colours for a variety of applications that include packaging for cheese, fresh pasta, fruit, salads, cosmetics or blister packaging.
COEXPAN’s commitment to packaging recyclability and post-consumer decontamination systems
COEXPAN has a sustainability vision that focuses on its clear commitment to the eco-design and recyclability of its packaging. Its new generation of packaging contributes to greater food availability and reduces plastic waste by providing products that are recyclable or biodegradable after use, and also, whenever possible, include recycled material, guaranteeing optimum product quality and safety conditions and upholding its firm contribution to the principles of circular economy.
COEXPAN has various production plants specialising in PET-based and rPET-based extrusion. COEXPAN Chile has developed a system for decontaminating post-consumer PET from recovered plastic bottles. Raw material cleaning and decontamination technology is employed using EREMA and VACUREMA® machinery to produce clean, dry, dust-free PET flakes ready to make new rigid sheets and bottles apt for direct food contact. This technology has been approved by the USA FDA and the European Union and was presented at last year´s Latinpack Tradeshow.
In its ongoing commitment to promote projects for plastic waste prevention and the recovery and reuse of all kinds of plastic waste, COEXPAN currently teams up with local and international associations, suppliers and customers.
