Mechanical recycling arises as a good strategy to meet these new requirements and regulations that are having a strong impact on the development of the plastic sector.
This practice comprises several process steps, collection, sorting, washing, shredding, melting and transformation of plastic waste, aiming to get a secondary raw plastic material ready to be used again.
It is a recycling plastic waste process that is constantly evolving and that allows the production of a second material to be used in the manufacture of new plastic products: packaging, bags, flooring, auto parts, tools, and many more.
Advantages of mechanical recycling
Mechanical recycling of plastic products offers great advantages for the environment, avoiding the accumulation of waste, which is one of the biggest pollution problems worldwide.
In addition, this practice also brings advantages for communities and great benefits to companies that opt for recycled or recyclable products.
Let's look at the most important advantages that mechanical recycling of plastic materials provides to society, the planet and businesses.
It substantially reduces plastic waste that is sent to landfills that might take centuries to decompose. Recycling encourages a new life for plastic, preventing it from becoming waste.
Protects natural resources by reducing the excessive extraction process of virgin and natural raw materials, minimizing, exponentially, the environmental impact which requires high amounts of fossil fuels.
Creates jobs as a result of the various proceses required in mechanical recycling, for example during the collection or sorting of plastics, having a positive impact on the country's economy.
Saves energy as it avoids the extraction of energy-intensive natural resources, promoting cost savings for companies by minimizing energy consumption.
Promotes a circular economy in the world through sustainable development, which seeks to preserve natural resources and care for the environment.
Steps of the recycling process
Mechanical recycling is a multi-steps process. After collecting the plastic products these are the steps:
Sorting
This is the first step of the mechanical recycling of plastics. It involves their separation by types of resins: HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, PP, and so on.
They will also be separated according to color and shape, for example, hard plastic, bags, foam…
Shredding
After the classification of each type of plastic, the stage of fragmentation into small pieces of plastic that will pass to the next stage begins.
Washing
The plastic fragments are washed with water in order to eliminate impurities and contaminants.
Drying
After being washed, the plastics begin a drying process using special machinery that allows them to maintain a controlled humidity of 3-5% for the next phase.
Extrusion
In the final stage, the dry small pieces of plastics are melted by heating through an extruder machine where they are conveyed by a screw conveyor to a die that creates continuous filaments that are cooled with water at room temperature.
Finally, they are cut in a granulating machine that forms granules of recycled plastic material that will be packaged.
Mechanical recycling and chemical recycling: What are their differences?
Although the mechanical recycling system is very widespread and developed, there are alternatives for those materials whose mechanical recyclability is impossible. This is chemical recycling. The most important difference between mechanical and chemical recyclingis the process used by each of these recycling techniques.
While the mechanical process keeps the polymers stable, the chemical process breaks them down and then regroups them.
Another key difference is the higher cost of chemical recycling today, which tends to limit its usefulness in many budgets. Even more than 90% of recycled material in Europe comes from mechanical recycling.
However, these technologies are not substitutes but complementary in themselves in order to achieve higher material recovery rates and thus prevent plastic materials from being considered waste and ending up in landfills. It seems that research on chemical recycling is working towards achieving economically viable and industrializable alternatives in the near future.
Impact of mechanical recycling on the circular economy
We could say that mechanical recycling is synonymous with circular economy.
If we consider its benefits for the environment, we will understand that it is a process that, by recycling waste and creating new materials that can be reused, drives a key benefit: business and environmental sustainability.
It also saves energy consumption and reduces emissions generated by refining and manufacturing processes.
Reduce, Recycle and Reuse are 3 essential pillars of the circular economy. And mechanical recycling is a widespread option that promotes these practices.
At APSwe seek to collaborate responsibly with the circular economy. We are part of and participate in key projects to achieve it. A clear example of this is the “Envase X Envase” project.
The project seeks to achieve the declassification of hazardous waste and its total integration into new packaging to promote the circular economy in the agrochemical sector. Get to know it!
Despite all publications against it, plastic packaging remains essential and part of our everyday lives. Wherever you look, you can find it in everything we consume and use. One of the great concerns today is related to packaging and the huge amount that ends up in nature, polluting ecosystems and detaching all kinds of toxic elements that pose a risk to our health. In this sense, recyclability of plastic packaging has emerged as an alternative, to solve part of the environmental problem that human being is generating. How to get recyclable plastic packaging is the challenge that a large part of the industry is facing nowadays.
To know how to recycle plastic bottles or other plastic packaging correctly and to achieve greater use of resources, it is key to know the types of recyclable plastic packaging that exist.
There are several types of containers, composed of different materials that are recycled to a greater or lesser extent and that are more or less easy to separate from the other components in the recycling process. Each of the types of recyclable plastic packaging can be adaptedto specific products or sectors. Many of these sectors, such as industrial, chemical, cosmetic, dermocosmetic or agrochemical, are already aware of the need to demand these recyclable plastic packaging to further control their negative effect on nature and meet the expectations that more and more consumers have and that the legislation is imposing.
Even though the use of plastic packaging is a globalice practice, according to the February 2024 report by the BBVA Foundation and IVIE, "Spanich recycling rates are still very low, as only 48% of total waste is recovered, compared to the EU-27 average of 58%. This results in a very modest circular material use rate that has even worsened over time , filing 3,3 percentage points from 10.4% in 2010 to 7.1% in 2022.
This means that even by putting all the means to produce recyclable plastic packaging that can be recovered and reused, the way end consumers act and the continuous wrong recycling they carry out means that the effects of plastic packaging can continue to cause negative effects on the environment.
It is not only worth separating what we consume in different containers, you need to know the types of recyclable plastic containersout there to recycle them properly. Many of these containers are mixed with other waste, making it very difficult and even impossible to recover. Others, however, are deposited in erroneous containers, and many plastics that are not considered packaging are left down together with recyclable plastic containers, creating a mixture of materials that make it impossible to get them recycled.
The consequence of this chain of erroneous actions is that these mixed materials end up in landfills, incinerated or what is worst polluting or enviroment impossible to be recovered and any of these three options remains as harmful to both, health and the environment, as not recycling.
That is why many companies and sectors no longer only demand recyclable plastic packaging for their products, but also greater awareness and training of the population to make correct use of these packaging. Taking certain measures, such as reusing, recycling properly or producing biodegradable packaging, are some of the solutions that could give way, at least in part, to the problem that Spain has with the recovery of these wastes.
What types of recyclable plastic packaging are there?
Plastic packaginf is made with different materials and different technologies. Recyclable plastic containers are those that to a greater or lesser extent can be recovered and enter into the recycling streams already established, or streams that can be newly established in such a way that end up being used to produce new packaging. Among the materials that can enter mechanical recycling streams we can find the following types:
PET – this is one of the most recycled plastics in the world. We usually find it in the form of PET bottles, in sectors such as food, industrial, cosmetics, etc. It is characterized by being transparent, light, flexible and have good resistance to gases and moisture. Its lightness is precisely what makes its transport more efficient and sustainable than that of other materials, and can be reused, although it can release toxins over time, so the best option is to recycle it.
HDPE – this type of plastic is very resistant, is used for higher weight packaging, and for its good resistance to chemical corrosion is one of the most used for chemicals, agrochemicals and cleaning.
PP – PP containers are easily recyclable and resistant to heat, moisture and chemicals.
Recyclable plastic containers can be used to create new packaging of chemicals, agrochemicals, detergents and the like if they have been recycled multiple times, while to pack food products, the material obtained must be certified as "food safe" Plastic containers with the letter O ornumber 7, on the other hand, are difficult to recycle as the materials that make up it are rarely known. It is essential to separate in order to facilitate recycling in management plants enabled for this purpose. But keep in mind that "separating, it's not recycling." It's just the first step of the gear on a circuit where WE ALL participate.
At Alcion Packaging Solutions we work for greater sustainability, and constantly look for new formulas to producerecyclable plastic packaging with the best features to house all kinds of products. With materials such as PET or HDPE, we manufacture 100% recyclable packaging so you can protect your product safely and responsibly with the environment.
We are facing new trends and paradigms of environmental protection in which sustainable plastic storage of chemicals plays an important role.
Discover the impact they have on the world of packaging and see the packaging solutions that we can offer you at Alcion Packaging Solutions.
Plastic storage of chemicals: Their importance and use
Plastic packaging for chemical products plays a decisive role when protecting these types of products, which are more than often classified as "hazardous". Chemicals such as pesticides, agrochemicals, lubricants, solvents, corrosive products, and others, need special packaging to be stored, transported, and handled safely.
Safety of the product inside is strictly complied with as long as packaging design and manufacturing strategies take into account the own characteristics and possible reactions of the products to be packaged, their needs and the requirements of current regulations.
Today, plastic has become one of the most widely used raw materials, by far, to successfully preserve this type of chemicals, due to its versatility, resistance, density and rigidity, in short, to fulfill the bunker function (containing, protecting, conserving and transporting) that we have talked about on several occasions.
Characteristics of storage containers for chemicals
Plastic packaging for chemical products has certain characteristics that make it a safe alternative for transporting dangerous products.
We must not forget that handling certain chemical substances can become a risky activity that we must prevent. Today, many types of plastic serve as a safeguard against possible leaks or escapes of the chemical contained.
In general, HDPE (high-density polyethylene) is mainly used for such purposes, since its properties and molecular density are able to withstand high temperatures and keep corrosive products. But barrier packaging can also be chosen as it protects the product inside the packaging. The main characteristic of these plastic containers is their resistance, combined with the lightness that facilitates their transformation to adapt to any element.
But, in addition, resistance is key in this type of packaging and this is ensured by national and international certifications that we must comply with when manufacturing our packaging.
Sustainability in the development of plastic packaging for chemicals
Over the years, the way plastic packaging is designed, manufactured and used for chemicals and countless other items that need plastic packaging to be transported properly has been transformed. Besides the way in which we try to make this packaging recyclable has also evolved along the latest years.
A few years ago, the European Union laid the groundwork for a new plastics economy, which aims to ensure that all plastics packaging can be recycled or reused by 2030.
Thanks to new sustainable manufacturing practices and the use of appropriate technology, packaging companies can count on plastic packaging that is more environmentally friendly.
Today it is possible to reduce the consumption of single-use plastics, even in the case of chemical products, thanks to the work of multidisciplinary teams that have been gradually implementing new processes in the way such containers are conceived and produced.
At Alcion Packaging Solutions we push development to offer a wide range of solutions that cover any plastic packaging need, even in the most demanding sectors of the market: agrochemical, industrial and cosmetic.
We provide our sustainable proposal to give the ideal solution to each company with a packaging adapted to each need, with all the guarantees of an approved product and our productive response capacity with tight production deadlines.
At APS, sustainability cuts vertically through all design and manufacturing processes because we are convinced that the world needs less plastic and more environmentally beneficial alternatives.
Importance of the circular economy
The circular economy seeks to transform the way goods and services are produced and consumed, promoting a more sustainable and environmentally conscious approach.
In this way, it seeks to reduce pressure on ecosystems and mitigate the negative impacts associated with the extraction of natural resources and the generation of waste.
But, in addition to this great relevance in terms of environmental care and ethical awareness about reducing the negative impact of economic and commercial practices and processes, the circular economy has other advantages.
It is capable of generating economic opportunities and promoting innovation in the design of products and processes, optimizing and producing substantial savings in economic and time terms.
Safety of plastic storage of chemical products: Key to your success
Many companies have decided to embrace sustainability in their plastic packaging to pack chemical products, although it is true that it is hardly known in depth what is behind such an insignificant item like plastic packaging and certain keys to successful decision-making are sometimes overlooked. Even though being involved in sustainability when talking about packaging is a possible and a necessary change, we have seen many doubts on how to approach it.
To apply the bases of the circular economy to the manufacture of plastic packaging requires a holistic approach that covers from design to the end of its life cycle.
If we take into account the fundamental principles of the circular economy, some concrete strategies could be considered:
Design to comply with that circularity
Take into account the feasibility of the recovery of packaging through recycling and recovery of materials
Consider reusing packaging as an option where possible
Achieving energy efficiency in processes
Optimize logistics
Educating and sensitizing consumers
Creating a sustainable supply chain
Alcion Packaging Solutions: Innovation in sustainable plastic packaging
At Alcion Packaging Solutions we work Innovation according to UNE166002 standard to seek and achieve the sustainability of our plastic packaging for chemical products.
Without deviating from our objective of competitiveness, we are constantly promoting the modernization of our production plant, which has been constantly evolving since its creation in 1945, implementing sustainable processes and using materials adapted to each context and type of packaging.
Through a vision committed to the planet, making use of disruptive technologies, we apply the basic principles of the circular economy and are working in favor of strategies to produce plastic packaging for a sector that must ensure its transport in optimal conditions.
We invite you to learn about the sustainable plastic packaging alternatives for chemical products that we design and produce.
How is innovation applied in the creation of sustainable plastic packaging? What benefits do packaging innovations entail and how are they achieved? Discover all the answers in this article!
Sustainable innovations in plastic packaging: What does it mean?
Innovating in the industry means turning a problem or a challenge into an idea and that idea into an opportunity. Plastic packaging manufacturing involves analysis of the complexity of packaging needs from different angles. It also requires a teamwork system that fosters relationships and the exchange of concepts and points of view.
If we also seek to go further and direct our target to the sustainability of this packaging, we can really provide alternatives and creative packaging solutions that really facilitate the circular economy.
The success in the use of plastic materials is given by its undisputed versatility, capable of adapting to all types of products and sectors, eithercommercial or industrial. Thanks to properties such as lightness, flexibility, impermeability and resistance, plastic materials constitute one of the most versatile and most used materials for the manufacture of packaging in the world.
Plastic packaging maintains its position and is projected as the packaging of the present but also of the future since the plastic industry has been working for years on the implementation of technological innovations that promote its sustainability and its incorporation into the circular economy.
We are talking about sustainable packaging innovation. A concept which is anchored in the conception itself, in a way of designing and manufacturing packaging that follows a more sensitive side of sustainability because it seeks to reduce the environmental impact throughout the whole process.
Working under parameters of sustainable innovation to develop rigid plastic packaging, allows us to design and create smarter and safer packaging solutions for the industry, and therefore for society and the environment.
In addition, packaging designed through innovation brings a circularity degree to rigid plastic packaging for industryto pack hazardous chemicals that mostly require UN approval.
In addition to maintaining the levels of protection and safety of the packaged product, the plastics processing industry has managed to create designs that minimize its impact on the environment.
Benefits of sustainability in plastic packaging
Applying innovation to develop sustainable packagingoffers various benefits to theenvironment and society but also for those companies that opt for a type of packaging that respects the environment, improving the image of their product and competitiveness.
At the environmental level, one of the essential advantages is the reduction of dependence on fossil resources and a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions.
In addition, these innovative solutions can be recycled mechanically, allowing the conversion of waste into new products, avoiding the generation of polluting waste.
At the social level, the technology applied in the design and manufacture, produces safe containers to keep products, protect them adequately and ensure their phytosanitary conditions.
As for companies that choose to incorporate packaging innovation into their products, they get a core benefit: engaging their target audience through sincere commitment to the environment.
In a context where social awareness, in terms of environmental care, is increasing, brands must prioritize these trends and include them among their strategic objectives in order to reach consumers.
This enhances the relationship between customer and company, generating an extremely positive interaction and purchase experience.
Key aspects to achieve sustainable plastic packaging for packaging hazardous chemicals
For innovation in packaging to be truly sustainable, the companies that opt for them work by taking into consideration some key points. Let’s say…
Eco Design
Design is key to sustainable innovation and this implies studying the composition of the product improving the mechanical and behavioral characteristics of the packaging to deeply optimize the packaging, reducing its environmental impact.
But in addition, working on design must be constituted as a philosophy pursuing factors that improve the life cycle and promote the recyclability of the packaging to be created to reduce the amount of material used in manufacturing.
Recyclable and reusable materials
Reduce the amount of material used to manufacture a container. This point is a priority when we talk about sustainable innovation in plastic packaging, but in addition, the raw material used must be recyclable to reduce environmental pollution.
When talking about recycling, we all think first of all of mechanical recycling, but we must not forget that the industry is also working on the possibility of chemical recycling that is capable of providing materials of much better purity and behavior to the industry.
Process optimization
The optimization of the plastic transformation process involves using improved equipment in terms of energy efficiency, use of water resources, increasing the performance of each production unit, in short, doing more with less.
Alcion Packaging Solutions: your ally to achieve sustainable innovations in industrial plastic packaging
This June we have obtained the adaptation of our R + D + i Management System Certificate to the new version of the UNE 166002:2021 standard. Our R + D + i Committee works in accordance with the UNE 166002 so that our products can be innovative and sustainable, being able to be recycled and being part of manufacturing processes that respect the environment. Work, in short, to reduce and even eliminate the amount of plastic that ends up in the landfill.
The projects we have developed in recent years talk about it: the implementation of a design system that studies and analyzes each container to achieve optimal behavior avoiding using excess of material, focusing on the use of materials that are 100% recyclable, implementing technologies that provide increasingly sustainable packaging, working with efficient production units in terms of consumption and manufacturing, integrating ourselves into work teams that develop projects for the reuse of recovered materials...
Discover our solutions and join the innovation in totally sustainable plastic packaging. Get into the circle! Contact us!
It is important to highlight two important celebrations for our planet: World Day for the Protection of Nature and the International Day against Climate Change. The first was established with the aim of raising awareness in the population about the need to take care of the planet and the second to warn about the devastating effects of climate change in the world.
Good intentions that must be supported by actions that implement individual or corporate contributions to achieve both objectives. The development of the present should never jeopardize the future. That is why plastic packaging re-evolves with APS.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF APS TO THE RE-EVOLUTION OF PLASTIC PACKAGING
Aware of our belonging to an essential sector for economic development, we are faithful to our DNA and therefore at APS we have developed our corporate strategy based on the sustainable and environmentally friendly manufacture of our plastic packaging for chemical products, also doing it in a friendly and beneficent way with people and being responsible to society.
Under the premises of eco-design, we develop new products that contain post-consumer recycled plastic, together with the implementation of a new technology (Plasma Fluorination) to produce plastic packaging that provides a good level of development, trying to reduce or eliminate its impact on nature, and at the same time maintaining the protection of the packaged product.
At the same time, to contribute to the minimization of climate impact, we work under the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System that helps us correct all processes to achieve maximum efficiency in this area. In addition, we undergo the evaluation of the sustainability ratings agency EcoVadis, which promotes the transparency of sustainability practices and assesses the performance of aspects of Environment, Labor Practices and Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement, awarding us with the silver distinction in sustainability for this year 2022.
Development should not risk the future of nature
Trying to avoid that the development of the present does not risk the future of nature, in APS...
✅ we work on the basis of an environmental management system according to ISO 14001,
✅ we rely on eco-design to develop our packaging, increasingly sustainable,
✅ we implement new manufacturing technologies, such as Plasma Fluorination, which allow us to market 100% recyclable barrier packaging for the packaging of chemical products,
✅ we try to incorporate the maximum percentage of PCR(post-consumer plastic) in our packaging favoring the circular economy,
✅ we undergo the assessment of the sustainability ratings agency EcoVadis,
✅ we are aware of what it means to belong to a sector essential for economic development and our investments and efforts are focused on adding value,
APS, building a sustainable future
At the XX Annual Meeting of the Plastics Sector, we have been honored with the CERTIFICATE for the investments made in recent years. AVEP together with AIMPLAS · Technological Institute of Plastics with the assistance of the Vice President of the Consell, Aitana Mas, and the Local Minister of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade and Labor, Rafael Climent, held the XX Meeting of the Sector.
Moving towards a more sustainable society "does not mean renouncing the presence of plastics, but proposing a new paradigm of production and consumption around the circular economy"
Motivated by the desire to promote the circular economy and improve the sustainability of our plastic packaging, a few years ago we launched the project and the commitment to the implementation of a new technology for the manufacture of barrier containers, a milestone that became a reality with the installation of the first plasma reactor in the production plant of a Spanish plastic processing company.
Plasma Fluorination is a great technological advance in the manufacture of the range of rigid barrier containers since it allows to obtain plastic containers 100% recyclable, following the line of our new way of understanding packaging.
The implementation of this new technology has meant significant investments aimed not only at machinery, adaptation of production lines, etc. but also at the training of personnel and industrial reorganization at all levels.
The plastic sector
Our sector is key to the transformation of the economic model into a sustainable model and the challenges we are facing make us an innovative, creative industry, far from the demonization to which we have been subjected by certain sectors of society in recent years.
Our sincere commitment to achieve a true circular economy, to advance in energy efficiency and savings, to find improvements in the most unsuspected corners of the activity we develop, is a sign of our technological and innovative capacity as well as our commitment to society and the care of our planet.
For all these reasons, the recognition received for the investments made means for us, ALCION PACKAGING SOLUTIONS, a firm support for our company project and the work of all the people who are part of this team.
ALCION PACKAGING SOLUTIONS (APS) can offer you an integral solution to manufacture custom plastic containers. We can produce each container according to the needs of our customers covering the full cycle, from conception to production.
Whenever you need a new packaging for your products you will have to questionyourself manypoints: how shouldIapproach the launch of this new product, how can I improve the image of my brand, how can I transfer to my packaging all those small details of functionality and ergonomics to help final consumer to use it, howcan I distinguish myself from my competitors...
You can count on APS either to choose from our standard packaging or to develop a new custom plastic packaging. Our experienced product development team and specialists will help you make the best decision, to find the best rigid packaging solution that, surely, will highlight your brand to stand out.
If you are looking for a different packaging, you are in the right place. We encourage you to gointo detail and be clear about the impact you expect in the marketif you go for a counter-worthy packaging.To build a definition of what you really need,we suggest you gothrough:
Product differentiation
How different do you want your packaging to be? What shape are you thinking of? And what colors?Design engineering objectives mustbe analyzed in depthas well.
Functionality
You will have to take into account consumerexpectationsin terms of usability, ergonomic aspects, even one-hand control when dispensing, leakproof closures easy to open, but safe.
Compatibility
It is important to take into account any previous incident of leakage, or packaging deformations that you might previouslysuffer, since, in that case, your product could need a barrier container or a different closure complement ...
Capability to be recycled
Can I use PCR in my packaging? How doI adjust the plastic tax?am I aware of the difficulties in supplying PCR material and the impact it can have on availability and the supply chain?
Availability
Will I be able to assume the MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)? What lead times will I need?
Logistics and storage
How do I need the container to be delivered? What type of packaging, what quantity per pallet? Am I willing to changemy secondary packaging?
Once you have an answer to these questions, you will surely have an idea of what you are looking for. Now we invite you tolearn more about our products and experience in the world of packaging.
Barrier packaging: resistance and impermeability
External agents can cause alterations in the products inside a plastic container, so it is essential to have resistant solutions with the necessary quality to avoid deformations in the container or eventhe degradation of the plastic container itself.
Light, humidity, oxygen, pressure changes, temperature are some of the main agents that tend to cause suchproblems on packaged products.
Perhaps you can find the solution to such reactions by using barrier containers, manufactured either with multilayer co-extrusion technology or by plasma fluorination.
Barrier plastic packaging actsprotectingagainst chemical reactions that occur inside the container of certainactive formulas that usually cause gases that deform, break or degrade the container.
It is essential, thus,to verify the packaging-product compatibility to achieve its optimal functionality.
Co-extrusion is the simultaneous extrusion of two or more polymers to get a multilayer structure.
This technologyallows to manufacture a container with multiplelayers (multilayer), thanks to the use of several extruders, containing one of them a material that has barrier properties.
The efficiency of multilayer plastic containers manufactured by co-extrusion with barrier layer, for example, lies in using a material that has a high degree of impermeability to oxygen, even if the layer is thin,even underconditions of low humidity.
Plasma fluorination
Plasma fluorination is a new technology that allows to get high barrier in a monomaterial HDPE container manufactured by extrusionblow moulding.This technology accelerates the process of coating the surface of the container by providing barrier properties to containers that remain 100% recyclable, by turning a monomaterial HDPE containerinto a high-performance barrier container.The remarkable thing about this new plastic packaging manufacturing process is that it definitively solves two essential problems of traditional fluorination, the result is a plastic packaging:
Environmentally friendly throughout all the manufacturing process.
With barrier properties achieved 100% on the entire surface of the container.
PET containers: injectionblow moulding
For certain industries, such as cosmetics and dermocosmetics, having the possibility of tailor-made plastic packaging that respects the specific needs of the products is an essential point to guarantee sales.
The packaging must protect the goods inside but also provide an added value that no packaging manufacturer ignores.
Our injection blow moulding machines work with PET material of virginand recycled grades for use in the cosmetic and dermocosmetic sector, meeting the necessary requirements demande dby the sector.
In ALCION PACKAGING SOLUTIONS we guarantee the best quality and define characteristics to achieve an attractive packaging, essential in the purchase decision of the final consumer.
HDPE containers: extrusion blow moulding
In industrial packaging, the plastic packaging solution must fulfil a bunker function: contain – protect – preserve. Its behavior with the external environment and with the product it contains, its transportation and usability are also important elements to consider in an industrial container for the packaging of chemical products.
Our extrusion blow moulding machines transform HDPE of different grades, both virgin and recycled, to achieve packaging with features and characteristics that allow its full recyclability.
We work with standard neck normsto meet the demand of our customers and open their range of possibilities in the market.
Therefore, HDPE packagingis the ideal plastic packaging technology to properly contain any chemical product.
At Alcion Packaging Solutions we have a wide experience in the manufacture of custom plastic packaging.
Our R&D&I team cooperates with customers to find the perfect and tailor-made solution for their product to combine design, functionality, quality, technique and safety. In addition, we are iso 166002 certified, providing us with the guidelines to organize andeffectively support our R&D&I area, strictly complying with the standards required by such certification.
In this way, with the implementation of the UNE 166002 Standard for R + D + i we have established the first steps to launch the development plansof ALCION PACKAGING
SOLUTIONS where the commitment to innovation and the manufacture of recycled and recyclable plastic containers are the central axes.
Today we are the perfect partner for companies looking for plastic packaging for chemical products manufactured in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. We invite you to learn more by entering our website and contact us for any advice. Let's talk!
The extended producer responsibility included in the EU Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWD) establishes common rules and requires the Member States to implement the selective collection of waste in the plastic industry, imposing as well substantial changes in this activity.
We invite you to know its impact on the sector.
What is Extended Producer Responsibility?
Extended Producer Responsibility is part of the EU packaging legislation that questions the way in which products and their packaging, are manufactured, the management of the waste they generate, and the environmental pollution they produce.
The EPR, which is mandatory for all packaging flows, ensures that packaging waste is collected, sorted, and recycled according to legal targets and it extends the producer’s responsibility for a product to the post-consumer state.
Although, at the beginning of its conception, it focused on domestic waste, the impact is finally spread to other packaging waste streams. Industrial and commercial, and, of course, domestic, which involve sectors such as textiles, electronics, food ..., are also strongly affecting the plastic industry in general.
The EPR arises to promote a global environmental policy which has, as its main target, the reduction of environmental pollution and the reduction of waste generation in all the countries of the European Union.
Although it can generate new challenges in the plastic transformers sector, in APS we see it from the positive side, and turn it into a great opportunity to improve the processes of our business in general, based on the circular economy and the reuse of packaging and materials.
To promote this regulation, companies must create a Collective System of Extended Producer Responsibility as a model to manage compliance with the obligations that are specifically embodied in Directive 2019/904.
By setting more demanding objectives for plastics converters, the entire value chain linked to waste management is affected: manufacturers as those agents that participate directly or indirectly in the first marketing as in the case of distributors, importers, among other figures.
Extended producer responsibility affects manufacturing and product management processes across the European Union. Let's look at its implication in different countries.
Extended Producer Responsibility in France
The principle of extended producer responsibility appears in Article L. 541-10 of the French Environmental Code which sought to regulate the materials of products manufactured in order to eliminate waste.
The decree developed in 1992 linked to domestic packaging was extended to other areas such as paper, electronic materials, etc. The French Anti Waste Law (AGEC), enacted in 2020, accelerated the production and consumption model with the aim of limiting waste and taking care of natural resources.
With the EPR regulation, not only will the waste generated be treated, but it will also try to prevent it by forcing the sectors related to production to intervene in the entire life cycle of the goods, promoting eco-design and internal policies that promote environmental respect.
Extended Producer Responsibility in UK
Although the United Kingdom is already outside the EU, its legislation on extended producer responsibility is in the phase of consultation again, as it has also assumed to continue with the commitment to protect the environment and deal with the waste produced by companies.
These commitments have not been born with the new legislation but have been promoted for several years through laws and regulations such as the 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy for England; the Conservative Manifesto of 2019, Making Things Last of the Scottish Government, the 2019 Waste Management Plan of Ireland, among others.
In fact, the EPR system has been in place in the UK since 1997 increasing packaging waste recycling by 25% in its inception and by 63.9% in 2017, surpassing all UK and EU countries in terms of packaging waste recycling targets.
Like any system that is more than 20 years old, it needs a reform. In 2019, the Governance made the case for significant reforms to the current system in the UK Packaging Producer Responsibility System Reform consultation paper. Today, the goals are more ambitious: to hold producers accountable for the total net cost of managing packaging once it becomes waste, introducing clear and consistent labelling for recyclability.
Packaging recycling in the Uk Kingdom by 2030 is expected to reach 78%. Estimated recycling rates for the plastics industry are 62%. Thus, there are expected benefits as in the case of commercialized and non-commercialized carbon.
An evaluation period (2023-2032) will be carried out that, according to the estimates and planning of the scope of the objectives of this new regulation, the United Kingdom believes that the scope will represent 412 million pounds of benefit for society.
Extended Producer Responsibility in Spain
Under the slogan, "polluter must pay", the new regulation of extended producer responsibility is included in the New Waste Law, recently approved.
The country has long sought to achieve the "Circular Spain 2030", an initiative that lays the foundations to achieve a productive and consumption model where materials, resources and products persistan in the economy as long as possible so that waste in the country might be substantially reduced.
This means that decisions are focused on measures that allow companies to achieve efficiency and not persist on just modification of current polluting production systems.
The extended responsibility of the Spanish producer is included in the fourth title of Law 22/2011, of July 28, on Waste and contaminated soils, which highlights the limits of said responsibility, establishing obligations for producers, who must contemplate altogether designs, production process and the management of waste from their products, individually or through collective systems (SCRAP = Collective System of Aggregated Producer Responsibility).
Although Law 10/1998 and the derived regulations already promoted certain initiatives of a ERP system, the new regulations promote,for the first time, a coherent and systematized legal framework, through which producers are involved in the prevention and organization of waste management.
Obligations of producers
According to this Law, producers are those who physically or legally manufacture and sell products in a professional manner. These have responsibilities to fulfill, let’s say, improving reuse, recycling, managing the organization of the waste they produce and preventing it.
Collective Extended Producer Responsibility Systems for Industrial Plastic Packaging
To comply with the obligations of the new extended producer responsibility regulations, organizations or individuals that manufacture, or market goods can generate collective systems (SCRAP= Sistemas Colectivos de Responsabilidad ampliada del productor) or establish their own individual system.
The SCRAPs have, among their targets, to finance an adequate management of waste, assisting producers in the reduction and prevention of the same so that the recycling objectives and the different phases of production and sale are met, such as the guarantee of having containers for waste.
In addition, they finance actions linked to the correct communication and dissemination of the necessary measures for the care of the planet.
Sustainability and Circular Economy at Alcion PAckaging Solutions
APS is fully aware of the need to promote the figure of extended producer responsibility to be sure that the entire production chain and the arrival of products at the end user is respectful with the environment.
Although it is seen a complex challenge to overcome, companies that focus changes related to sustainability and the circular economy, obtain great benefits in terms of recognition by society.
In APS we have joined both the demands of society and countries to produce our packaging safely and sustainably through respectful processes, reducing waste and progressively eliminating those materials with less recyclability capacity.
Join our commitment to the protection of the environment!
The new Law on Plastic waste and the PlasticTaxes derived from it are imminent. Although in Spain its application is delayed until 2023, its impact is already becoming noticeable, not only in Spanish territory but also in different countries of the European Union, since the manufacturers of plastic products have been working months, if not years, to adapt to the new scenario that arises.
Find out about the national and international repercussions.
What is the new Waste And Plastic Taxes Act?
The plastic tax has now become one of the greatest challenges for businesses across Europe, as new Plastic Waste legislation and its PlasticTaxes have begun to generate impactful effects.
While any limitation on the use of potentially polluting materials, whatever their origin, always constitutes an excellent initiative in any society to protect the environment and reduce the obvious pollution we live, it is also true that an exhaustive analysis of other aspects that are required, make the impact truly positive.
Although the various Community directives that have appeared in recent years explicitly do not create a European tax on plastics, it is true that the most recent ones encourage the Member States to introduce a new category based on "green" contributions into their national policies, with a considerable impact on tax collection.
The transposition of the entire chain of directives into Spanish legislation gets the Spanish government to propose its Draft Law on Waste and Contaminated Soils by creating two new "green" taxes: the tax on non-reusable plastic packaging and the tax on the deposit of waste in landfills and incineration.
Around this new political configuration of taxes on plastic packaging, a great controversy has been generated: Are the regional measures of the European Union enough to balance the sustainable economy that the Union seeks ?
Faced with the increasingly accelerated climate devastation that we see on a daily basis, the homogeneous implementation of clear policies in all territories and the incorporation of other factors that manage to reduce pollution, seem to be the promising path for realistic effectiveness.
Measures taken in the plastic tax law by some countries
The tax on single-use plastics has impacted different EU countries, which have taken concrete measures in this regard.
> Tax on plastic packaging in Spain
In Spain, the regulation introduces, for the first time, limitations on the commercialization of single-use plastics, that is, plastics that cannot be reused. The goal is the reduction of this material, expecting that in 2026 it will be 50% and 70% in 2030.
Those products on which the law directly impacts in the first instance are: glasses, lids, food containers, cutlery, cotton buds, straws, etc.
The basic intention of the regulation is to avoid the generation of waste that constitutes a problem in environmental policies worldwide due to the great pollution they produce.
In this way, the bill marks a calendar to prevent the high generation of waste in Spain, seeking to reduce the weight of waste by 13% by 2025 and by 15% by 2030, compared to those produced in 2010.
The standard includes a tax on landfilling, incineration and co-incineration of waste. Proper waste management is essential to reduce waste and avoid environmental pollution.
It also foresees the implementation of new separate collections of domestic waste, textiles, among others, which promote recycling and the reduction of large amounts of waste.
The Tax on non-reusable plastic packaging, which will be transferred to the Autonomous Communities in Spain, will be indirect and will affect the manufacture, import or purchase within the EU of non-reusable plastic packaging destined for the Spanish market. It will be applied to both empty and full containers, including also semi-finished products (such as preforms, thermoplastic sheets and others that require one or more phases of subsequent transformation to be used as packaging), as well as those intended to allow closure (caps and others).
The taxable amount is constituted by the quantity of non-recycled plastic, in kilograms, contained in the packaging and the impositive type will be 0.45 euros per kilogram of plastic, which exempt from this tax exports and intra-Community supplies in addition to other exemptions related to the use to which said packaging is going to be destined (medicines, etc)
The United Kingdom, as a member of the EU in 2015, already implemented the tax on plastic bags, achieving a 95% reduction in their consumption in supermarkets.
On April 1, 2022, already away from the EU, the UK Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) will come into force. The tax will be charged at a rate of £200 per metric tonne of plastic if the proportion of recycled plastic contained in the packaging is less than 30% of its total weight. The goal is to make 100% plastics recyclable by 2025.
The plastic packaging tax will apply to plastic packaging manufactured or imported into the UK, where plastics used in the manufacture of the packaging are recycled at less than 30%. It appears to be assumed that plastic packaging does not meet the recycled content test unless you can prove otherwise.
In short, this new UK Plastics Tax Act encourages a levy on plastics that do not include a minimum of30% recycled material.
On February 10, 2020, France published its "Loi relative à la lutte contre le gaspillage et à l'économie circulaire", known as the AGEC Law. This law aims to act in favor of the environment through several measures: the reduction of waste, the promotion of the recycling of goods (circular economy), the reduction / elimination of plastics, the extension of the life of consumer goods to reduce CO2 emissions and preserve biodiversity.
Specifically, the law aims to achieve the goal of 100% recycled plastic by 2025 and achieve zero disposable plastic by 2040.
Later in April 2021 the so-called Decree of the 3Rs, comes to specify the details of the objectives of the Law:
20% reduction in single-use plastic packaging by the end of 2025
100% reduction in "unnecessary" single-use plastic packaging by 2025
An operational recycling channel for all single-use plastic packaging by 1 January 2025
Very important is the chapter on consumer information and the fight against waste. It seeks to promote valuable information that awakens awareness among consumers about the environmental characteristics of certain materials and the importance of caring for the planet.
On 1 January 2022, a consultation based on different criteria is established that will analyse the Eco Contribution in the context of the Extended Producer Responsibility Regime and will be adjusted through a system of bonuses and penalties, based on environmental performance criteria, including the incorporation of recycled material. For example, if the packaging does not contain materials that interfere with recycling, you will have a bonus of 10% of the Eco contribution; if it includes 25% or more of recycled raw material, it will also get a bonus; if the packaging is multimaterial it would be subject to penalty of up to 10% of the Eco...
It is expected that in 2023 this bonus/penalty system will be implemented.
Impact and repercussions of the plastic tax on the world
The world society is saturated with information that, many times, is not complete and usually has a clear intentionality linked to certain sectors that seek an immediate impact.
While environmental pollution is an urgently needed problem, many see this plastic tax as an excuse for fundraising by governments and not a comprehensive, rigorously analyzed solution to benefit the planet.
Salvador Benedito, member of the Valencian Association of Plastics Entrepreneurs (AVEP) has been forceful considering that the measure taken in Spain does not refer to an "environmental impact or life cycle analysis; since in the case of cardboard we have to cut trees to get the raw material; and in the case of glass, the energy consumption for its transformation and management as waste is 10 times greater than its equivalent in plastic."
On the other hand, plastic can be the protagonist of the Circular Economy, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonization thanks to its properties of low melting temperature, lightness, etc.
The main problem of plastic is focused on waste management given that in terms of reuse, more and more companies in the world are betting on the manufacture of biodegradable and recyclable plastics.
The plastic tax has set a clear goal for the industry: the implementation of cost-effective strategies that are careful with the environment and reduce environmental pollution linked to plastic waste.
To this end, it is essential to guarantee viable policies aimed at recyclable, reusable plastic packaging. The present measures, which will be imposed in the future, have to do with:
Reduction of plastics in the packaging marketed.
Waste prevention measures.
Designs that encourage the reuse of packaging
Improved recyclability, including the complexity of certain materials for recycling.
Considering such background, some challenges faced by packaging manufacturers are:
The integration of post-consumer recycled material into the production process. Ecodesign and the search for alternatives to use complex PE with the aim of facilitating its recycling. Implementation of New Manufacturing Technologies that facilitate mechanical recycling to consider the reintegration of recycled material in new packaging. These and many more measures are the daily work of our IDI team at ALCION.
At Alcion Packaging Solutions we develop and control the manufacture of the packaging, from its design to its delivery to get 100% sustainable plastic packaging.
Sustainable packaging is here to stay, and commercial brands can't ignore it! This is a key factor in scaling sales and attracting potential customers. Discover everything in this post!
What is sustainable plastic packaging?
A sustainable packaging is one that has been manufactured with recyclable raw materials according to standards and production processes that are aligned under a fundamental motto: the protection of the environment and the reduction of environmental pollution.
In a world with consumers increasingly aware of the care of the planet, brands have the challenge of maintaining the functionality of their products, reducing the environmental footprint to the maximum, and opting for more sustainable packaging.
The gaze of buyers is not only focused on the product they purchase, but also on the packaging that contains it and this ends up acquiring an important part of responsibility in the consumer's purchase decision.
The hyper-connected world in which we live has driven us to this new concern, because consumers want their favorite brands to opt for sustainable plastics and packaging in favor of the planet.
In this scenario, ecodesign, based on exclusively sustainable development and design strategies, has gained ground worldwide by promoting a new look at packaging in companies, based on reducing the impact at different stages of the life cycle of a package.
On the other hand, government policies have also made their contribution to minimize the manufacture and widespread use of single-use plastics and promote eco-packaging. Laws such as the Spanish Law on Waste and Contaminated Soils, promote green taxes on unsustainable plastics.
Opting for ecological packaging has become the rule whose main target is to use materials that allow them to be maintained for a long time without exhausting resources or causing irremediable damage to the environment.
Today, companies can count on plastic containers made with recyclable raw materials, that is, they can be recovered and reused. Among them are PET and HDPEcontainers.
A sustainable packaging must contain certain criteria to meet its qualification as such. In addition, from the marketing point of view, you must know how to attract the customer and communicate the brand image of the company.
These are the requirements that are essential for a sustainablepackaging to be successful.
Reduction of the raw material to minimize the amount of waste to the environment, and at the same time, improve the optimization of the packaging.
Manufacturing strategies or management processes that promote the care of resources, such as energy reduction.
Simplification of the use of raw materials and / or their unification in order to promote simplicity when it comes to their separation to be recycled.
Adaptability of the design to requirements linked to comfort, internal product and conservation of the packaging to reduce the surplus of materials.
Contemplation of government regulations and certifications of expert organisations in the field.
As we can conclude, a sustainable plastic packaging takes into account factors involved in the economic, social and environmental care. Thus, manufacturing processes are intended to achieve efficient energy consumption, reduce water consumption, reduce raw materials, increase reuse and recycling, becoming in a short time actions that generate great advantages to the business.
Benefits of offering sustainable packaging developed through plastics
Choosing a sustainable packaging, which is optimized, adapted to the product and that respects the regulations of environmental care, guarantees great benefits to companies, directly impacting sales, brand image and cost reduction. Let's look at it carefully.
> Respect for the environment
The most important point of sustainable packaging is that it is environmentally friendly. If you do not contemplate the essential ideas of sustainability linked to the use of sustainable materials and manufacturing processes based on the care of the environment where they are extracted, we will not be facing sustainable packaging.
When companies assume their commitment to the planet and are able to transform the look of the entire company to establish more sustainable processes, they have a huge impact on the environment, with the benefit of becoming an example that help substantially reduce pollution.
> Cost reduction
The cost reduction of this type of packaging is not given by the use of recycled pellets. Unfortunately, and against to what public opinion may think, the price of this type of pellet is even higher than that of virgin pellets.
Opting for sustainable plastic packaging means reducing costs significantly since manufacturing companies in the plastic sector work on continuous development of packaging to reduce its weight. We will use less weight in each container and, therefore, less material. This weight reduction has a direct impact on the optimization of transport costs. It is also important to highlight the use and implementation of new technologies that promote the use of monomaterials, such as plasma fluorination as well as machinery with more sustainable behavior.
An indispensable condition is that sustainable packaging must return to the supply chain through its reuse-recycling, being an option for brands that seek to establish strategies based on giving a second useful life to their packaging.
> Consumer satisfaction
Many studies and market research show that companies that decide to join the green revolution by using sustainable packaging in favor of the planet, are considered by customers as responsible and committed companies.
This increases consumer satisfaction and therefore provides a competitive advantage and brand image.
> Recyclable material
Using recyclable material allows to give a second life to the packaging and to have relevant certifications that enhance the brand image based on a real commitment to the care of the planet.
Advances and trends in sustainable packaging for 2022
The plastics industry has been incorporating new raw materials for years that enhance the benefits of sustainable packaging.
Today, biodegradable and compostable packaging that comes from fossil or vegetable sources and that can be degraded by the action of organisms that live on the earth is a trend. But it is true that the formulations of the products must also be adapted to be able to use this type of packaging.
More and more firms decide to include sustainable packaging to protect their goods and increase the loyalty of their consumers through an attractive and environmentally friendly packaging.
At ALCION PACKAGING SOLUTIONS we have sustainable plastic packaging certified with ISO 14001 since 2018. Our design team works by using ecodesign and analyzing our packaging portfolio for optimization.
Discover our intelligent solutions and start the path of environmental care with a strategic partner.
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
3rd Party Cookies
This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.
Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.
Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!
Cookies adicionales
Esta web utiliza las siguientes cookies adicionales:
Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!
