recycling report: the truth about clamshell and blister recycling in america chandler slavin...

Recycling Report: The truth about Clamshell and

Blister Recycling in America

Chandler SlavinSustainability Coordinator

Dordan Manufacturing Co. Inc.

3© 2010 Dordan Manufacturing, Inc.

Dordan Manufacturing Co. Inc. • Midwestern based, national manufacturer of

custom designed thermoformed packaging solutions since 1962.

• 3rd generation family owned and operated. • Specializes in custom clamshells, blisters, trays

and components for the consumer goods and electronics industries.


Today’s Presentation

• Introduction: What is “recyclable” and why• Part 1: The economics of recycling packaging in

America• Part 2: The state of blister/clamshell recycling in

America• Conclusion: Progress being made in recycling

thermoforms


The Discovery

[If the] “Substantial majority” of consumers/communities have access to

recycling facilities — [Then the] marketer can make an unqualified recyclable claim.


Dordan CEO’s Inquiry:If we manufacture our thermoforms out of

PCR PET bottles, then why can’t we recycle them with PET bottles?


What types of packaging isrecycled in America?


http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw2008data.pdf


Why are certain types of packages recycled, while others are not?


Part 1: The Economics of Recycling in

America


Economics of RecyclingRecycling requires many steps, with costs associated

with each:–Collect post-consumer– Transport – Sort –Reprocess– and, Remanufacture


Example: PET bottles• Made from quality resin • Established infrastructure leads to “easy”

recycling • Established post consumer market ensures a

high value • Allows it to compete with virgin resin


Chicken and Egg

• Demand for post-consumer material drives collection (supply)

• Collection will not occur unless a market (demand) exists


Too expensive to recycle?

• Costs associated with collection, sorting, transportation and reprocessing can be very high

• These costs can exceed the cost of virgin resin– Result is a material that is “too expensive to

recycle”


Example: EPS• 98% air; 2 % resin• It’s bulky and lightweight – Transportation costs are very high without the aid of a

densifier– Densifiers are costly infrastructure investments– This makes it economically unsustainable to recycle EPS in

most markets


“Material/packaging type?”

• Material (or resin) type is only one part of the equation

• Many times, the packaging type or application plays an important role as well


What does all this mean for the state of recycling thermoform packaging, like clamshells and

blisters, in America?


Part 2: The State of Blister/Clamshell

Recycling in America


Section 1:Supply and Demand

Considerations for Recycling Thermoforms


Supply Considerations • There has to be enough • “enough” is defined by the requirements of

the buyer/end market • “enough” is commonly referred to as “Critical

Mass” in the WM industry


Example: PET Bottles• According to NAPCOR, the total number of

pounds of PET bottles and jars available in the U.S. for recycling in 2008 was 5.366 billion.

• This quantity far exceeds the critical mass necessary to economically justify the recycling of PET bottles in the context of material generation.

PET Bottle vs. Thermoform Generation

• There are not as many clamshells of a single resin manufactured as there are of PET bottles

• This makes the collection of an adequate supply of this material/package type difficult

• Its recycling has been historically economically ambiguous



Do thermoforms have Critical Mass?

• There has to be about 400 million lbs of a particular plastic generated for the recycling to be profitable (Plasticstoday.com).

• Fortunately, 1.4 billion lbs of PET thermoforms were produced in North America in 2008 (Ibid).


Thermoforms dohave Critical Mass

• Recycling of PET thermoforms can be an economically sustainable process

• Transition from PVC to PET will render more PC PET available for collecting and recycling


Demand Considerations• Demand for PC PET material in North America

exceeds the supply 3:1 • If PET thermoforms were integrated into the

PET recovery stream, then more RPET would be available to meet the growing demand


Section 2:Sortation Considerations for

Recycling Thermoforms


Sortation is…

• The process by which recyclable materials are sorted from those destined for landfill

• This often occurs at the MRF

Sorting Technologies• There are two sortation systems employed at MRFs: – Visual/manual sortation :

• Workers on “The Line” manually pull the “recyclables” from those destined for landfill.

– Automatic sortation: • Using technology to detect or analyze one or more properties of the

materials passing through and automatically sort these materials into several categories, either by resin type, color, or both. – Infrared, optical scanners, magnets, etc…



Visual Sortation and Thermoforms?

Bottles• Easy to visually identify

on “The Line” at a MRF by their thin necks and screw tops.

Thermoforms• Heterogeneous in size,

shape, and material.• Difficult to visually

identify by material type as the move down “The Line” at a MRF.


SPI ID Code• Most plastic packaging is labeled with a SPI ID

#, pictured below • The recent influx of new resins, bio-based

resins, barrier-resins and others have made the SPI ID code confusing

• Manual sortation does not provide adequate time to inspect the small symbols


Example: SPI ID #1• Packages made from PET are labeled with the SPI ID

#1• However, packages labeled with #1 may also be

comprised of PETG, – the –G lowers the melting point of the PET polymer,

disrupting the established reprocessing of PET recyclate. • Other examples include packages made from CPET

and multi-layer PET,– these have the potential to ruin the PET recyclate for

remanufacturing.


In Short…

The more time-intensive the process is for the manual sorters to visually identify the

recyclable materials from those destined for landfill, the higher the reprocessing costs;

therefore, the more expensive the recyclate and the less competitive it will be with virgin

material/product production.


Automatic Sortation and Thermoforms?

• Many MRFs do not have automatic sortation systems because they are too expensive.

• If the investment has not been made, the MRFs’ ability to sort thermoforms by material type from those still with no end markets will be time-intensive, resulting in higher reprocessing costs.


Sorting Technologies, the Economics of Recycling, and Supply and Demand

• Sortation technologies employed by the MRF can greatly impact the economics of recycling a particular material.

• A MRF will not make an investment in automated systems until the supply and demand necessary to sustain the process of recycling itself is guaranteed.


Section 3: Specs and Baling Considerations

for Recycling Thermoforms


Specs are…• The documented qualifications a buyer/end market

outlines to the supplier of PC material upon procurement. This depends on the end use of the recyclate: – If the buyer/end market is a bottler, the recyclate has

to meet one set of specs;– if the recyclate is intended for thermoformed

packaging, it has to conform to another; – and, if the recyclate is used in non-packaging

applications like carpet, imitation timber, etc., it has to demonstrate compliance with another set of specs.


Closed Loop vs. Down-cycling• By remanufacturing bottles from bottles or

thermoforms from thermoforms, the value of the PC material is not assumingly diminished after reprocessing.

• If down-cycled, the recyclate may be diminished in value because it does not have to conform to such stringent specs.


End-Use Categories for PET and Associated Market Value

• Packaging applications, like bottles• Sheet and film applications, including,

thermoforming applications• Strapping• Fiber applications, like carpets, fabrics, and

fiberfill, etc.


Specs = Value of Recyclate

• Generally, the more stringent the specs:– the higher value the recyclate due to its

application to many end markets– the lower the concentration of

contaminates – the more likely the end market attempts to

“close the loop”


Specs for Thermoform Bales Needed

• Specs for thermoform bales are needed if we want to recycle them

• Without a buyer/end market and therefore specs, these material/packaging types will not be collected and sold for reprocessing/remanufacturing

“Bales” are…

How a material is collected and prepared for recycling at the MRF


How do you bale thermoforms?

Due to their differing densities, geometries, and often times materials, it is difficult to come up

with a uniform bale for market, especially when no specs for thermoform bales exist, though this is currently being investigated.



In Summary…• We need to create specs for recycling thermoforms– including specs for baling

• However, no one will create specs for thermoform-only bales or PET thermoform & bottle bales if there is no buyer/end market– there will not be a buyer/end market if none of this

material is collected and sorted.


Part 4: Contamination Considerations for

Recycling Thermoforms


Approach to Recycling Thermoforms?

• There are three popular approaches to recycling thermoforms:– Recycle PET thermoforms with PET bottles to

remanufacture into RPET bottles and/or thermoforms;

– recycle all PET thermoforms together to remanufacture into RPET thermoforms;

– recycle all mixed-resin thermoforms together to remanufacture into various down-cycled applications, like imitation timber.


Isolate PET Bales for Highest PC Value

• Bales of a single resin, like PET, enjoy more PC value than mixed resin bales, described as a low-grade plastic mix.

• By recycling PET thermoforms with PET bottles OR recycling all PET thermoforms together, the resultant recycled material would enjoy a high PC value applicable to a variety of end markets.


Approach taken informswhat is a “Contaminant”

• If either approach is taken (PET bottles+PET thermoforms OR PET thermoforms only), then contamination issues need to be addressed.

• If the third approach is taken (recycle all mixed-resin thermoforms together in a low-grade plastic mix), these considerations may not apply; this is again contingent upon the specs of the buyer/end market.


Known Contaminatesto PET Recycling

• Barrier Resins(EVOH)• Closures• Labels• Safety seals• Container residue i.e. chemicals or food• Look-a-likes like PVC, CPET, PETG, etc. • Modified PET resins • Multi-layer PET containers • Colored PET


Where do we go from here?

The recycling of thermoforms depends on the ability to…

• Collect• Transport• Sort• Bale• Reprocess • Remanufacture Into new material/products in an economically competitive

way with virgin material/product production.


Luckily, we are not alone!


Progress in Recycling Thermoforms

In 2009, NAPCOR facilitated the shipment of almost one million pounds of PET thermoforms to various

reclaimers and end markets to understand the technical barriers keeping them from being recycled.


NAPCOR Results

• Certain adhesives on thermoform labels compromised the clarity of the recyclate for reprocessing.

• PET packages coming from South America had the tendency to turn the recyclate fluorescent.

• It is technically easier to recycle PET thermoforms with PET thermoforms then recycle PET thermoforms with PET bottles.


NAPCOR concludes…

“As a result of this work, it is anticipated that there will be various market options for this material in the

near future…. NAPCOR is committed to working on this issue until PET thermoforms can be labeled

“recyclable” in the truest sense of the word.”


What Dordan is doing

• Have been invited to tour a Fortune 500 company on the east coast that claims to recycle and reprocess post consumer curb-side collected PET thermoforms with PET bottles.

• Continue to work with Woodstock High Schools to educate students about the importance of recycling.

• Continue to “put it all out there” via blog, social network sites, website, trade magazines, industry events, etc.


Thank you!

[email protected]

(815) 334-0087

www.recyclablepackaging.org

Special thanks to WM, NAPCOR, APR, ISRI, CalRecycle, SPC, and my sustainability and packaging friends around the globe!


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.recyclablepackaging.org/

recycling report: the truth about clamshell and blister recycling in america chandler slavin...

Documents