The use of recycled plastic is imperative to reduce the impact on the environment and to move towards a circular economy. In this context, international regulations are increasingly strict regarding the increase in plastic recycling rates, and Chile does not escape this by making its way through the challenges of the REP law and its role within the Global Pact for Plastics.
PET is one of the most used plastics for beverage bottles, trays and food containers. Although recyclable, the use of post-consumer plastic in new packaging formulations is limited by the partial loss of some properties that make it suitable for containing and transporting products, especially when food safety and the ability to preserve food is required.
This problem was solved by researchers from Laben Chile de la Usach, who created a technology that allows the use of post-consumer recycled PET plastic, maintaining the performance of the packaging to reduce the environmental impact and maintain safety.
This is the closure of the Fondef IT IT21I0033 Project entitled “Functional Barrier Application for the Production of Post-Consumer Recycled PET Containers for Food” funded by the National Research and Development Agency and led by researchers Abel Guarda and Eliezer Velásquez.
Dr. Guarda explained that This research aimed to develop a 100% PET container based on a nanocomposite formulation of post-consumer recycled PET from a masterbatch. “The project was based on a formulation and invention by Laben Chile carried out in a previous Co-Inventa project, which was scaled up in this initiative for the industrial production of single-layer and multi-layer containers based on recycled PET.”
Dr. Eliezer Velásquez adds that with the IT project IT21I0033 it was possible to produce a 100% nanoreinforced recycled PET masterbatch, which is an additive that allows recycled PET to be incorporated inside 100% PET multilayer containers, increasing the oxygen barrier property. and the resistance of containers to compression, properties that are typically deteriorated when recycled plastics are used.
“The technology could reduce the thickness of PET containers while maintaining their performance and, therefore, would allow us to reduce the amount of virgin plastic placed on the market.”“said Dr. Velásquez.
This new technology involved a multidisciplinary team from Laben Chile, Dr. Abel Guarda, director of the Center for Innovation in Packaging and Packaging, Dr. Eliezer Velásquez, chemical civil engineer, R&D expert in polymers, functional packaging, recycling and sustainability ; Dr. Adrián Rojas, specialist in food engineering and development of new functional packaging materials, and engineer Bastián Rozas as professional research assistant.
The industrial tests were possible thanks to the participation of two companies associated with the project, Topcolor SA, a leading Chilean company in the production of masterbatches and pigment concentrates represented by its General Manager Enzo Marzullo, and Typack, a PET recycling company and leader in production. of packaging with a presence in Chile, Mexico, the USA, among other countries, represented by Business Manager Alejandro Gutiérrez.
