EPBP - the first 2 years
The European PET Bottle Platform was formed by the European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organisations (EPRO), the European Plastics Recyclers (EuPR), PET Containers Recycling Europe (Petcore), the Union of European Beverages Association (UNESDA) and the European Federation of Bottled Water (EFBW), with the main objective of evaluating packaging technologies and products and to facilitate PET bottle innovation, whilst minimising the economic and environmental consequences for recycling PET in Europe.
Members of the platform’s evaluation group are experienced Technical experts from the whole PET value chain. They are tasked to evaluate novel technologies, materials and PET structures to verify their effect not only on the PET bottle recycling process but also on the PET chain.
Companies developing new resins, additives, technologies and novel processes for PET bottles are urged to approach EPBP at the earliest opportunity so that their applications can be assessed in the most efficient and economic manner.
The full EPBP protocol has been developed from the Petcore protocol and the US Association of Postconsumer Plastics Recyclers (APR) Critical Guidance Document and also takes into account learning from the industry. The protocol is split into quick tests and then more in-depth tests to ensure a speedy, accurate and economic outcome for both the applicant and for EPBP.
The EPBP process is briefly described below:
- Approach EPBP
- Fill in Application Form
- Assess the Concentration in the Recycle Stream
- Test Critical Properties
- Finalise Test Programme
- Discussion
- Decision
There will be a number of discussions before the Committee makes a decision but EPBP believes that this way of working will minimise the cost of testing for the applicants and ease the decision path. To date EPBP has considered 17 applications. Many are ongoing but there are 6 so far on the positive list.
More details and documents can be found on the EPBP website www.petbottleplatform.eu, but please discuss your application with EPBP in the first instance.
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