Sukano Solves PET Bottle Cap Recycling Challenge With New Additive Solutions

PET bottles are the most widely recycled plastic packaging and the largest source of high-quality recycled PET globally. However, until now, a key component has long remained outside the loop: the caps. Bottle caps have traditionally been made of polypropylene (PP) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which has been a multi-material challenge. Since their material differs from that of the PET bottles themselves, they must be separated during the recycling process, preventing complete recyclability from bottle to bottle.

Sukano has developed an additive package that enables the production of single-material PET or rPET bottle caps that can be seamlessly recycled with the bottles. It eliminates the need to separate the caps from the bottles during the recycling process, achieving new efficiencies. The caps weigh up to 10%, potentially releasing thousands of tons of bottle-grade PET for circular reuse. This additive package is compatible with thermoforming and injection molding processes, allowing customers to transition to single-material bottle solutions without changing their existing production setups.

Sukano has verified the recyclability of each additive in its internal recyclability laboratory according to the Testing Protocols of the Tray Cycle Assessment Platform (TCEP) and the European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP), with concentrations significantly higher than industry standards. While the typical usage of additives is usually 1-2%, the concentrations tested internally reached up to 5%, with recycling components up to 50%.

Tests conducted according to the TCEP testing protocol for thermoforming applications and the EPBP testing protocol for PET bottle caps indicate no impact on color, haze, and IV, meeting the technical requirements for additives used in the recycling stream of transparent PET bottles. Circularity design is at the core of Sukano's innovation principles, so the accumulation of additives and multiple recycling cycles were also evaluated and confirmed not to disrupt the existing recycling stream of transparent PET bottles.

How to deal with confusion faced during the recycling process?

The design of additive formulations is based on the core principle of safety, characterized by the absence of any substances of concern in the design. Non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) are screened by third-party laboratories using recognized scientific methods and assessed according to internationally recognized risk assessment principles to ensure effective mitigation of any potential consumer safety risks that may arise from the migration of these substances. This ensures compliance with the strictest global food safety and packaging regulations.