Page 34 - Plastics News November 2019

FeAtures

Circular economy the hot topic at K 2019

At K 2019 in Düsseldorf, the subject of recycling management not only covered a large amount of space at the
exhibitors' stands, but also featured prominently in the supporting the programme.

lastic products have become an integral part of no one who uses recycled materials knows what quality
Palmost every area of life, and for good reason. Shelf they will receive. This makes the processes less reliable,
life extension, weight reduction and maximum hygiene because production cannot be influenced as much as when
standards are among their many advantages, but they standardised virgin material is used. Standardised recycled
have come into disrepute due to plastic waste. material would be much more acceptable."
This problem, however, can be solved. As the circular Machines for the ‘Green’ Economy
economy concept plays a central role, it has become a “Circular Economy” is central to Kautex’s exhibit at K. An
hot topic at K 2019, the world´s flagship fair for plastics all-electric KBB60 machine mold a three-layer bottle from
and rubber.
Braskem’s “I’m green” HDPE derived from sugarcane. The
At K 2019 in Düsseldorf, the subject of recycling middle layer will be PCR consisting of foamed Braskem
management not only covered a large amount of space “green” PE. These bottles produced at the show were
at the exhibitors' stands, but also feature prominently reclaimed by Erema at its “Circonomic Centre” in the
in the supporting programme. For example, the circular area outside the exhibit halls.
economy was the dominant topic at the ‘Plastics Shape KHS presented a “new PET concept” based on a juice bottle
the Future’ special presentation hosted by PlasticsEurope, as an example. The company revealed few details, saying
and the VDMA organized the ‘VDMA Circular Economy only that “it combines individual environmentally friendly
Forum’ for K 2019. At the entrance gates to K 2019, the packaging solutions in one container and thereby supports
‘Touch Points Circular Economy’ attracted the trade the theory of circular economy,” adding that this new PET
visitors’ attention to this topic and pointed out relevant bottle, was presented for the first time at the K show,
exhibits in the various halls.
was designed to have “the smallest possible ecological
A circular economy reduces waste and protects the footprint.” At the same time, this “new approach ensures
resource of crude oil, because wherever new products a high level of product protection and a longer shelf life,
are made from recycled plastic, the use of raw materials
becomes unnecessary.The University of California
estimates that about 8.3 billion tons of plastics have been
produced in 70 years.
The world’s population and therefore plastics production
rates have burgeoned. Accordingly, we have witnessed
a substantial rise of plastic waste and are faced with
the urgent problem of how to manage it. Two pressing
problems are at the root of this complex challenge:
littering and the unrestricted use of resources, which not
only damages the environment but also slows economic
growth.
The implementation of a circular economy is still very
much in its infancy. Many prerequisites have still to be
met. Recycling is one core component. Technologies is
another, but the quality of the recycled material often
poses a problem.
Thorsten Kühmann, Managing Director of the Plastics and
Rubber Machinery Association of the VDMA, said: “So far,

Plastics News November 2019 34