Newcycling®: post-consumer plastic recyclates shine as film

08. July 2024 All articles, Press releases

Merseburg, July 8th, 2024 – The APK AG is progressively adapting its Newcycling® technology to post-consumer, flexible, multi-material packaging waste from household collection. In collaboration with the film manufacturer Polifilm Extrusion GmbH (Polifilm), APK AG confirmed the excellent processability and high quality of the Newcycling® recyclates. Quality parameters such as speckles and odor are close to the level of films made from virgin plastics.

With the support of Polifilm’s blown film plant and their experts, the processability of Newcycling® post-consumer recyclate and the resulting film quality were assessed at pilot scale. “In the blown film process, the post-consumer recyclate from APK’s Newcycling® process was highly processable. We were able to produce a very thin film of ten microns. In terms of quality parameters like speckles and odor, the recyclate performed optimally and is close to new material,” explains Dr. Gottfried Weyhe, Senior Manager Research & Development, Polifilm. The quality of APK AG’s Newcycling® post-consumer recyclate is comparable to the best recyclate qualities currently available on the market, which are predominantly derived from post-commercial packaging waste – a more homogeneous and purer raw material stream. “This is a very good step on our path. The next measures to further optimize the Newcycling® products are already being implemented in the process. The first quantities of even better quality are available,” explains Dr. Robert Marx, Chief Technology Officer, APK AG.

Since the end of May, APK AG has been undergoing restructuring as part of a self-administration process. The company’s primary goals remain the preservation of APK AG in Merseburg and the construction of additional large-scale plants for the Newcycling® of post-consumer packaging waste. The parallel M&A process will offer selected investors the opportunity to examine the quality of the produced post-consumer Newcycling® recyclates firsthand.

 

Press contact:

Kristy-Barbara Lange
Head of Communications and Public Affairs
Tel.: +49 (0) 3461 79457-0
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