It's a first in France: printed plastic films can now be de-inked in order to be recycled into transparent films. After more than five years of research and development with European scientists, the French group Reborn (ex-Excelrise) specializing in recycled flexible plastic packaging, has put into production the first plastic film de-inking line in France, installed at its Ogeu-les-Bains site in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
Three million euros have been invested in this industrial equipment, named B.Clear. With B.Clear, Reborn, which counts among its customers the brands Coca-Cola, Lactalis, Unilever and Bonduelle, can recycle 4 euro 000 tons of printed polyethylene (PE) films per year on a market estimated in Europe at 100 euro 000 tons. B.Clear is the third installation of its kind in Europe and the first one for printed consumer films.
With B.Clear, PE plastics are now upcycled
Until now, one of the main problems in the production of transparent secondary materials has been the printing inks used to print plastics, which prevent them from being recycled into new, identical products (upcycling). Printed plastic films, for example the plastics around water packs, were recycled into lower quality materials (downcycling) such as shopping bags or garbage bags because of their opacity due to the inks.
"The Reborn group did not recycle printed plastic films, because our customers, mainly from the food and hygiene sectors, wanted transparent products above all. As there is a very large pool of printed films, we saw an opportunity explains Arthur Lepage, president of the group which has a turnover of 110 million euros and employs 350 people.
An important market for European recycling
"There is a lot of talk about PET plastic bottles and the need for recycling, but the almost identical supply of polyethylene (PE) film, which accounts for 30% of the plastics market, is greatly underestimated." he adds. "That's where Reborn comes in: we want to build momentum in a huge segment of the market that is just waiting to be upcycled."
And B.Clear's timing is perfect. A revision of the European Commission's Green Deal could oblige manufacturers to incorporate at least 30% recycled material in their plastic packaging and to recycle 55% of plastic packaging by 2030.
In addition, in 2021, the price of raw materials increased by 185%. "For the first time, secondary materials are less expensive and appear to be an economic solution that meets environmental and social challenges at the same time Reborn emphasizes.
The installation of a second line is already planned for 2022 on one of the other Reborn sites in France.
