Technological watch

body.single-projects .post-content :not(p) img, body.single-post .post-content :not(p) img { display: none; } The consortium aims for 100% of France’s packaging to be reusable or recyclable by 2025. Credit: Mike Carney. Major companies in the packaging value chain have formed a consortium to develop chemical plastic recycling in France.The partners include international energy company Total, plastic recycling technology provider Recycling Technologies, as well as global brands Nestlé and Mars.The companies have partnered to support the goals of the France-based environmental non-governmental organisation Citeo.Citeo is urging companies to develop eco-design, recycling and recovery projects for plastic and paper in the country. Citeo CEO Jean Hornain said: “This ambitious project meets Citeo’s goal of finding end-to-end solutions for all packaging.
“New recycling technologies such as chemical recycling will take performance to the next level and accelerate the circular economy for post-consumer plastic waste, especially when it is complex.“Our initiative will be a key driver to deliver short and medium-term solutions.”As part of the consortium, the packaging companies will investigate the technical and economic feasibility of recycling complex plastic waste.Small, flexible and multi-layered food-grade packaging ends up in landfills or is burnt as it is considered to be non-recyclable.The team will use its expertise in a collective project to address a global plastic issue. The consortium has set a goal of making its packaging completely recyclable and reusable by 2025.Total refining and chemicals president Bernard Pinatel said: “By addressing the circular economy challenges of food-grade plastics, chemical recycling is a perfect addition to our existing mechanical recycling activities.“The project announced today to develop an industrial sector, involving major players in the packaging value chain, is an important step in our ambition to produce 30% recycled polymers by 2030.”