The sleeves are to be banned on PET bottles since they are unsuitable for recycling processes

The sleeves are to be banned on PET bottles since they are unsuitable for recycling processes

Orientated polystyrene sleeves will be banned on European PET bottles, since they are unsuitable for the recycling process used in Europe. European PET industry representative Petcore, which made the announcement, explained that OPS sinks alongside PET flakes in water float-sink tanks favoured by European recyclers. However, OPS can be separated by air separation used in dry grinding processes in the US and Japan.

Noxious fumes are produced in the spinning and blow moulding processes where OPS is present in the recyclate. Petcore this week approved two barrier materials as suitable for recycling. It said Tetra Pak’s Glaskin and Applied Films’ Bestpet could be recycled without any difficulties using existing recycling practices. The organisation is currently testing several other barrier materials.