ALPLA is realising thin-walled Sustainable Yogurt cups made from recycled PET material for dairy products. Together with machine manufacturer ENGEL, mould maker Brink, label maker iPB Printing and joint venture partner INTOPACK it is showcasing cups. The innovative solution meets all the requirements of the PPWR and is set to go into series production from the 4th quarter of 2025.
ALPLA rePETec
Dairy products such as yogurt, cheese spreads, pudding, cream, and curd cheese are to be packaged in a more environmentally friendly way in the EU in the future. The PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) sets the direction. From 2030, plastic food packaging must contain a minimum percentage of recycled material – otherwise, penalties may be imposed. The problem: cups for dairy products are made of PP (polypropylene) or PS (polystyrene) – and for both, there is no approved recycling material from the mechanical recycling process for contact with food. Small quantities are only available through chemical recycling, which is far more costly and energy-intensive. Too little for widespread use.
ALPLA has the solution in thin-walled Sustainable Yogurt cups, and it is based on all-rounder PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Together with machine manufacturer ENGEL, mold maker Brink, label maker iPB Printing, and joint venture partner INTOPACK, the injection molding division ALPLAinject has succeeded in producing thin-walled PET plastic cups with recycled material for the first time. rePETec stands for the interplay of innovative technology, mold, process, and material treatment. For the first time, the single-stage injection molding process allows for fully recyclable packaging made of up to 100 percent rPET. For example, the 30 percent recycled material content required by the PPWR for PET is easily possible.
Established material cycle for PET
“With rePETec, we create stable packaging with thin walls made of rPET, can recycle it after use and access the existing and established PET recycling stream. None of this has been feasible so far. With this solution, manufacturers of dairy products meet all legal requirements and at the same time strengthen the regional circular economy.”
Thomas Maibohm, Head of Sales and Product Management, Thin-wall Packaging, ALPLA
Following the successful test phase, ALPLA and INTOPACK are planning to start series production from the 4th quarter of 2025 – initially with the two standard formats of 180 and 300 millilitres. Others are to follow successively. Depending on the customer’s requirements, the filling volume can be from 100 to 500 millilitres.
Thin and tight
0.32 millimeters thin walls and integrated in-mold labeling (IML) minimize weight and material consumption. The higher specific weight of rPET is more than compensated by significantly better barrier properties. This increases the shelf life compared to conventional PP cups. The high-quality rPET is contributed by system provider ALPLA from its recycling plants in Europe – ALPLAinject meets ALPLArecycling.
“This opens up new opportunities for dairy products and can prevent food waste.”
Thomas Maibohm, Head of Sales and Product Management, ALPLA