Your plastic waste could be our next product

With the ever-growing global concern around plastic pollution, the use of post-consumer resin (PCR) in the manufacture of packaging has become sought-after in the industry as companies are responding to the pressures of sustainability trends. Over the last few years, Berry Astrapak has also joined these efforts to reduce plastic waste by introducing PCR in the production of selected products.

Post-consumer resin is an environmentally responsible solution for the plastic packaging industry. The use of PCR encourages the diversion of plastic waste from landfill and municipal recycling programmes while reducing the impact of waste on the environment. The use of PCR also lessens the amount of virgin resin needed in the manufacture of plastics.

The recycling process entails sorting and cleaning of plastics before these materials can be reprocessed into pellets to be used in the packaging industry. Currently, common PCR resins available in South Africa are recycled HDPE (rHDPE) and PET (rPET), predominantly reclaimed from milk bottles and water bottles respectively. Extrupet and Myplas are some of South Africa’s primary suppliers of recycled plastics, and these companies specialise in sourcing materials and reprocessing plastics into pellets.

Berry Astrapak includes PCR within the manufacture of a range of products for certain blue-chip customers. The percentage of rHDPE used for these bottles can be customised to suit client specifications: the inclusion of recycled plastic in the product mix can run anywhere between 25% and 100%.

With the addition of rHDPE, the material may have an aesthetic impact on the finish, and this is where sleeving is commonly used for enhanced decoration. For customer convenience, Berry Astrapak applies these sleeves at their Plastop manufacturing site, offering greater visual identity of consumer brands. This process does not negatively impact the full recyclability of this product.

Berry Astrapak recognises the need for both manufacturers and consumers of plastic to be conscious of the environment and to reduce waste wherever possible. Berry Astrapak’s commitment to supplying sustainable packaging is not a passing trend. As long as there is a readily available and constant source of rHDPE plastic, their customers will have access to environmentally responsible products.

This complements Berry’s broader portfolio and is aligned to their sustainability goals – working towards 100% of fast-moving consumer packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.