Evaluation of cleaning efficiency of contaminants in mechanical recycle of PET bottle

  • Kamishinbara Towa
    Safety Science Institute, Quality Assurance Division, Suntory Business Expert Limited
  • Tajima Ryoichi
    Safety Science Institute, Quality Assurance Division, Suntory Business Expert Limited
  • Saito Yoshihiro
    New Packaging Technology Development Department, Supply Chain Management Division, Suntory Business Expert Limited
  • Harada Masami
    Safety Science Institute, Quality Assurance Division, Suntory Business Expert Limited
  • Furusawa Eiichi
    Kyoei Industry Company Limited
  • Kanemaru Atsushi
    Kyoei Industry Company Limited

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Other Title
  • 物理的再生法によるPETボトルリサイクルにおける汚染物質除去効果
  • ブツリテキ サイセイホウ ニ ヨル PET ボトルリサイクル ニ オケル オセン ブッシツ ジョキョ コウカ

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Abstract

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle is widely used for food packaging. The ratio of PET bottle in the beverage packages is as much as 64.9%, so we should develop sustainable PET bottles from the viewpoint of environmental impact reduction. In this study, we estimated the cleaning efficiency of mechanical recycle system of commercial plant, and the direct food contact impact in the application of mechanical recycled PET bottles in accordance with the FDA guidance. The contaminated PET flakes were prepared artificially with eight surrogate contaminants, namely N-methylpyrrolidone, 2-(2-bufhoxyethoxy)ethanol, diethylketone, toluene, benzophenone, naphthalene, phenylcyclohexane, and decane, in the level from 44 to 23000 mg/kg. The contaminated flakes were added by the ratio of 1% to non-contaminated flakes, and they were processed in the real plant of mechanical recycle. As a result, the cleaning efficiency throughout all processes was from 95.1 to 99.8%. And in the analysis of relationship between the cleaning efficiency and the physical properties of contaminants, we determined good regression equations in alkaline washing and vacuum melt extrusion. Additionally migration test was carried out by using beverage or liquor simulant stored for three months in the bottles manufactured from the resin processed in the prior test. As a result, any surrogates were not detected, and it satisfied the FDA's migration limit of 10μg/L.

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