Starlinger Producing New White rPET Material

Starlinger viscotec, a division of the Austrian machinery supplier Starlinger & Co GmbH, has developed a new material to make packaging for dairy and hot-fill products fully recyclable. rPET100 is said to combine the environmental advantages of recycled PET with easy material processability.

Food packaging for applications like dairy, hot drinks, instant soups, and ready-meals must withstand higher temperatures during the production process. Additionally, dairy products require packaging with optimal light and gas barrier for longer shelf life. The new rPET100 sheet combines these benefits and adds new ones: it is heat resistant, made from mono-material, and its white color protects the product from UV light. Once used, the packaging can be 100% recycled because it contains no other polymer additives.

The company says this rPET100 material is an alternative to single-use cups made from materials like polypropylene (PP) or polystyrene (PS). Another key aspect is that brands can use up to 100% recycling content with rPET100.

Converters who run Starlinger viscotec equipment can reportedly manufacture rPET100 sheet without making changes to the set-up of their installation. The company claims that packaging manufacturers appreciate the material properties of the rPET100 sheet, which achieves high output with only minor adjustments to the thermoforming set-up.