PureCycle, Mitsui and RM TOHCELLO have formed a strategic partnership to bring recycled polypropylene into BOPP flexible packaging in Japan.
Pilot-scale runs using PureFive resin have been completed after trials began in the first quarter of 2023.
Converters, brand owners and packaging buyers are next in line, with a commercial agreement anticipated in 2027.
“This partnership represents exactly the kind of step-change we envisioned when PureCycle’s technology was developed. We’re unlocking an entire segment of applications where recycled content had been locked out,” said Wiebe Schipper, PureCycle VP of European and Asia Pacific Operations. “The fact that we have now successfully completed trials with one of the world’s premier film producers is a powerful validation of what our resin can do. We are energized by what this means for our customers, for brand owners, and for the future of sustainable packaging.”
BOPP film is used extensively across food packaging, labels, and consumer goods. These are applications where optical clarity, consistency, and performance are necessary. Mechanically recycled polypropylene has long fallen short of the stringent quality requirements these applications demand, which has kept recycled content from being used in this high-value segment of the packaging market.
“Flexible films are one of the fastest growing segments in packaging and we’ve been waiting for a solution like PureCycle’s to allow us to start using recycled content in BOPP film and PP sealant film,” said Masaru Furukawa, RM TOHCELLO Executive Officer, Head, Business Sector. “We believe these innovative films can help transform post-consumer waste into materials contributing to GHG-emission avoidance. We would like to promote application developments with our value chain partners.”
PureCycle’s proprietary dissolution recycling technology removes additives, colors, odors and other impurities from post-consumer polypropylene waste. PureCycle produces a third-party certified recycled resin that has proven successful in a wide range of applications.
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ALCHEMPro News Desk
