European aseptic packaging company SIG has invested R$10m ($1.9m) in advanced technology designed to improve the value of recycled aseptic cartons in Brazil.
Polymers and aluminium from used aseptic carton packs will be recovered using the technology and sold on an industrial scale.
SIG claims this is the first time the technology has been used in the country. The polyethylene and aluminium mix (polyaluminium or PolyAl) is developed from used aseptic carton packs and can be recycled for use in various products, including roofing, pallets and furniture.
SIG developed the recycling technology with project partner ECS Consulting over more than five years, before carrying out a pilot project, in which the technology proved successful for the chemical recycling process.
The recycling technology can separate the polyethylene from the aluminium in PolyAl to create a wider market and demand for these materials.
SIG Americas president and general manager Ricardo Rodriguez said: “We are excited to bring to Brazil a new technology that will enable the separation of aluminium and polyethylene layers from carton packs, thereby expanding the market for these materials and generating more value from the separated waste.
“This project is the latest in a series of innovative collaborations led by SIG to boost collection and recycling rates for used aseptic cartons and grow the recycling chain in a sustainable way.”
SIG expects the investment to increase the value of used aseptic cartons by more than 50%. The company is currently developing a recycling plant in the Brazilian state of Paraná, which is expected to be operational by 2024.
The facility will have an initial production capacity of 200t a month. The investment comes after SIG invested in a similar plant in Germany, which separates polymers and aluminium in PolyAl.