Ok, so I think I have dragged out the inevitable long enough. And resume recycling narrative:
Ring…Ring…
“Good Morning Dordan this is Sarah how can I help you? One moment please…”
Beep. “Chandler, Waste Management on Line 1…”
“Thanks.”
Suddenly I realized that this was the call I had been waiting on for almost 7 weeks: the results of our RPET clamshell samples’ test via the MRFs optical sorter. If our supplier-certified 70% post-consumer regrind PET clamshell packages are “read” like PET bottles via the recovery facility’s optical sorter, then perhaps we could integrate our clamshells into the existing PET bottle recycling infrastructure. If anything, the results would tell us if one of the many obstacles facing the inclusion of PET/RPET clamshells into the PET bottle recovery stream is NOT the inability to sort these two packaging types together.
I reach for the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hey Chandler!”
“Hey, nice to hear from you; how’s it going?”
“Great, thanks. I have the results from the MRF regarding your samples.”
“Ok, what are they; did they pass with the bottles?”
“Yes, there was no difference between the PET bottles and RPET samples as read by our optical sorter. So if RPET clams and PET bottles were moving down the line together, there would be no luminescent difference between the bottles and clams as they moved through our plastic sorting station. Again, the main point of the optical sorter is to see the difference between PVC and PET bottles, which look dramatically different when viewed via the optical sorter.”
“This is wonderful news!”
“Well, keep in mind that regardless of this, buyers of baled PET bottles DO NOT want clams in the mix.”
“And this is because fear of contamination, different IVs and perhaps melting points, no specs for mixed bales and on and on…?”
“Pretty much hit the nail on the head.”
“Well, I really appreciate you and WM going out of your way to help us figure this stuff out. We just want to recycle our packages—didn’t know how complicated it is!”
“Well we wish you the best of luck with your recycling initiative. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you…”
“Truly, thanks again.”
“No problem; take care.”
“You too!”
I hung up the phone.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm…what does this mean, I asked myself?
I think it means that the molecular structures of clamshell RPET and bottle PET are the same, at least was read via the optical sorter.
So how will this help us recycle our RPET thermoforms?
It illustrates that the reason RPET clams are not recycled with bottles has nothing to do with an inability to sort the two packaging types together. So if our RPET clams and PET bottles are read the same, they could be collected and baled, with no need for different sorting technology.
Good to establish, Chandler.
Suddenly I snapped out of my internal discussion; my two colleagues were waiting tentatively outside my cubicle, eager for the results.
“They passed!” I said.
“Sweet!” they replied in unison.
“So what does this mean for us?”
“Haha, I’m not quite sure yet…”
Tune in Monday for a summary of the different obstacles hindering the inclusion of RPET clams in the PET bottle recovery stream. Once established we will move on to discuss how the following determine the recyclability of a material/packaging type: supply, demand, and technology.
Have a splendid weekend! Its Friday, woop woop!
Ring…Ring…
“Good Morning Dordan this is Sarah how can I help you? One moment please…”
Beep. “Chandler, Waste Management on Line 1…”
“Thanks.”
Suddenly I realized that this was the call I had been waiting on for almost 7 weeks: the results of our RPET clamshell samples’ test via the MRFs optical sorter. If our supplier-certified 70% post-consumer regrind PET clamshell packages are “read” like PET bottles via the recovery facility’s optical sorter, then perhaps we could integrate our clamshells into the existing PET bottle recycling infrastructure. If anything, the results would tell us if one of the many obstacles facing the inclusion of PET/RPET clamshells into the PET bottle recovery stream is NOT the inability to sort these two packaging types together.
I reach for the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hey Chandler!”
“Hey, nice to hear from you; how’s it going?”
“Great, thanks. I have the results from the MRF regarding your samples.”
“Ok, what are they; did they pass with the bottles?”
“Yes, there was no difference between the PET bottles and RPET samples as read by our optical sorter. So if RPET clams and PET bottles were moving down the line together, there would be no luminescent difference between the bottles and clams as they moved through our plastic sorting station. Again, the main point of the optical sorter is to see the difference between PVC and PET bottles, which look dramatically different when viewed via the optical sorter.”
“This is wonderful news!”
“Well, keep in mind that regardless of this, buyers of baled PET bottles DO NOT want clams in the mix.”
“And this is because fear of contamination, different IVs and perhaps melting points, no specs for mixed bales and on and on…?”
“Pretty much hit the nail on the head.”
“Well, I really appreciate you and WM going out of your way to help us figure this stuff out. We just want to recycle our packages—didn’t know how complicated it is!”
“Well we wish you the best of luck with your recycling initiative. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you…”
“Truly, thanks again.”
“No problem; take care.”
“You too!”
I hung up the phone.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm…what does this mean, I asked myself?
I think it means that the molecular structures of clamshell RPET and bottle PET are the same, at least was read via the optical sorter.
So how will this help us recycle our RPET thermoforms?
It illustrates that the reason RPET clams are not recycled with bottles has nothing to do with an inability to sort the two packaging types together. So if our RPET clams and PET bottles are read the same, they could be collected and baled, with no need for different sorting technology.
Good to establish, Chandler.
Suddenly I snapped out of my internal discussion; my two colleagues were waiting tentatively outside my cubicle, eager for the results.
“They passed!” I said.
“Sweet!” they replied in unison.
“So what does this mean for us?”
“Haha, I’m not quite sure yet…”
Tune in Monday for a summary of the different obstacles hindering the inclusion of RPET clams in the PET bottle recovery stream. Once established we will move on to discuss how the following determine the recyclability of a material/packaging type: supply, demand, and technology.
Have a splendid weekend! Its Friday, woop woop!