‘Closing the loop’ on plastics is a key contributing factor to meeting recycling targets, and WRAP has been progressing a number of projects all feeding into this theme:
- Plastics Compositional Analysis at Materials Recovery Facilities - a study into the plastic packaging composition arriving at Materials Recycling Facilities (MRFs) from established mixed plastics collections.
- Developing end markets for PET Pots, Tubs and Trays - to identify potential economically viable end markets for PET pots, tubs and trays (PPTs), and help drive demand and build confidence in collecting more mixed plastics. We have also published case studies on PTT collection that can be found here.
- In-market trial to prove closed loop process for black CPET trays – working with leading industry organisations to manufacture, distribute and recover detectable black CPET trays through household recycling collections. A technical supplement is also available.
- Optimising the use of machine readable inks for food packaging sorting – looks at the technical and commercial viability of fluorescent inks applied to labels and packaging, which could enable automatic sorting of food contact packaging for a range of target materials such as PET, HDPE and PP.
- Analysis of retailers’ front of store plastic film collection – to identify the quality and quantity of what is being collected at front of store (FOS) collection points for plastic film packaging, and identify where improvements can be made.
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