Unilever unveils technology to recycle single-use plastic sachets

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Unilever has unveiled a new technology to recycle single-use plastic sachets. The technology, called CreaSolv Process was designed by researchers at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV. It is based on the same method used to separate brominated flame retardants from waste electrical and electronic equipment polymers.

According to estimates, hundreds of billions of single-use plastic sachets are thrown away around the globe. Sachets are more common in developing and emerging market countries, as it is designed to cater for consumers in low-income bracket. Many countries lack the infrastructure required to recycle them. Unlike larger plastic bags, there exists no economic incentive to collect waste sachets. With no proper recycling solutions currently in place, these sachets end up in landfill or cause litter.

As part of its Sustainable Living Plan, Unilever had earlier announced its commitment to finding a solution to treat these sachets in the most environment-friendly manner. This resulted in tie-up with research firms and the ultimate development of a recycling solution. The new technique delivers a circular economy approach by recovering plastic from sachets, which will then be used in the manufacture of new sachets for Unilever products.

The CreaSolv Process facilitates recycling of high-value polymers from dirty post-consumer sachets for the first time. Apart from environmental benefits, the process also offers economic profitability, noted Andreas Mäurer, Department Head of Plastic Recycling at Fraunhofer IVV. As per estimates, the process will be able to recover 6 kilograms of pure polymers using the same energy used to produce 1 kilogram of virgin polymer. Also, Unilever noted that it is committed to keep the new technology as open source, so that it can be used by its competitors as well. It will also promote scaling up of the technology in partnership with other industry players, Unilever press release added.

David Blanchard, Chief Research and Development Officer at Unilever reminded that approximately $80-$120 billion is lost to the world economy due to lack of proper plastics recycling. The new solution presents a huge opportunity, he noted. The company will put the long-term viability of the technology under test by opening a pilot plant in Indonesia, one of the major contributors of ocean waste, as per UN study. Unilever aims to partner with local waste banks, governments and retailers to set up comprehensive waste collection schemes by involving waste pickers.

The industry would be able to address the challenge of ocean plastic waste only by ensuring that all plastics packaging are fully recyclable and recycled. As part of its Unilever Sustainability Living Plan (USLP), the company had earlier announced its commitment to reduce the weight of its packaging by one-third by 2020. Also, it had pledged to increase the use of recycled plastic content in its packaging to at least 25% by 2025. It must be noted that only 14% of global plastics packaging are recycled.