FDA confirmed:
PCR-HDPE produced with EREMA technology is suitable for food packaging made with up to 100 percent post consumer recyclate

The recycling machine manufacturer EREMA sets yet another new standard in the post consumer sector for the production of the highest possible quality recyclate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved the food contact compliance of post consumer recycled HDPE (PCR-HDPE) produced with the patented INTAREMA® TVEplus® RegrindPro® extrusion system in combination with the ReFresher module. This opens up new opportunities to close the loop in food packaging made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

"FDA approval means that new food packaging can contain up to 100 percent of PCR-HDPE produced using this recycling process," says Clemens Kitzberger, Business Development Manager in the EREMA Group for the post consumer sector. The starting material for the PCR-HDPE is a defined post consumer input stream consisting of 99 percent food containers, i.e. milk and juice bottles. PCR-HDPE produced from this can be processed into bottles, food dishes and similar products. EREMA achieves the necessary purity of the PCR-HDPE by combining the proven INTAREMA® TVEplus® RegrindPro® extrusion system with the ReFresher module, a highly efficient anti-odour technology.

"The high decontamination performance of our machine is thanks to the pre-treatment of the material during the one-hour dwell time in the preconditioning unit of the recycling extruder and the additional removal of low-volatility odorous substances from the granulate by the ReFresher," says Michael Heitzinger, Managing Director EREMA GmbH, explaining the quality advantages of this recycling process. The efficiency of the ReFresher was tested and confirmed in a separate challenge test using highly contaminated input material. Because the ReFresher uses the latent energy of the pellets preheated by the extrusion process, this system is also particularly energy-saving.

As early as April, this recycling technology was the decisive factor in Werner & Mertz's joint project with EREMA and The Group with the Green Dot to launch the world's first approved shower gel bottle for the cosmetics sector, manufactured with 100 percent PCR-HDPE collected in yellow household recycling bags.

Mobile ReFresher for on-site demos
EREMA customers can now also test the effect of the ReFresher directly at their own production plant. A compact and mobile version of this module has been developed specifically for this purpose. These and numerous other technical innovations and highlights in the PET, post consumer and in-house recycling areas will be presented by EREMA at K 2019 as part of "seeds for your performance".