Greiner Packaging, Siegwerk and Krones join forces in a thought-provoking recycling initiative

Greiner Packaging, producer of rigid plastic packaging and cardboard-plastic combinations, Siegwerk, one of the leading global providers of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels, and Krones have joint forces in a thought-provoking initiative that highlights the capabilities of state-of-the-art recycling facilities in the conversion of direct-printed PP and PS cups.

Despite being considered non-recyclable by some Design for Recycling Guidelines, the three companies were able to effectively deink and convert the rigid containers into high-quality white recyclates, without the need for altering the ink formulation or print design. This was achieved by utilizing hot caustic washing, a standard process for PET bottle recycling that is increasingly adopted also by recyclers who are working with polyolefin (PO) and PS rigid streams.

The findings underscore the need for guidelines to evolve with technological advancements in recycling, ensuring they reflect the most efficient and sustainable routes to a circular packaging economy. The project partners advocate for a reevaluation of the role of printing inks and coatings in recycling, calling for a broader assessment of packaging deinkability under standard hot caustic conditions and adoption of the corresponding test standard published under DIN SPEC 91496. This viewpoint is well aligned with the position paper recently issued by EuPIA.

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About Greiner Packaging
Greiner Packaging is one of the leading European manufacturers of plastic packaging in the food and non-food sector. For over 60 years, the company has stood for a high level of solution competence in development, design, production, and decoration. Greiner Packaging meets the challenges of the market with two business units: Packaging and Assistec. While the former stands for innovative packaging solutions, the latter focuses on the production of customized technical parts. Greiner Packaging employs over 5,000 people at 30 locations in 19 countries worldwide. In 2022, the company achieved an annual turnover of 909 million euros (incl. joint ventures). This is almost 40% of Greiner’s total turnover.