MONTREAL, October 6th, 2021- Polystyvert, an innovative leader in dissolution technology, and COEXPAN, one of the world’s leaders in Form Fill Seal (FFS) food packaging systems, are collaborating to validate the use of the dissolution rPS for FFS yoghurt packaging applications.
During the first stage of the validation, several trials have been conducted by both teams at Innotech (Innovation and Technology Centre of COEXPAN and EMSUR) with very positive results in terms of quality and processability.
Contaminants were successfully removed from the initial feedstock, including pigments and dyes. Innotech successfully extruded and thermoformed the recycled pellets into yoghurt pots made from recycled PS.
The pellets tested during the extrusion process were post- industrial rPS 50%, (ABA structure) and a monolayer structure with 100% post- industrial rPS. Then, the sheets were tested on FFS industrial yoghurt packaging systems, and finally analysed at the development centre laboratory.
Among the different rPS recycling technologies, Polystyvert’s purification capacity allows the hard-to-remove contaminants (pigments, papers, cardboard, and other plastics) to be eliminated initially, offering the ability to deliver a high-quality product and treat a variety of difficult to recycle feedstocks.
Thanks to its high quality, Polystyvert’s rPS successfully passed the challenge and migration tests. Based on these excellent results, Polystyvert received a certification letter for food contact in the USA from Intertek, an independent laboratory.
Dinis Mota, CEO of COEXPAN: “We are very happy to have established this collaboration with Polystyvert, which will allow us to demonstrate the viability and potential of the dissolution recycling technology for Polystyrene. It reinforces our sustainability positioning and our goal of achieving a circular economy model”.
Solenne Brouard Gaillot, Founder of Polystyvert: “We are very happy to partner with Coexpan in order to set a circular economy in food packaging made of PS. We think PS is a valuable material and Polystyvert’s technology is the solution of choice to tackle the challenges of closed loop recycling”.
About Polystyvert
Founded in 2011, Polystyvert is a Montreal-based clean technology startup that has developed an innovative, low-carbon-footprint process to recycle polystyrene based on a dissolution technology. Effective on all types of polystyrene, Polystyvert’s technology includes a purification process that removes all contaminants. The result is a high purity recycled resource that can be reused for upcycled polystyrene products, opening the door to a larger market than actual mechanical recycling technologies.
Polystyvert’s technology addresses a major global environmental issue, since large quantities of post-consumer or post-industrial polystyrene waste are buried in landfills every year, while more and more new polystyrene is produced. Polystyvert’s technology offers a great opportunity to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels used in the production of new polystyrene and reduce GHG emissions.
About COEXPAN
With more than 45 years of experience in the industry, COEXPAN is the Grupo Lantero division specialised in the manufacture of rigid plastic sheet and thermoformed products, offering global solutions for the packaging industry.
COEXPAN has 13 production plants in 8 countries in Europe and America (Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Chile, Brazil, and Mexico), specialised in rigid sheet solutions and thermoformed packaging in the main polymers (PS, PP, PET, PLA). COEXPAN boasts a production capacity of more than 200,000 tonnes per year.
COEXPAN complies with the most stringent food safety standards, backed by international certifications such as FDA, BRC Packaging or FSSC 22000, for the production of food contact approved packaging. Our sales network of professionals ensures maximum quality in all of the processes and a personalised customer service, allowing our products to be distributed in more than 50 countries worldwide.
