RPC Superfos has introduced a number of initiatives to further enhance its packaging solutions incorporating post-consumer recycled (PCR) polypropylene.

The company has worked with recycled materials for over 10 years and today offers a range of PCR pails in many shapes and sizes including its popular Paintainer®, SuperCube®, SuperLift®, and SuperFlex® containers.

“Thinking sustainably is nothing new to RPC Superfos, and using recycled material is one of our ways of doing so,” confirms Janni Langkjær Pedersen, Sustainability Communication Manager at RPC Superfos.

“Our top-quality PCR pails are perfect for paint, varnishes, building materials and garden products. Equally important, plastic is also durable, light weight, sturdy and makes a significant contribution to a reduced carbon footprint.”

With a new formula, the level of PCR used in these pails can now be very high while at the same time ensuring that the containers remain fit for purpose and retain the mechanical characteristics necessary to ensure optimum performance.

For this reason, the actual PCR level that can be used for a particular order very much depends on the application and RPC Superfos therefore works in close collaboration with its customers to find the most appropriate solution.

“We have come a long way since we started to use recycled material and our vast experience in the non-food market makes us a very competent advisor to our customers,” explains Stéphane Navoret, Regional Technical Director at RPC Superfos.

“Using PCR without monitoring the mechanical characteristics can affect the performance of the packaging. RPC Superfos has developed a new formula which, in specific cases, allows us to use a very high level of PCR. However, we thoroughly take the performance and the quality of the packaging as well as all supply chain requirements into consideration. Importantly, we do not overpromise; that is one of our avowed tasks as advisor and business partner.”

PCR material is a valuable resource and RPC Superfos is currently expanding its collaboration with providers of PCR resin material. In addition, the company is working on customer projects along with RPC PLASgran, a leading UK plastic waste recycler and part of the RPC Group, to develop a suitable infrastructure for improving the capture of post- consumer polypropylene.

This venture also involves the development of ways to safely use these recycled materials in new food packaging. For food grade PP, PCR of very high quality is required, and the source must be traceable. Although this is a challenging task for the industry, RPC Superfos has many streams of work to overcome it, using its expertise in developing new sustainable packaging solutions.