A groundbreaking integration strategy across the three companies within the Group: Renascis, integrated PET recycling business,) Evertis, PET film producer for packaging applications with barrier, and Selenis, (specialty co-polyester producer.
The circular integration of the three business units supports the development of a closed-loop system in two main ways. Firstly, Selenis develops PET resins, closely collaborating with Evertis, and with first hand insight into the needs and challenges of the packaging industry, resulting in cutting edge sustainable packaging solutions introduced into the market by Evertis , such as monomaterial solutions that are easily recyclable. Secondly, Selenis and Renascis, have both chemical and mechanical recycling capabilities, Recyclass and EuCertPlast certified, allowing them to recycle different post-consumer PET materials, as well as increase recycled content in their products.
Evertis’ four-step approach to close the loop:
Continuously increase the utilisation of recycled content in their films, while ensuring maximum standards for food safety. In 2022, Evertis incorporated 35% of non-virgin raw materials, amounting to 33.5k tonnes of recycled content utilised in their processes. This is equivalent to over 1.3 billion PET water bottles or 1.9 billion PET trays. Their target is to reach a 50% of recycled raw materials by 2025.
Thanks to the utilisation of recycled content, Evertis has been able to demonstrate significant environmental benefits such as the reduction of greenhouse gases and carbon emissions and the decrease of overall energy consumption for new product manufacturing. According to LCA studies, each unit of recycled PET replacing virgin PET, achieves a 40% reduction in process and transport energy, 75% reduction in energy demand, and 60% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions[1].
Promote the tray-to-tray circuit by increasing the incorporation of PET flakes from trays and promoting new innovative multilayer recycling technologies. Evertis is committed to the incorporation of recycled content from the tray circuit. In this sense, Evertis is being certified by the RETRAY Process certification in order to audit its film manufacturing process to ensure the traceability of recycled materials, with a focus on the incorporation of post-consumer flakes from the tray circuit.
Additionally, as an example of an initiative to promote the tray-to-tray model, Evertis collaborated with key recycling stakeholders in Portugal for a R&D project demonstrating the benefits of circular economy and tray-to-tray recycling. This project assessed the feasibility of sorting PET trays, previously classified as mixed plastics, and upcycling them back into the PET stream.
Facilitate the recyclability through product design, by offering innovative monomaterial and other recyclable solutions that meet clients’ technical needs, whilst facilitating packaging recyclability. Some highlight of Evertis’ latest key product innovations: Evertis EcosealTM, EcopackTM HI, IR Black, and EcobarTM.
Several of these product innovations are the result of the close collaboration between the sister companies, Selenis (resin manufacturer) and Evertis, and their success in jointly designing and developing new polyester resins that provide enhanced properties to the final packaging, without the need of adding other structures.
Emphasise collaboration and support throughout the value chain, working together in closing the loop, and aligning with policymakers in defining new guidelines. Evertis is fully committed to continuing to enhance their circular model for PET tray packaging and playing a leading role in the industry by continuing to offer sustainable innovations to the food industry. Thanks to Evertis’ circular integration, the company is able to work from the resin design to ensure the recyclability of their products, until the final mechanical and chemical recycling of post-consumer PET materials, supplying innovative recyclable films with a high percentage of recycled content.
