PET bottles are the most widely recycled plastic packaging and represent the largest global source of high-quality recycled PET. Yet until now, one critical component has long remained outside the circular loop: the cap. Historically made from polypropylene (PP) or high-density polyethlene (HDPE), caps have been a multimaterial challenge. Because their material differs from the PET bottle itself, they must be separated during the recycling process, preventing full bottle-to-bottle recyclability.
Sukano developed an additive package that allows the production of monomaterial PET or rPET caps that can be recycled seamlessly with the bottle. It eliminates the need to separate caps from bottles during recycling, achieving new efficiencies. With caps comprising up to 10% of bottle weight, this unlocks thousand tons of additional bottle-grade PET for circular reuse. The additive package is compatible with both thermoforming and injection molding processes, enabling customers to transition to monomaterial bottle solutions without changing their existing production setup.
Testing to ensure Recyclability, Food Compliance, and Safety
Sukano validated the recyclability of each additive in their in-house recyclability laboratory according to the Tray Circularity Evaluation Platform (TCEP) and European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) test protocols at concentrations well above industry norms. While the additive is typically used at 1-2%, in-house tests were conducted at a concentration of up to 5% with up to 50% recycled content.
