Nextek secures UK Research and Innovation funds to pioneer polyolefin film circular economy

16 Mar 2022 --- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has granted funding to Nextek’s COtooClean project, which aims to produce food-grade recyclate from polyolefin film waste. The multi-participant initiative has presented a solution to the lack of effective decontamination technology preventing polyolefin films from being recycled into food-grade films.

PackagingInsights speaks to Nextek’s founder Edward Kosior to understand the reasons behind low polyolefin film recycling rates and how COtooClean can fill the decontamination gap with a unique commercial process that integrates into mechanical recycling. 

“The UKRI funding will be dedicated to building a large-scale prototype process that will test the applicability of the performance obtained on batch equipment during the feasibility studies,” explains Kosior.

“In addition, the processes will be fine-tuned and optimized for decontamination and ink removal. Finally, these recovered films will be converted back into food-grade films and tested for food-grade compliance.”

Polyolefin (LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP) films, which are commonly used for packaging both edible and non-edible goods, play a vital part in protecting and extending the shelf life of many foods.

Decontamination is vital to polyolefin film recycling as it boosts the value of recycled plastics and creates end markets for recycled plastics, which are in increasing demand as legislation like the UK Plastic Packaging Tax approaches.Nextek proposes using low-pressure supercritical CO2 and green co-solvents to decontaminate polyolefin films.

Polyolefin problems
Food-safe post-consumer polyolefin films are currently missing from the recycling stream as there has been no effective decontamination technology to turn them back into food-grade films. However, decontamination ineptitude is not the only issue in building a polyolefin film circular economy.

Kosior highlights other problems, including the quality of the recycled material (like cleanliness and freedom from contamination), the uniformity of the infeed materials, the absence of multilayer films that do not damage the recyclability of the mixed infeed, and the economics of recycling.

COtooClean aims to overcome these issues by pioneering a disruptive waterless cleaning process for polyolefin films with support from its partners and their various commercial and technical capabilities. The partners include Unilever, Amcor, Viridor, Allied Bakeries, Suprex, University of Nottingham, School of Chemistry and BioComposites Centre, and Bangor University.

Nextek proposes using low-pressure supercritical CO2 (scCO2) combined with green co-solvents to remove oils, fats and printing inks and effectively decontaminate polyolefin films under EFSA Challenge Test conditions back to food contact levels.

CO2 savings
Currently, the industrial decontamination of post-consumer polyolefin films is performed using a mixture of aqueous or organic solvent washing, drying and thermal desorption. However, these processes have a high energy and environmental cost and fail to reach food-grade compliance. 

ScCO2, on the other hand, is a non-toxic, non-flammable, non-corrosive solvent that can efficiently remove potential contaminants found in films. Its potential to recycle film back to food-grade quality can facilitate film recycling, offering a new PCR materials source, and achieve significant reductions in waste to landfill, the displacement of virgin resin and savings in carbon emissions and water usage. Nextek’s tech removes oils, fats and printing inks to facilitate polyolefin film recyclability.

The technology is widely used to extract food flavors and components, such as helping to remove caffeine from coffee. Notably, a simple phase change can isolate dissolved contaminants and free the CO2 for reuse as a solvent once again. In this way, it does not produce aqueous waste containing impurities and contaminants or decontamination solvents. 

Nextek believes a commercialized COtooClean process can provide a unique technology that will fill the gap in recycling food-grade films.

Licensing opportunities
Kosior says the key barrier to the ScCO2 technology’s commercialization is validating the scale-up process. Nextek’s core work will be to resolve any technical obstacles.

“Beyond that [technical] stage, the key opportunities will be to license the process to the recyclers that operate in this area. This takes time and the capacity to develop a sound business model to convince investors that the whole process is a worthwhile investment. This will require the preparation of business plans and a feasibility study to deliver the data needed for investors.”

The project has a duration of two years, and licenses and commercialization are expected before the end of the project.

The UKRI’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging challenge, which supports the UK Plastics Pact, rewards innovative projects focusing on the reuse and recycling of plastic packaging.

Nextek is also pioneering polypropylene recycling through its Nextloopp project, supporting the delivery of food-grade recycled content.

By Joshua Poole