Beauty of Recycling & PCR Material

By July 3, 2021, EU apply the directive on single-use plastic ban, aiming to reduce marine plastic pollution. Where sustainable alternatives are easily available and affordable, single-use plastic products cannot be placed on the markets of EU Member States. 

China has applied policy to ban free plastic grocery bags in 2008 as the first step in curbing plastic pollution. By end of 2020, part of China regions has started to prohibit producing, selling and consuming of certain categories of plastic made products.

Our planet needs more care and less pollution, all human beings have responsibility to take action to reduce waste plastic packaging littering into ocean and landfill.

Plastic packaging is the largest sector of total plastic products generated in world every year. In year 2015, the world produce 400 million tonnes of plastic packaging which is 36% of all plastic products. And only 14% of them was recycled, others went landfill, incinerated and leakage.(source from UN environment programme )

As a manufacturer and exporter, we took our pace to innovate technology and optimize supply chain, to contribute to plastic recycling. Hangzhou moonlight cleaning products Co.,ltd carry variety of trigger sprayers which are widely used as dispensing tool of commercial and domestic cleaning solutions. Massive amount of trigger sprayers are produced and exported to worldwide each year, and used as packaging material for different chemical products like cleaning products, garden weedkiller, pesticide, air freshener, car detailing products etc. Along with plastic bottles, trigger sprayers are usually discarded by consumers once chemical products are run out.

One way to reduce plastic pollution is using PCR solution, which belongs to recycling sector of “3Rs principle”(The principle of reducing waste, reusing and recycling resources and products is often called the “3Rs.”)

PCR(post consumer resin) refers to a material recycling from waste products generated by domestic, commercial, industrial and facility as final users, including material from distribution. Because PCR material originates from post-consumer, using PCR material will significantly increase recycling rate, and reduce waste plastic entering into landfill.

Most of PCR material is obtained with physical method. Physical method means after local recycling station collect material(wasted bottles etc.) and sort into bales, Then manufacturers process sorting, crushing, water clean, chemical clean, drying out and extruding. Physical method is high-efficient and cost saving, turns waste to PCR material in pellets. However material property will degrade after each process, so there are limitation for products range, for example, food contact material may not apply.

Some chemical laboratory and manufacturers are exploring more complicated and advanced chemical method to make PCR material as good property as virgin material.

With the concept of recycling program become popular worldwide, more and more responsible brands and manufacturers start to use PCR material. Using PCR material is eco-friendly and sustainable not only because the PCR material reduce waste plastic entering into landfill, but also by reducing virgin material usage, to lower manufacturers’ carbon footprint. Also, sustainable packaging practices improves brands’ image, attract more customers and impact their buying decisions. Though choosing PCR material will narrow down your supplier alternative list, and increase purchasing budgets. But it’s approved the increase on sales will easily cover and surpass initial investment.

The trend of environmental protection is unstoppable, the path to beauty of recycling is long and tough. We are on the way exploring innovative technology and making practical regulations to improve PCR material’s property, stability of resources etc. These may take years of effort from variety of industries.