The Uses And Advantages of R-PET

The uses and advantages of R-PET

Currently, with the global increase in environmental awareness, R-PET (Recycled PET) has become one of the most widely used recycled plastics worldwide.

Why choose R-PET as the production material? Why choose the R-PET from Suzhou Ocan Polymer Materials Co., Ltd.?

Suzhou Ocan Polymer Materials Co., Ltd. specializes in the production of R-PET and has 20 years of production experience. Moreover, the R-PET from Suzhou Ocan Polymer Materials Co., Ltd. has a GRS certificate and a TC report.

The application of R-PET raw materials is very extensive, covering packaging, engineering materials, construction, and other fields. And with the upgrading and iteration of recycling technologies (such as chemical recycling and mechanical recycling upgrades), the application scenarios of R-PET continue to expand towards higher-end and multi-functional directions.

1. The packaging industry is the core application field of R-PET, accounting for over 60% of the total usage. It also holds a unique position globally.

The packaging industry is the largest consumer market for R-PET raw materials, especially in food-contact packaging, where R-PET is more widely used. So, what are the reasons for its extensive application?

Compared with virgin PET, R-PET has the characteristics of being non-toxic, resistant to acids and alkalis, and having good barrier properties. Moreover, it complies with global environmental protection policies, such as the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive and China's "Plastic Restriction Order". Therefore, it can be regarded as one of the optimal alternative materials for virgin PET.

R-PET can be used as food-contact packaging, which is an embodiment of the high value-added core scenario of R-PET raw materials.

At present, the most mainstream production and usage scenarios of R-PET raw materials globally are the production of bottled water and beverage bottles. The R-PET chips obtained by R-PET raw materials through methods such as cleaning, melting, granulation or depolymerization and re-polymerization can be used to produce the bodies and bottle caps of bottled water, carbonated beverages, fruit juices, tea beverages, etc.

Meanwhile, the production of food-contact R-PET needs to meet the standards of FDA, EFSA, and GB 4806. The content of heavy metals and residual pollutants, such as bisphenol A, needs to be lower than the safety value and be produced and processed strictly in accordance with the detection standards. Moreover, the recycling process needs to avoid cross-contamination, such as the situation of mixing with non-food-grade PET. Currently, many large enterprises are widely using R-PET as a production raw material. Companies like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have achieved that the bodies of bottles contain 30%-50% R-PET, and aim to achieve 100% recycled bottles by 2030; Danone's bottled water product lines use 100% R-PET materials.

R-PET can also be seen in food packaging films and bags. R-PET films are widely used in potato chip bags, nut bags, baking food packaging, etc. Ordinary R-PET is combined through a composite process with PE, aluminum foil to enhance the barrier and sealing properties of the material. Through this method, R-PET can replace the original PET film and be better applied in food packaging films and bags.

Using R-PET as the raw material also has many advantages. For instance, it helps reduce carbon emissions. Producing 1 ton of R-PET results in approximately 70% less CO₂ emissions compared to producing virgin PET. Moreover, the transparency and tensile strength of R-PET films are similar to those of virgin PET, and there will be no impact on product production in any aspect.

In addition, R-PET is also widely used in the production and processing of food containers. R-PET raw materials produced through injection molding or blow molding processes for disposable lunch boxes, fruit trays, yogurt cups, etc., also receive unanimous praise from consumers, especially suitable for low-temperature food packaging, with a temperature range of -40℃ to 60℃ for packaging production. Some high-purity R-PET can be used for microwave heating containers, but heat-resistant modifiers need to be added during the production process.

The application of R-PET is also very extensive in general scenarios.

In the packaging of daily chemicals, R-PET can be found everywhere. For instance, laundry detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, body wash bottles, etc. are all produced from R-PET. Manufacturers can produce different colored and shaped bottle bodies by dyeing and injection molding processes of R-PET. Some high-end products use transparent R-PET bottles. The appearance of R-PET-produced products is no different from that of original PET.

Some major companies are also actively responding to the production of R-PET raw materials. Companies like Unilever and Procter & Gamble have committed to ensuring that the proportion of recycled plastic in daily chemical packaging will be no less than 50% by 2030. Therefore, R-PET will be the core choice for future daily chemical packaging.

There are also many traces of R-PET in industrial packaging. The raw materials for products such as packaging straps, pallets, and hollow barrels are all R-PET. Due to the high strength and wear-resistant properties of R-PET, it is very suitable for producing packaging straps, pallets, and hollow barrels that are suitable for heavy object bundling and logistics transportation. These products can replace traditional PP packaging straps or wooden pallets, thus achieving the goal of environmental protection.

The packaging for express delivery also uses R-PET as the raw material. For instance, R-PET film combined with PE can be used to produce the inner layer of express delivery bags. This way, the resulting express bags have relatively high toughness and water resistance. R-PET foam material can be used for cushioning packaging and can replace EPS (foam plastic), which greatly helps to reduce white pollution. All these applications can achieve the goal of environmental protection and are also very widely used.

2. R-PET can also be applied in high-end fields, being used in engineering plastics and modified materials.

In the production of R-PET, physical modification (filling, strengthening, and toughening) or chemical modification (copolymerization, cross-linking) can be employed to enhance the heat resistance, rigidity, and impact resistance of R-PET. This enables it to replace the original engineering plastics PA and PC, and is applied in the production of industrial components, electronic appliances, etc., achieving the dual goals of "cost reduction and efficiency improvement + environmental protection".

Applications in the electronics and electrical appliances field

R-PET can be used to produce electrical appliance housings, such as printer housings, router housings and internal components, such as battery brackets, connectors, packaging trays, etc. By adding 10%-30% glass fibers to the raw materials, the tensile strength of R-PET can reach 80-120 MPa, and the bending modulus exceeds 3000 MPa, meeting the structural strength requirements of electronic appliances.

Compared with virgin ABS or PC materials, the cost of modifying R-PET as a raw material can be reduced by 20%-30%, and after flame retardant modification, R-PET can reach UL94 V0 level, suitable for scenarios with high safety requirements such as home appliances and consumer electronics.

Applications in the automotive parts sector

R-PET can also be used in the production of car door panels, instrument panel brackets, bumper frames, and seat slides. By adding talcum powder and calcium carbonate to the R-PET raw materials, the heat resistance temperature of R-PET can be increased to over 120℃, which meets the high-temperature usage environment of car interiors. At the same time, its lightweight property (density of 1.38g/cm³, lower than 1.14g/cm³ of PA6) can help reduce energy consumption in automobiles. With the advancement of "carbon neutrality" in the automotive industry, the application proportion of recycled engineering plastics continues to increase. It is expected that the global demand for R-PET modified materials for automotive use will exceed 500,000 tons by 2025.

Other Engineering Applications

R-PET can also be used to produce municipal engineering materials such as pipes, valves, and manhole covers. Through UV resistance modification and anti-aging treatment, the service life of R-PET pipes can reach over 50 years, replacing traditional PVC pipes and cast iron manhole covers, which can significantly improve the problems of traditional PVC pipes containing plasticizers and cast iron manhole covers being heavy and prone to rust.

R-PET is also present in many 3D printing materials, as R-PET filament has the characteristics of high printing accuracy and low shrinkage rate, which is suitable for industrial prototype production, personalized customization, etc., and can be recycled to reduce material waste in 3D printing.

3 Besides, R-PET has many other application scenarios.

In the field of architecture and building materials, R-PET is widely used.

S-PET can also be used for the production of insulation boards, soundproofing boards, synthetic wood, etc. The thermal conductivity of R-PET foam insulation boards is as low as 0.032W/(m・K), but its insulation effect is better than that of EPS foam boards. Moreover, it does not produce toxic gases during combustion, which makes it very suitable for scenarios such as building exterior insulation and cold storage insulation. Roof waterproofing membranes, floor leathers, and other products can also be produced using R-PET. R-PET sheets have strong weather resistance and anti-tear properties, and they can be recycled. This conforms to green building standards and can achieve LEED certification.

High-purity R-PET can also be used in the medical field

High-purity R-PET resin obtained through chemical recycling can be used to produce disposable syringes, infusion sets, medical packaging, etc. However, R-PET used in the medical field must meet the ISO 10993 biocompatibility standard and have no residual contaminants. Although the current application in this field is niche, with the upgrading of recycling technology, the potential is huge. Especially in the European and American markets, the medical waste recycling system is well-established.

Widespread application in the agricultural field

The agricultural films produced by R-PET have the characteristics of high light transmittance, good aging resistance and degradability. This can effectively replace traditional PE film mulch, and can solve the problem that traditional PE film mulch is difficult to degrade and causes soil pollution. By using R-PET to produce irrigation pipes, seedling trays, etc., R-PET can adapt to the complex environment of farmland that is resistant to acid and alkali corrosion, and can be recycled, which greatly helps to reduce the environmental pressure of agricultural production.

Market Trends and Future Outlook of R-PET

In the future, with the gradual increase in global environmental awareness, the demand for R-PET will gradually rise. According to data from Grand View Research, the global R-PET market size was approximately 28 billion US dollars in 2023, and is expected to reach 45 billion US dollars by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 10.2%. The core driving factors include tightened environmental policies, rising costs of virgin plastics, and the sustainable transformation demands of end industries (packaging, textiles, automotive).

R-PET materials were initially widely used in the production of low-value general packaging. Later, with the further improvement of technology, they expanded into the production of high-value engineering materials, medical packaging, and high-end textile fields. High-purity and high-functional R-PET will become the mainstream in the market in the future.

The European and American markets have a higher application proportion of R-PET due to strict environmental policies and a well-developed recycling system. The most common situation is that the proportion of R-PET used in EU food packaging exceeds 40%. In emerging markets such as China and India, with the establishment of recycling systems and policy promotion, the demand for R-PET is growing the fastest. It is expected that the demand for R-PET in China will exceed 15 million tons by 2025.

Currently, the application of R-PET is very extensive. Major producers have shifted their use of R-PET from the traditional "low-value recycling" to "high-valueization application throughout the entire chain". Their core competitiveness lies in the balance of environmental attributes and performance - it not only meets the global "carbon neutrality" trend but also can replace virgin PET in most scenarios, achieving cost savings. In the future, with the iteration of recycling technologies, the optimization of modification processes, and the continuous support of policies, R-PET will be applied more widely in packaging, textiles, automobiles, and engineering materials, becoming the core carrier of "sustainable development" in the polymer materials industry. For Suzhou Ocan Polymer Materials Co., Ltd., it will focus more on the production of R-PET, layout R-PET-related businesses, continuously improve the company's production technology, so as to be able to provide customers with better R-PET materials. The company does this not only to respond to environmental policies but also to seize the market growth dividends. Especially in international trade, R-PET products are more likely to meet the green trade barriers of European and American markets, meet carbon footprint certification and recycling ratio requirements, and enhance product competitiveness. As a PET manufacturer with 20 years of production experience, Suzhou Ocan Polymer Materials Co., Ltd. also has a GRS certificate and TC report for its R-PET. It will also keep up with global development trends, actively respond to the R-PET wave, and pay attention to the research and update of R-PET technology in future production to jointly promote the development of R-PET.