PureCycle Technologies has partnered with RM TOHCELLO and Mitsui & Co, aiming to supply recycled polypropylene-based materials to converters and brand owners in Japan.
Biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film is used in food packaging, labels and consumer products.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The collaboration started in the first quarter of 2023, when RM Tohcello tested initial samples of PureFive resin supplied by PureCycle and Mitsui.
Those trials were followed by pilot-scale production runs, which have now been completed.
RM Tohcello executive officer and business sector head Masaru Furukawa said: “Flexible films are one of the fastest growing segments in packaging and we’ve been waiting for a solution like PureCycle’s to allow us to start using recycled content in BOPP [biaxially oriented polypropylene] film and PP sealant film.
“We believe these innovative films can help transform post-consumer waste into materials contributing to GHG-emission avoidance. We would like to promote application developments with our value chain partners.”
The next step is the planned introduction of the materials to customers in Japan.
The companies expect to put a formal commercial agreement in place in 2027, with shipments to follow once import regulatory requirements have been met.
According to PureCycle, mechanically recycled polypropylene has generally not met the quality standards required for these uses, which has restricted recycled content in this part of the packaging sector.
The company said its dissolution recycling process removes additives, colours, odours and other contaminants from post-consumer polypropylene waste.
PureCycle makes a third-party certified recycled resin that has been used in multiple applications.
PureCycle European and Asia Pacific operations vice-president Wiebe Schipper said: “This partnership represents exactly the kind of step-change we envisioned when PureCycle’s technology was developed. We’re unlocking an entire segment of applications where recycled content had been locked out.”
