When it was introduced in 2020, Aptar’s SimpliCycle TPE-S valve was hailed as a step forward in the development of more sustainable dispensing solutions. The technology consists of a thermoplastic elastomer valve paired with a PP-based cap. The Styrenic Block Copolymer (TPE-S or TPS) from which the valve is produced has a low density that allows it to float, making it easy to separate out of the PET stream for ultimate recycling within the PP/PE olefin stream.
It is a closure system that is commonly used in food, beverage and other applications. The valve itself represents less than 1% compared to the total packaging weight; valve and cap together represent 20.2 % of the total weight of the packaging.
In 2021, the closure was assessed and endorsed by the Technical Committee of the European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP), after it concluded that the SimpliCycle closure does not impact current European PET Recycling processes.
Now, independent testing by the Institut für Kunststofftechnologie und -recycling (IKTR) has verified that the valve is fully compatible with the European rigid polypropylene recycling stream. Its recycling compatibility has been positively assessed via the RecyClass Evaluation Protocol for PP containers.
The laboratory results show that the valve conforms to the current European PP container natural and coloured recycling streams, provided it is used under specific conditions. These include using it within a PP-based colourless closure (for natural PP packaging only) on a colourless PP container (likewise, for natural PP packaging only). Also, the technical approval letter specifies that the SimpliCycle TPE-S valve must be colourless or white (for natural PP packaging only), have a density that is lower than 1 g/cm3 and that the closure system represent no more than 20.2% of the total weight of the packaging.
The tests also demonstrated that plastic generated by the recycling process is suitable for replacing up to 50% of the virgin material content in closed-loop applications, such as PP blow-moulded bottles and injection moulded products.
TPE-S valves representing less than 1wt% were also found by the RecyClass Technical Committees to be fully compatible within the HDPE rigid plastic stream.
Aptar’s testing results will therefore be integrated into the ‘fully compatible’ section of the existing RecyClass Design for Recycling Guidelines and the Online Tool.