Berry Global is collaborating with Germany-based filling equipment experts Haver & Boecker to create a closed-loop system for the collection and recycling of Berry’s NorDiVent film bags.
Berry’s flexible films facility in Steinfeld, Germany is housing the pilot project, which aims to demonstrate the feasibility of collecting and recycling empty bags.
NorDiVent is a form-fill-seal (FFS) film that provides a long-term dust free and moisture free solution for the filling and packing of all types of powdery products. Berry is one of the largest suppliers in Europe of the type of product. The project involves the collection of residual NorDiVent film from the test runs that every Haver & Boecker filling machine undergoes before being shipped to the customer. These films are returned to Berry Steinfeld’s in-house recycling facility. At present, the pilot project does not include collection of post-consumer film bags.
The recovered plastic is washed, shredded, processed into regranulate, and used in the manufacture of new tubular film with up to 50% recycled content.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Berry on this important project,” said Christian Reinke of Haver & Boecker. “It enables our customers to enjoy the many benefits of plastic film while demonstrating that the used bags are a valuable resource that can be recycled. Equally important, the bags containing recycled plastic meet the high standard of technical performance required for powder-based products.”
This September, Berry introduced a similar initiative to close the loop on some of its recycled polyethylene containers.