Resource management company Geminor is part of the production of a new type of stretch film developed from 100 percent recycled plastic feedstock. The plastic film is mainly based on waste plastic from agriculture.
Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of stretch film are every year used for the baling of animal feed on European farms. The agricultural plastic used for baling is a so-called Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) – a recyclable and very durable type of plastic.
After thorough preparation, Geminor is now taking part in the development of a circular solution for this plastic, says Bjorn Haaland, Account and Development Manager at Geminor: “We have for a long time handled plastic waste from agriculture and have always wanted a climate-friendly solution for the disposal of plastic volumes. Together with several partners, we have now found a process that ensures complete and efficient reuse of the stretch film.”
Collected, cleaned, recycled
The agricultural waste plastic is collected and sent to a production plant where it is quality checked and run through a washing and preparation process. The plastic is then granulated and ground and ends up as raw material in a production process of new stretch film. The film was first tested for the baling of waste products, Haaland explains:
“We have tested the new and recycled plastic film with regard to UV resistance, tensile strength, puncture resilience, and handling. We have also tested it in a production climate from -20 degrees Celsius to +30 degrees Celsius, and together with our partners, we have managed to develop the strongest product possible. In terms of quality, our recycled bale plastic does not lag behind virgin plastic. It makes no sense to use plastic made from virgin raw materials when you have fully recycled and strong alternatives available – and the pricing is reasonable. We are now producing recycled stretch film for both the waste industry and for agriculture, which is a circular economy in practice. Our goal is to have a lasting and sustainable solution within the recycling of plastic.”
Source: Geminor
