Rani Plast increases the use of recycled raw materials

The European Commission recognises the plastics industry’s important role in Europe’s economy and has devised a Plastics Strategy for the years to 2030. The strategy sets out that recycled plastic materials help reduce environmental impact and help meet several future sustainability challenges. However, the strategy highlights the need for the plastics industry to take a more circular approach and includes a number of objectives and directives. The main goal is for all plastic packaging in the EU to be reusable, recyclable, and cost-effective by 2030. The UK introduced a tax on plastic packaging comprising less than 30 percent recycled raw materials in April 2022.

Rani Plast welcomes lawmakers’ demands on the industry 

Rani Plast’s product development department is constantly developing different packaging films that contain recycled raw materials and meet customers’ quality requirements.

“We welcome the fact that demands are being made on our industry. We also have our own strategy, which aims to reach a 25 percent integration of recycled material by the end of 2023. Our customers ask for packaging materials made from recycled raw materials, which motivates us to develop methods that increase a product’s percentage of recycled material,” says Dennis Granqvist, Sales Director at Rani Plast.

We aim to reach a 25 percent integration of recycled material by the end of 2023.

Some products groups are more challenging

Although the quality of recycled raw materials has improved significantly in recent years, there are still challenges involved with product categories for demanding needs, such as stretch hoods.

“It’s easier to replace virgin materials in certain product groups. For example, we can manufacture high-quality beverage packaging films with a high percentage of recycled materials.

There are more challenges involved with stretch hood because the film needs to combine stretch capabilities with strength for pallet stability and logistical security. Recycled material also impacts the film’s ability to grip, which makes it more difficult to find an optimal way to use the film in different stretch hood packaging machines.

A new Eco facility and larger volumes of recycled raw material

Another major factor in the success of recyclability is the availability of recycled raw materials. It’s imperative for the whole industry that collection systems become more effective.

“Our new Eco facility provides us with larger volumes of recycled raw material. However, plastic waste will need to be sorted more effectively by consumers, industry, and retailers for our company – and industry – to increase the percentage of recycled raw materials.”

Our new Eco facility provides us with larger volumes of recycled raw material.

The European Commission directs its efforts to improve waste sorting

The European Commission’s strategy paves the way to a circular economy by setting out innovations and investments to improve waste sorting.

“Our investments in new production lines in 2021–22 have been the main drivers behind our increased capacity of high-quality recycled raw materials.”

An important part of the EU’s Plastics Strategy revolves around the sector increasing its cooperation between key players in the value chain.

“We have long-term partnerships with various companies involved in the value chain. Together with customers, raw material suppliers, machine manufacturers, and other partners, we continue to develop new ways to provide customers with circular packaging materials,” says Dennis.

You can read more about the Plastics Strategy on the European Commission’s website.