Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) Film Fingerprinting

Abstract

It is of great importance for Procter and Gamble to reach their Ambition 2030 goals of incorporating more recycled content into packaging applications and reducing virgin petroleum plastic use in packaging by 50%. This will be accomplished by incorporating more recycled content into packaging which supports the circular economy of plastic. However, flexible films are a major challenge due to polymer contamination, dirt contamination, and the multilayer nature of many films. The main goal with this project is to determine the post consumer recycled resins that are most suitable for use in P&G applications. This was done by determining which PCRs have a similar linear low density polyethylene composition to that of virgin polyethylene packaging used by P&G today. Analyzing how certain processing parameters contributed to how each PCR processed while being blown into a film is another way to determine the PCR best suited for specified applications. Combining findings from these two analysis methods allowed both the best test methods for quick PCR evaluation and threshold values to allow simple tests to predict final performance to be determined. Based on all of the results from various test methods, each PCR material was scored to determine which will perform the best. This study of film PCRs will work in conjunction with P&G’s digital portal that already exists for rigid PCRs. A preliminary database page consisting of this work done to evaluate PCRs based on their compositions is expected to be ready in late December 2022.