A two-year project driven by Oy Plastex Ab and conducted within the SPIRIT programme ecosystem has come to a close, but the work for a more sustainable plastics industry continues. We spoke with Vice CEO of Plastex, Arto Ant-Wuorinen, who shared his insights, learnings and the way forward following this ambitious initiative.
Plastex – a tradition of innovation
Plastex, a Finnish family-owned company soon celebrating its 90th anniversary, is now run by the fourth generation. Today, around 20% of the raw materials used by Plastex are derived from recycled plastics, from mechanically recycled plastics in particular. They have proven to be highly suitable for many of their products. The company aims to grow its exports from the current rate of 20% and become a leading player in the field, driven by ecological solutions and recycling innovation. Chemical recycling is of particular interest to Plastex when it comes to food-grade plastics products.
Ambitious goals and key findings
Going back to January 2023 when the project within the SPIRIT programme was launched, Arto Ant-Wuorinen reminds that the ambitious goal of the project was to find food-grade, mechanically recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) suitable for blow molding. In addition, Plastex wanted to explore the possibilities for their own closed loop for recycling. Despite a global search all over Europe, it proved impossible to find the required raw material suitable for food contact. Mechanically recycled plastics as such was available for blow molding, but the available supply was too limited, making the process economically or environmentally unviable at present. Similarly, the research found that the material flows for food-grade recycled plastics in Finland are too small and the recycling system is not yet functioning at the required scale. Attempts to establish a closed recycling loop for Plastex’s own water containers also faced obstacles.
In addition, the upcoming EU regulations create significant uncertainty for the industry at large. ”To be honest, this makes operations very challenging, as the final requirements remain unclear,” Arto says. Companies across Europe are now in a transitional phase, waiting for EU decisions, while also having to navigate local regulations and the additional complexity of plastic imports from outside the EU with no standardized markings.
Successes in ecosystem collaboration
One of the major successes of the project was the opportunity to work within the SPIRIT ecosystem, which brought together actors from across the entire plastics value chain from manufacturers and raw material producers to recycling experts. ”This collaboration was absolutely fantastic and exactly what was needed in Finland,” Arto says. The project enabled Plastex to gain valuable learnings as well as new international contacts that will strengthen their network and business resilience in the future.
Arto is particularly enthusiastic about the broad vision promoted within the SPIRIT ecosystem: ”Together, we are driving forward the circular economy for plastics, which gives hope for the future. This is the spark for everything; we need plastics in the future, but we must produce and recycle them more wisely, better and in a more environmentally friendly way.”
Looking forward
According to Arto, the challenge of recycling hard plastics remains unsolved. In Finland, recycling systems for hard plastics are still inadequate and require nationwide solutions. Elsewhere in Europe, post-sorting of hard plastics from mixed waste is also difficult.
Arto sees great potential in chemical recycling as soon as it is brought to a bigger scale. ”This technology could turn all types of plastic waste into food-grade material and valuable raw material,” he notes. He believes chemical recycling will revolutionise the industry within the next ten years.
Arto emphasises the need for harmonized regulations and standards across Europe, recognising that the continent is a single market. ”It makes sense to rationalize EU legislation, but material flows and recycling plants cannot be organised country by country. We need cross-border cooperation.” He also stresses the importance of recognising the value of plastic waste: ”The floating plastic waste islands in the sea are valuable resources that should be put to use.”
Arto hopes that the strong momentum of cooperation within the SPIRIT ecosystem will continue: ”We all share the same vision and must keep working towards our goals. We cannot afford to lose this momentum so let’s keep going!” Finally, Arto extends his thanks to all the partners involved in the project, whose collaboration was essential to its progress.
More information about the project
Photo: Plastex