Several plastics organisations have launched a scheme to help the packaging industry assess new PET bottle formats entering the European plastics recycling stream. Under the European PET Bottle Platform (EPBD, www.epro-plasticsrecycling.org/PETbottleplatform) scheme, technical experts in the field of PET production, design and recycling will aim to provide an objective evaluation of new technologies and an independent assessment of their impact on PET recycling processes. The EFBD includes the European Plastics Recyclers (EuPR, Brussels / Belgium; www.eupr.org), the Alliance for Plastic Beverage Containers Sustainability (ABC), the European Association of Plastics Recycling & Recovery Organisations (EPRO, Brussels; www.epro-plasticsrecycling.org) and PET Containers Recycling Europe (Petcore, Brussels; www.petcore.org).

The associations said the main objective of the scheme is to evaluate technologies and products and allow new PET bottle innovations, while optimising the economic and environmental consequences for the European PET recycling industry. It will also aim to establish European harmonised guidelines for PET bottles recyclability that will be accepted across the value chain.