— By Plasteurope.com correspondent — 

The European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP; www.epbp.org), an industry initiative dedicated to advancing the circular economy within the PET bottle value chain, has launched its Circularity Test Protocol, a pioneering tool that simulates multiple recycling loops during the R&D phase.

EPBP already has its Design for Recyclability Test Protocol, a tool that aligns with the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The Circularity Test Protocol can be seen as the next evolution towards true circularity.

“This [Circularity Test] protocol offers industry stakeholders a reliable framework to assess and improve the circularity of PET bottles during their R&D phase,” said John McClelland, co-chair of EPBP representing Petcore Europe, (Brussels; www.petcore-europe.org), one of the supporters of EPBP.

Related: EPBP releases design guidelines for PET bottles, non-food products

EPBP plans to initially offer both test protocols to applicants seeking a recyclability or circularity assessment. EPBP said it will collaborate with relevant stakeholders to establish a transition period for the newly developed PET Circularity Protocol and its associated design guidelines. This transition period will enable the industry to prepare for the new design-for-circularity guidelines. These are to be announced by EPBP in the near future.

During this transition period, applicants may choose whether to validate their packaging innovations based on either the recyclability or circularity protocols. However, EPBP strongly encourages applicants to begin adopting the circularity protocol. Innovations successfully validated under the recyclability protocol may face challenges when reassessed against the circularity protocol, emphasising the importance of early adoption.

EPBP has played a vital role in providing design-for-recycling (DfR) guidelines and evaluating innovative PET bottle packaging solutions based on the PET Recyclability Test Protocol to ensure the production of high-quality recycled PET (rPET).

EPBP is a liaison organisation with the Technical Committee on Packaging within the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN).