Closed-loop recycling of post-consumer films forecast to be commercially realized within four years

Axion Consulting forecasts that closed-loop recycling of post-consumer and retail waste plastic films could become a full-scale commercial reality within four years, based on the outcome of feasibility trials conducted together with three manufacturers.

Axion Consulting is part of the Axion Group. It develops and optimizes processing and collection methods to recover value from waste resources for a wide range of clients within the recycling and process industries. The three manufacturers participating in the trials were household product manufacturer CeDo, recycled plastic products manufacturer Centriforce Products, and plastic engineering specialist Protomax Plastics.

According to Axion, its research shows that it is technically possible to manufacture commercially useful products for the retail sector, such as refuse sacks, external hoardings, shelving and in-store displays, from mixed post-consumer film packaging.

The post-consumer films used in the trials were sourced from a leading retailer's front and back of store collections. The products made from these materials can either be sold or used within their store networks, said Axion.

Axion's Director Roger Morton predicted that this could happen within two to four years.

He emphasized that the "great potential" shown by the studies should give manufacturers confidence to invest in production capability, which in turn would stimulate local authorities to accept waste plastic films in their recycling collections.