Home
Search History
Clear History
{{item.search_key}}
Hot Searches
Change
{{item.name}}
{{item.english_name}}
Subscribe eNews
Once A Week Once Every Two Weeks
{{sum}}
{{sum}}
Log in

Please Login

Subscribe To Tags, See What You Want To See

Sign Up For Events, Expand your network

Unlock Private Messages, Participate In Interactions

 Register

Hi.{{userInfo.company_name_english||userInfo.truename_english}} Hi.{{userInfo.truename||userInfo.phone||userInfo.email}}

Applications

Toray Toraypearl spherical PA12 powder for 3D printing

Polyplastics, Colgate-Palmolive and PTI unveil new technology for lightweight HDPE bottles

KHS SUPREME PET bottle for oxygen-sensitive beverages

Products

Breakthrough in Lubrizol’s LED Chlorination Technology to elevate CPVC resin performance

3000BPH 2cavity jar blowing machine will show in 2026 Chinaplas Shanghai

NOVA Chemicals commercializes two new SYNDIGO rPE grades

Activities

  • CHINAPLAS 2026: Government blueprint for emerging industries driving new plastics innovation

  • Fakuma to celebrate 30th anniversary edition in October 2026

  • Italy pavilion at Plast Eurasia proves its rising presence in Turkish market

Pictorial

Industry Topic

ASEAN: The Next Manufacturing Hub

Innovative and Sustainable Packaging

Green Plastics: News & Insights

CHINAPLAS

CHINAPLAS 2026 Focus

CHINAPLAS 2025 Focus

CHINAPLAS 2024 Focus

Exhibition Topic

K 2025 FOCUS

CHINA INSIGHT

Fakuma 2024 Highlights

News Videos

Automatic 5L 120mm neck PET jar blowing machine

YZ-ECO2000-4 6000BPH full automatic 4cavity bottle blowing machine

Opening Ceremony of Bechton's New Factory

Conference Videos

【Mandarin session: Webinar playback】SACMI: Your Digitalized Manufacturing, Your Future Today

[Live Replay] LK Group: Smart Manufacturing, New Chapters in Southeast Asia: High-Efficiency Solutions in PET Preform & Thin-Wall Packaging

[Live Replay] Fu Chun Shin (FCS): Data-Driven Digital Rebirth and Intelligent Future of Injection Molding

Corporate/Product Videos

QINGDAO BOUNI introduction video

PVC-O160-400 Production Line Trial Run Video

PVC-O630 production line testing

Exhibition

Playback TECHHUB 2025@CPRJ Live Streaming for CHINAPLAS

Playback TECHHUB@CPRJ Live Streaming for CHINAPLAS

Events

Playback On April 14, the "6th Edition CHINAPLAS x CPRJ Plastics Recycling and Circular Economy Conference and Showcase" at the Crowne Plaza Shenzhen Nanshan is currently being livestreamed!

Playback 5th Edition CHINAPLAS x CPRJ Plastics Recycling and Circular Economy Conference and Showcase

News
NEW
HOT
 Events
NEW
HOT
 SPE Asia
NEW
HOT
 Special
NEW
HOT
 Live
NEW
HOT
 eNews
NEW
HOT
 Essential Guide
NEW
HOT
 Event Calendar
NEW
HOT
 Survey
NEW
HOT
 CHINA INSIGHT
NEW
HOT

Home > News > Recycling

Erlenbach: The quality of the recyclate is crucial

Source：Adsale Plastics Network Date ：2025-05-20 Editor ：RC
Copyright： This article was originally written/edited by Adsale Plastics Network (AdsaleCPRJ.com), republishing and excerpting are not allowed without permission. For any copyright infringement, we will pursue legal liability in accordance with the law.

In this VDMA interview on the way to K 2025, Thorsten Jacoby, Managing Director of Erlenbach GmbH, part of the hetech group, discussed the importance of recycling in plastics industry.


Erlenbach_Managing Director Thorsten Jacoby.jpg


Thorsten Jacoby, Managing Director of Erlenbach GmbH.

 

Mr. Jacoby, how does Erlenbach contribute towards resource conservation and sustainability?

 

Jacoby: Firstly, by continuously increasing efficiency to minimize energy consumption in the processing of particle foams. The use of these energy-efficient technologies also reduces the CO2 footprint of the products manufactured on these systems. In addition, EPS and EPP, for example, are highly recyclable. If the material is unmixed and only slightly contaminated, a recycling rate of almost 100% is possible. Finally, bio-based particle foams can also be produced using systems from the hetech group, of which Erlenbach is a part. Because the material is renewable, the CO2 footprint is even smaller in this respect.

 

What requirements are necessary to achieve high recyclate quality?

 

Jacoby: The quality depends to a large extent on the purity of the variety on the one hand, and the recycling process on the other; there are already many technical possibilities available. The upstream processes of sorting and cleaning are also quite mature. In any case, it is important to handle raw materials carefully when using them, for example: plastic waste is already being collected on construction sites, but rubbish bags contain insulation boards made of EPS, some of which are heavily contaminated. Additional sorting equipment is then required to separate the materials. 


However, it would be much better if the contaminants were not present within the boards in the first place. Product handling is the decisive factor, and these would then have to be designed in such a way that printed material or adhesives, for example, can be removed very easily. People are not yet very aware of the need to do things properly when collecting. By contrast, EPS packaging for example can be very easily recycled in a single-sort collection.

 

Where are we on the road to a circular economy for plastics?

 

Jacoby: Much is already possible in terms of plant technology, but there is still room for further optimization. There are many efforts in the market to better organize and structure collection processes. Processors are often aware of the importance of recycling, but implementation also depends on the customers, some of whom still specify virgin material.

 

What can you do in this situation?

 

Jacoby: It is important to raise awareness that a recycled product can fulfil the same requirements as one made from virgin material if it is of the same quality. The quality of the recycled material is crucial. One way of guaranteeing this quality would be to have uniform standards for recyclates. Processors would then always know exactly what material they order and receive. This would increase the acceptance of recyclate, and products made from recyclate, and this would also increase their use.

 

Is the plastics industry still struggling with its image?

 

Jacoby: It is impossible to imagine our modern world without plastic. The question is how to deal with plastics that are recyclable, and to what extent they should be recycled. There are many good approaches in the actual process, but also in higher-level processes. For example, we can already produce an rEPS from an EPS and process it in the same process. One major challenge is collecting the material so that it can be used again in the same processing method.

 

What role does chemical recycling play?

 

Jacoby: All available possibilities of the circular economy are required in order to close all loops and produce high-quality raw materials. This also includes chemical recycling for those fractions that are not suitable for lower-threshold recycling, for example mechanical recycling. This allows the original raw materials to be recovered. In principle, the original monomer is turned back into PS and EPS. However, chemical recycling is a very complex process with correspondingly high costs.

 


 Like 丨  {{details_info.likes_count}}
Recycling
VDMA
 SACMI (SHANGHAI) MACHINERY EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.      
 DONGGUAN DEHUA PRECISION MOLD CO., LTD      
 JUHESHUN ADVANCED MATERIALS CO., LTD.      
 HEFEI TAIHE INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO.,LTD.      
 WINDORA MATERIALS LLC      
 GREENWICH (CHINA) TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LIMITED      
 GREENCORE RESOURCES LIMITED      
 LINKER NEW MATERIALS CO., LTD      
 SHANGHAI HAWKWAY PROCESS SOLUTIONS CO., LTD      
 GUANGXI HENGYI NEW MATERIALS CO., LTD.      
 TAIZHOU MIXIN MACHINERY CO., LTD.      
 ZHEJIANG ROTOUN PLASTIC TECHNOLOGY CORP.      
 GUANGDONG GUOHENG YOUHE ADVANCED MATERIALS CO., LTD.      
 KADIDE      
 GUANGXI WUZHOU GUOLONG RECYCLABE RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.      
 SUZHOU BECHTON PLASTIC MACHINERY CO., LTD      
 YUYAO KAWAGUCHI Manufacturing Co., Ltd.      
 LINYI HUASU ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.      
 ANHUI ZHONGXIN HONGWEI TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD      
 FUJIAN NAN'AN STAR RUBBER&PLASTIC MACHINERY CO., LTD.      
 ZHANGJIAGANG GREENLANDPLAST MACHINERY CO.,LTD      
 FOSHAN SHUNDE MINGSANFENG MOULD CO., LTD.      

The content you're trying to view is for members only. If you are currently a member, Please login to access this content.   Log in

Source：Adsale Plastics Network Date ：2025-05-20 Editor ：RC
Copyright： This article was originally written/edited by Adsale Plastics Network (AdsaleCPRJ.com), republishing and excerpting are not allowed without permission. For any copyright infringement, we will pursue legal liability in accordance with the law.

In this VDMA interview on the way to K 2025, Thorsten Jacoby, Managing Director of Erlenbach GmbH, part of the hetech group, discussed the importance of recycling in plastics industry.


Erlenbach_Managing Director Thorsten Jacoby.jpg


Thorsten Jacoby, Managing Director of Erlenbach GmbH.

 

Mr. Jacoby, how does Erlenbach contribute towards resource conservation and sustainability?

 

Jacoby: Firstly, by continuously increasing efficiency to minimize energy consumption in the processing of particle foams. The use of these energy-efficient technologies also reduces the CO2 footprint of the products manufactured on these systems. In addition, EPS and EPP, for example, are highly recyclable. If the material is unmixed and only slightly contaminated, a recycling rate of almost 100% is possible. Finally, bio-based particle foams can also be produced using systems from the hetech group, of which Erlenbach is a part. Because the material is renewable, the CO2 footprint is even smaller in this respect.

 

What requirements are necessary to achieve high recyclate quality?

 

Jacoby: The quality depends to a large extent on the purity of the variety on the one hand, and the recycling process on the other; there are already many technical possibilities available. The upstream processes of sorting and cleaning are also quite mature. In any case, it is important to handle raw materials carefully when using them, for example: plastic waste is already being collected on construction sites, but rubbish bags contain insulation boards made of EPS, some of which are heavily contaminated. Additional sorting equipment is then required to separate the materials. 


However, it would be much better if the contaminants were not present within the boards in the first place. Product handling is the decisive factor, and these would then have to be designed in such a way that printed material or adhesives, for example, can be removed very easily. People are not yet very aware of the need to do things properly when collecting. By contrast, EPS packaging for example can be very easily recycled in a single-sort collection.

 

Where are we on the road to a circular economy for plastics?

 

Jacoby: Much is already possible in terms of plant technology, but there is still room for further optimization. There are many efforts in the market to better organize and structure collection processes. Processors are often aware of the importance of recycling, but implementation also depends on the customers, some of whom still specify virgin material.

 

What can you do in this situation?

 

Jacoby: It is important to raise awareness that a recycled product can fulfil the same requirements as one made from virgin material if it is of the same quality. The quality of the recycled material is crucial. One way of guaranteeing this quality would be to have uniform standards for recyclates. Processors would then always know exactly what material they order and receive. This would increase the acceptance of recyclate, and products made from recyclate, and this would also increase their use.

 

Is the plastics industry still struggling with its image?

 

Jacoby: It is impossible to imagine our modern world without plastic. The question is how to deal with plastics that are recyclable, and to what extent they should be recycled. There are many good approaches in the actual process, but also in higher-level processes. For example, we can already produce an rEPS from an EPS and process it in the same process. One major challenge is collecting the material so that it can be used again in the same processing method.

 

What role does chemical recycling play?

 

Jacoby: All available possibilities of the circular economy are required in order to close all loops and produce high-quality raw materials. This also includes chemical recycling for those fractions that are not suitable for lower-threshold recycling, for example mechanical recycling. This allows the original raw materials to be recovered. In principle, the original monomer is turned back into PS and EPS. However, chemical recycling is a very complex process with correspondingly high costs.

 


全文内容需要订阅后才能阅读哦~
立即订阅
Maguire Bannner Ad (EN) Sino-Pack 2026 home page banner
ZHEJIANG JUNHENG MACHINERY MANUFACTURING CO., LTD VICTREX PLC Shini button ad EN

Recommended Articles

Recycling
WEIMA shredding technology turns 3D printing waste into new printing material
 2026-02-26
Recycling
POSSIBLE project for mechanically recycling rigid PU and GFRP composites
 2026-02-16
Recycling
Borealis and partners to build first fully integrated waste management ecosystem in Indonesia
 2026-02-13
Recycling
EREMA and Lindner Washtech establish subsidiary in India
 2026-02-10
Recycling
True circularity of PET packaging: Sorting food-grade PET or not with Sesotec smart sorting systems
 2026-02-05
Recycling
BoReTech opens subsidiary to tap into Indian recycling market
 2026-02-04
信百勒 英文横幅 AdsaleCPRJ.com A1 420x90 EN
北京化学工业 Ningbo Tan Star Precision Machinery Co.,LTD ISO 8573-1 Class 0 oil-free air compressor manufacturer
  • Must See
    • News
    Images
    Watch it
1
Volkswagen to invest EUR 90M in Zwickau vehicle plant for circular economy
2
CRRA and Adsale ink agreement on flagship recycling expo come 2026
3
Brückner Servtec to bring local and upgraded solutions at CHINAPLAS 2026
4
See latest innovations in plastics and fiber recycling technologies at RePlast Eurasia 2026
5
New intuitive web-based tool makes your catalyst design easier
1
Discover Weihai Lianqiao New Materials — Innovating for a Sustainable Future
2
PE PP Rigid Plastic Pelletizing Line
3
SKR Series Single Shaft Shredder
4
FCS Group | Outward Toggle Injection Molding Machine
5
Langfang Zhongfeng Mechanical Technology Co., Ltd., the leading pioneer of manufacturing high speed film blowing machine and bag making machines in China
  • Hot Specials

You May Be Interested In

Change
  • People
  • Company
loading... No Content
{{[item.truename,item.truename_english][lang]}} {{[item.company_name,item.company_name_english][lang]}} {{[item.job_name,item.name_english][lang]}}
{{[item.company_name,item.company_name_english][lang]}} Company Name    {{[item.display_name,item.display_name_english][lang]}}  

Polyurethane Investment Medical Carbon neutral Reduce cost and increase efficiency CHINAPLAS Financial reports rPET INEOS Styrolution Evonik Borouge Polystyrene (PS) mono-material Sustainability Circular economy BASF SABIC Multi-component injection molding machine All-electric injection molding machine Thermoforming machine

Erlenbach: The quality of the recyclate is crucial

识别右侧二维码，进入阅读全文
下载
x 关闭
订阅
亲爱的用户，请填写一下信息
I have read and agree to the 《Terms of Use》 and 《Privacy Policy》
立即订阅
Top
Feedback
Chat
News
Market News
Applications
Products
Video
In Pictures
Specials
Activities
eBook
Front Line
Plastics Applications
Chemicals and Raw Material
Processing Technologies
Products
Injection
Extrusion
Auxiliary
Blow Molding
Mold
Hot Runner
Screw
Applications
Packaging
Automotive
Medical
Recycling
E&E
LED
Construction
Others
Events
Conference
Webinar
CHINAPLAS
CPS+ eMarketplace
Official Publications
CPS eNews
Media Kit
Social Media
Facebook
Linkedin
Adsale Group ｜  About Us ｜  Terms of Use ｜  Privacy Policy ｜  Contact Us ｜  Media Kit ｜  Consent Letter for Processing Personal Data ｜