Working together for a closed loop in the food industry

Jokey and REMONDIS agree to work together to set up a closed-loop system for the food industry

14-May-2024

Symbol image

computer generated picture

Jokey and REMONDIS agree to work together to set up a closed-loop system for the food industry. The aim of the joint research project is to develop practical processes and scale them up for the industry. The aim is to produce packaging products from recycled polypropylene (rPP) with approvals from European and US authorities.

Since 2022, the Jokey Group has been pursuing its own research project under scientific supervision. The project is exploring the possibilities of recovering and reusing recycled polypropylene (rPP) from rigid food-grade packaging. Jokey has a long tradition of using recycled containers and working together with REMONDIS: Jokey produced its first recycled bucket in cooperation with REMONDIS (RE Plano) back in 1991.

REMONDIS has been committed to recycling PP and PE for more than 60 years. The company has continuously improved its sorting and processing processes so that the recyclates are now also used to manufacture very sophisticated products. If the recyclates come from high-quality packaging applications, the aim is to offer them to packaging manufacturers for the same purposes. Proper collection is an important step here. REMONDIS is not only involved in take-back systems but also has an extensive network of locations and a wide-ranging fleet of vehicles.

Thanks to the cooperation between Jokey and REMONDIS, the closed-loop system for food packaging is now to be continuously expanded. REMONDIS coordinates the collection, return and sorting of food packaging from commercial end consumers. A mechanical recycling process is then used to recover recyclates which, in turn, are used by Jokey to produce new packaging. "In order to be able to produce new food packaging from these recyclates in the future, we have to ensure a closed material cycle that consists exclusively of food packaging," explained Jens Stadter, CEO of the Jokey Group. "With REMONDIS, we have gained a cooperation partner that has outstanding expertise in the recycling industry, the highest quality standards, comprehensive infrastructures and complete service chains," continued Stadter.

Ralf Mandelatz, managing director of REMONDIS Recycling, added: "We are delighted that Jokey wants to work with REMONDIS to further develop mechanical recycling technology for contact-sensitive packaging. REMONDIS will be contributing the knowledge it has gained from other projects that aim to use technical progress in the interests of a circular economy to close material cycles with as few emissions as possible."

The legal requirements for food contact products are very high in terms of the health and safety of end consumers. Jokey's research project also provided a positive answer to the question of feasibility. These scientific results will be incorporated into the new joint pilot project between REMONDIS and Jokey. The challenge is to produce recycled polyolefin plastics that meet the requirements of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Ultimately, the aim of the research project is to achieve professional scaling of the closed loop of food packaging as well as long-term approval of the recyclates by EFSA and the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). REMONDIS and Jokey's pioneering collection system is of great interest to the food industry as food packaging can be produced in an even more resource-friendly and sustainable way thanks to the closed loop system.

Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.

https://www.yumda.com/en/news/1183439/working-together-for-a-closed-loop-in-the-food-industry.html