PolyCycle Innovation develops recycled plastic resin for food and beverage closures

PolyCycle Innovation LLC, a manufacturer of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) postconsumer resin (PCR) based in Crawfordsville, Indiana, has developed a resin called PolyCycle. Using its proprietary technology, recycled plastics are sourced from the company’s partners in North American recycling organizations and processed into a resin that can be used in food and beverage closures.

Through its partnership with Indianapolis-based Closure Systems International Inc. (CSI), caps and closures made with up to 100 percent PolyCycle are circulating in the market and are available in many different products.

“The development of this unique resin has created opportunities for us to provide a closed loop sustainable solution to support our customers’ stated ESG [environmental, social and governance] goals,” CSI President and CEO Floyd Needham says. “The performance characteristics and flexibility of the material allow us to provide our customers with a customizable product that supports their brands. As a result, we have commercialized the world’s first carbonated soft drink closure utilizing PCR resin, all thanks to PolyCycle.”

According to PolyCycle Innovation, it uses a process to eliminate residual contaminants from PCR materials to provide closure-to-closure PCR that meets or exceeds organoleptic performance of virgin resins, reducing the reliance on virgin materials.

“PolyCycle Innovation has created an FDA-approved manufacturing process with sustainability in mind," says Brad Bennett, vice president and chief technology officer of PolyCycle Innovation. "Closures incorporating PolyCycle are 100 percent recyclable at all standard recycling centers, helping to divert solid waste from landfills and contributing to a truly circular economy for caps and closures. We are excited about the current opportunities and future development of this product.”

PolyCycle Innovation claims its closures can enable companies and brands to achieve their sustainability goals by reducing energy consumption by 79 percent during the resin manufacturing process and producing 67 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than conventional HDPE. Because of what the company considers improvements over traditional virgin plastic closures, PolyCycle closures support sustainability and environmental goals. The resin will enable CSI customers to comply with packaging requirements legislation, such as California’s SB 54, and extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements.

PolyCycle Innovation also recently announced its PCR received a third-party certification after an audit conducted by Royersford, Pennsylvania-based GreenCircle Certified LLC. The certification confirms the resin contains 100 percent postconsumer recycled content. PolyCycle Innovation says its resin allows CSI to be included on GreenCircle’s “Brands You Can Trust” list as a result of the certification.

“With global scrutiny on packaging innovation and sustainability claims, credibility is critical at CSI,” CSI Vice President of Business Development and Sustainability Richard Burt says. “Understanding that our products help brands build equity with their stakeholders and certified products deliver added value, CSI looked to GreenCircle to provide the ultimate stamp of approval.

“GreenCircle’s robust auditing process and certification program supports our business need to provide the assurance required to source 100 percent PCR and close the loop for a truly circular economy for caps and closures,” he continues. “We greatly value their thorough process.”

PolyCycle Innovation says closures can be made with up to 100 percent of its PCR depending on the packaging type constraints. CIS has tested PCR closures incorporating between 30 percent and 100 percent PolyCycle resin to determine that high levels of PCR content do not impact manufacturing, quality or performance. The company says, compared to virgin resin, PolyCycle resin meets or exceeds all closure performance requirements, including taste and odor, environmental stress crack resistance (ESR), dimensional stability and CO₂ retention.

The closures are available in both PE and PP materials and can meet brand requirements for color matching. The closures are available in market segments including still and sparkling water, carbonated soft drinks, noncarbonated beverages, liquid dairy markets, food, personal care and pharmaceutical applications.