HORN switches to recycled materials
HORN is gradually switching its packaging to recycled materials with immediate effect. The change from black to grey packaging is visually noticeable. The yellow labels are also largely made from recycled materials.
Plastic packaging is an indispensable part of our modern society. It protects products, extends their shelf life and enables efficient logistics. However, plastic packaging is also the subject of controversial discussions regarding its environmental impact and sustainability. Recycled material plays an important role in reducing the consumption of new raw materials and minimising the environmental impact of plastic packaging. The reused plastic waste is from various sources, including used plastic packaging and industrial waste. Keyword: recycling.
There are various recycling methods, such as mechanical recycling, chemical recycling and energy recovery. Mechanical recycling is the most common, but has its limitations in terms of the number of recycling cycles. It is not easy to say how often plastic can be recycled. It can be assumed that most plastics can generally be recycled several times through mechanical recycling.
Most of the materials currently pass through the cycle once. The mixing of input materials from different sources ensures that the material quality of the end product is high. Quality control ensures that the recycled material meets the requirements. However, this development has not yet reached the same level as, for example, with PET (water bottles). For HDPE and PP, this is only possible to a limited extent, as most of the material currently entering the cycle is still virgin material. It will take some time before 100 percent of the material is permanently recycled.
The dark grey recycled packaging that HORN purchases is processed by mechanical recycling and then compounded. This means that the shredded recycled material is melted down and processed with additives so that the material properties always remain the same. These additives help to stabilise and optimise the physical and chemical properties of the recycled material. This is important in order to keep the manufacturing processes stable. Through targeted measures and the right selection of additives, the performance of the recycled plastic can be stabilised and, if necessary, significantly improved.
If the quality of the plastic can no longer be reproduced, it is further processed for less demanding applications or, as a last resort, sent for energy recovery to generate energy.
Ultimately, the goal is to maximise the recyclability of plastics while minimising the use of new plastic in order to reduce the environmental impact.
Arguments in favour of plastic packaging made from recycled plastic
1. Environmental protection: The use of recycled plastic reduces the need for new plastic, which lowers the consumption of fossil raw materials (oil, gas, etc.) and reduces CO₂ emissions.
2. Resource conservation: Recycled materials help conserve natural resources by minimising the need for new raw materials.
3. Waste reduction: The use of recycled plastic produces less waste, as the raw material is kept in the cycle, thereby reducing energy recovery and landfill (abroad).
4. Energy savings: Manufacturing products from recycled plastic often requires less energy than producing new plastic, which leads to a lower environmental impact.
5. Circular economy: The use of recycled plastic promotes the concept of a circular economy, in which materials are continuously reused and recycled instead of ending up in a linear system.
6. Regulatory requirements: Many regions have increasingly stringent regulations and incentives for the use of recycled materials, encouraging companies to adopt more sustainable practices.
7. Innovation: The development and use of recycled plastic promotes innovation in the packaging industry, which can lead to new, sustainable solutions.
8. Consumer acceptance: Due to upcoming regulatory requirements, more and more companies are striving to reduce their carbon footprint, which supports the use of recycled plastics.
