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A fully recyclable product. DuFor gives certainty.

At DuFor, we are constantly improving. Behind the scenes, we work continuously on optimizing polyesters and its applications. This way, we keep working on a responsible future, while serving more and more markets. Sustainability and making a positive contribution to the future are important to us. That’s also why we closely monitor changes in the market. This includes the European Commission's action plan for the circular economy which contains targets for plastic packaging.

And for example, from 2025 onwards all PET bottles must contain at least 25% recycled content and in 2030 this will be 30%.

We are all set for it, you can read here

Niels Hoffard, technical director at DuFor, says he is already fully engaged to increase the use of recycled materials. Regardless of the exact legislative requirements to use recycled content, and although we still have some way to go, we at DuFor are already ready to deliver materials which enable customers to use recycled materials in their existing products. And we will of course continue to innovate.

Monomaterial

"In order to meet the requirements of upcoming law changes, we will have to make more use of mono-material. This means that, wherever possible, we have to use packaging made of one type of material. Nowadays many forms of packaging consists of several polymer layers. To enable recycling we must replace these for one polymer type, such as polyester, which can be easily recyclable as a whole."

About the future

Starting this transition involves a lot, Niels knows from experience. "With packaging for fresh meat and other perishable goods, you have to look closely at the shelf life of the products. Think about the sealing of cover films on menu trays or seals between two films. To solve this, we have developed different sealing materials. You can recycle these alongside standard PET material without significantly altering the properties.

We make raw materials for products that can be used in microwaves, ovens and other high-temperature applications. Think of the reusable plastic dinnerware for healthcare, aircraft, catering or canteens, ready meals and frozen meals. Even more importantly, not only are we working on recyclability, but also on improving performance to allow reuse of finished articles.

For example, we have developed materials that can sustain multiple cycles in microwaves and dishwashers. If the articles do become damaged after reuse, they can be completely recycled and serve again as raw material for the same application."

Customization

It’s clear that DuFor has the right solution for every situation. But, as Niels points out, there is a lot of customization involved. "Together with our clients, we look at the possibilities to keep the impact on the environment as low as possible. We still keep a close eye on the product properties, because ultimately you want to supply material that fits its application perfectly. By leaving nothing to chance and thinking along with the customer throughout the process, we are able to provide complete support to our customers."