What is PCR Plastic & Pros and Cons of PCR Packaging

Packaging has always been a vital factor to consider in the cosmetics industry. For a long time now, PCR recycled plastic has been the pick of many cosmetic companies, due to its high level of applications. 

For more information, please visit EcoPlas.

In this article, we&#;ll look into the pros and cons, and modes of application of PCR plastic. We&#;ll also clue you in on places you can find PCR packaging. Read on. 

What is PCR Plastic

PCR plastic is the latest packaging innovation that is now widely used across many industries, including the cosmetic industry. Not surprisingly, PCR plastic manufacture involves a meticulous process which we&#;ll cover below. 

Definition of PCR Plastic (Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic)

PCR&#;which is short for post-consumer resin&#; is an environmentally friendly material made from recycled plastics. These recycled plastics are mostly PET AND HDPE plastic products. 

Composition and Fabrication Process of PCR Plastic

Although the composition and fabrication process of PCR plastic is meticulous, it isn&#;t complicated. After consumers have used plastics and disposed of them, PCR recycling plants pick out these plastics and sort these bottles according to their plastic type. 

As mentioned earlier, the most common plastics are PET and HDPE. When these plastics are categorized, they are typically broken down into resin pellets. The PCR recycling plants then reheat these pellets and remold them into a new product. 

PCR plastic could be added in percentages to virgin plastic, or it could be used to fully make a new plastic product. However, it is important to note that the higher the PCR percentage, the less transparent it will be. In fact, many companies refrain from using 100% PCR to manufacture their packaging products in order to maintain the virgin resin look. 

Common Applications of PCR Plastics

PCR plastics are used to create packaging materials and consumer products, and are frequently used in the building and construction industry. Let&#;s take a look at these modes of application.

Packaging Materials

Many packaging companies are choosing to incorporate a particular percentage of PCR into their virgin plastic products. An example of this is the recycled cosmetic bottle produced by Cosmopacks. These sturdy PCR plastic bottles are just as durable and have as much quality as virgin plastic bottles.

That said, you can use PCR plastic to make bottles, containers, and jars. films, and trays. By using this material, the production of new plastic products will be significantly reduced.

Consumer Products

Asides from PCR plastic bottles, this environmentally-friendly material can be used to create various consumer products. Some of these products include cleaning products, office supplies such as pens, and electronics such as the casing for wires. 

Additionally, PCR cosmetic packaging and toiletry companies have now found ways to incorporate this material into several products and packaging options. PCR can even be used for manufacturing particular types of clothing!

Building and Construction

Due to the requirements of the building and construction industry, much plastic is needed on a daily basis. Flooring, drainage, roofing, and decking processes all involve the use of various types of plastics.

Currently, you can find PCR plastics being used to make pipes for drainage. They are also used for plastic roofing tiles and insulating materials in the construction of buildings.

What Are the Pros of PCR Packaging

PCR packaging undoubtedly has lots of advantages, both to companies and the environment. Some of these include environmental sustainability, conservation of resources, regulatory compliance with the involved bodies, cost efficiency, and the development of a positive brand image. Here are these advantages in better detail. 

Environmental Sustainability

Presently, over 3.2 billion people are affected by land pollution, and the abundance of plastic products is a significant factor contributing to that. Polluted lands often lose their agricultural value, and, in extreme cases, become uninhabitable.

Fortunately, the PCR material helps to preserve the environment&#;s health and reduce the amount of waste being dumped at landfills. Engaging in constant PCR recycling, it&#;ll help our planet to maintain an ecological balance and protect the well-being of generations to come. 

Conservation of Resources

Rather than using new plastic material each time you want to make a product, PCR material offers you the ability to conserve a lot of resources. These resources can be put to use elsewhere and will aid the conservation of resources for generations to come. 

Positive Brand Image

Nowadays, consumers frown upon and shun products that contain a high amount of virgin plastic. Environmentally conscious consumers now look for the nose eco-friendly products on the market. By using PCR cosmetic packaging, your brand and products will appeal to these audiences, and position you as a brand who cares about the well-being of the planet. 

Cosmopacks have several products that are extremely eco-friendly, and some of these include PCR plastic bottles, jars, and tubes, ready for any brand&#;s use and customization.

Regulatory Compliance

Due to the high level of land pollution on the planet, several regulatory bodies have put policies in place to prevent the continued production of abundant plastic waste. 

Luckily, using PCR plastic products from packaging companies like Cosmopacks ensures you stay well within compliance with these policies. Using this material keeps you on the right side of the law and prevents you from attracting unnecessary penalties and fines. 

Cost Efficiency

Lastly, using PCR, rather than virgin plastic, helps you save lots of money on production and packaging. This saved-up money can be redirected towards other parts of the business, fostering faster growth and development.

When manufactured expertly, this PCR recycled plastic material is often as durable and sturdy as its virgin plastic counterpart. 

What Are the Cons of PCR Packaging

Although there are lots of benefits to using PCR, there are a few drawbacks. These are its limited supply and quality inconsistencies. Let&#;s look at these.

Limited Supply

As helpful as this material is, it can only be created with the presence of PCR-recycled plastic. If you&#;re a large company with lots of orders to fulfill daily, this material might not be sufficient. It&#;s much more common to find virgin plastics than PCR plastics.

However, if you&#;re a small business focused on eco-friendliness, limited supply shouldn&#;t be a problem. 

Quality and Performance Limitations

As mentioned earlier, PCR plastics don&#;t exhibit the same physical appearance of purity that virgin plastics do. During the formulation process, there&#;s no telling what color it&#;ll come out in, or how clear the material will be. 

Additionally, its physical properties often vary after manufacture; some might come out sturdy, while others may come out defective. Ultimately, it affects its aesthetics and functionality. Many larger companies choose to stick with virgin plastic materials because of this.

A good cosmetic packaging manufacturing company like Cosmopacks employs standardized production techniques in producing cosmetic packaging. From material selection to the design and final production, our quality control team inspects the products to assure that the best quality products are delivered.

Get High-Quality PCR Cosmetic Packaging from Cosmopacks 

Cosmopacks has some of the best PCR packagings for cosmetics. Besides, all our products comply with the standard safety requirements and regulations.

Comply with Safety Standards and Regulations

All PCR cosmetic packaging manufactured by Cosmopacks is done in compliance with the necessary safety regulation, and done to the required standard. You can be sure our cosmetics packaging will have no negative effect on the cosmetics, or on its users.

Source: Cosmpocaks

Various Options for Packaging Customization

Cosmopacks PCR cosmetic packaging can be easily customized to suit different brand requirements. We have transparent and clear options that give cosmetic manufacturers a blank canvas to display their creativity and customize the packaging to taste.

Conclusion

Using PCR plastics has more advantages than disadvantages in cosmetic packaging. Recycling plastic will now only produce a useful product from used plastic, but will save the ecosystem from the imminent danger plastic disposal poses to the environment. 

Cosmopacks offers highly-customizable PCR cosmetic packaging products that are affordable. Using advanced technology, our PCR packaging will give an elegant appeal to your cosmetic product. 

Get in touch with us if you want to get packaging that works for both you and your customers!

PCR is short for post-consumer recycled. PCR products are made from recycled plastic from discarded materials from households, commercial, industrial and institutional facilities. Post-consumer waste is the world&#;s largest waste stream. Therefore we are constantly looking for ways to reduce the size of this stream. In order to make PCR plastics, waste is converted into raw materials. This makes it a very eco-friendly solution. In the following article we answer frequently asked questions about this material.

How is PCR plastic made?

The production of PCR plastics starts with the collection of post-consumer waste. Through specialised sorting (manual or otherwise), thorough cleaning and reheating and grinding, the PCR granule is produced. This granulate is then used to make new products.

What is the difference regarding other recycling streams?

Another recycling stream is PIR: Post Industrial Recycle of Regrind. This uses post-industrial waste. This is waste generated in the production process of products. This can be material that ended up on the factory floor or material with a production error. Many companies already recycle their own stream of post-industrial waste, making this material unavailable to the free market.

Post-consumer waste, on the other hand, originates at the end user. Examples include paper waste, green waste and plastic packaging that the consumer throws away. This is not yet recycled on a large scale because the loop is larger, which increases the uncertainty in terms of purity and uniformity of the material. As it is the largest waste stream, it is precisely here that most environmental gains can be made.

What is the advantage of PCR plastic over virgin plastic?

Reuse of plastic that has already been made is not only a cost-effective process, but also a waste reduction process. In addition, processing the used plastic requires less water, less fossil fuels and less energy. The use of PCR also has indirect benefits. All the benefits are listed below:

Want more information on pcr plastic pros and cons? Feel free to contact us.

• Less use of fossil resources
• Reduction of CO2 emissions up to 85%
• Less water consumption
• Less energy consumption
• Reduction of the amount of waste
• Can be recycled after use
• It shows consumers that brand owners are concerned about the impact of their plastic packaging on the environment
• Helps to create a circular economy

What are the disadvantages of PCR?

Of course, the material also has disadvantages. For example, PCR plastic may not (yet) be used in the food industry, due to the strict regulations surrounding food safety. Because the course of the material is large, the uncertainty in terms of purity and uniformity of the material increases. As a result, it may also be unclear, for example, whether the material contains harmful substances.

It is also not yet possible to obtain UN approval. This is because practice is still ahead of the legislation. In order to obtain a UN approval, raw material suppliers must be able to give a certain guarantee, which is then laid down in the legislation. Applications for this have already been submitted in Brussels by major parties such as Suez. See question 4.a for more information on UN approval.

Furthermore, some colours of PCR plastic are difficult to make because the material is not completely transparent. Particularly light, transparent and pastel colours are difficult. Colours from the middle range are always possible. If the waste is very well separated manually, even transparent and light colours are possible.

What is a UN approval?

A packaging that has a UN approval means that the packaging has been tested and certified under the supervision of national authorities. The UN approval consists of a number of tests, including air pressure, drop and stacking tests. The approval is based on a specific packaging composition, which includes the closure, type of tape and the absorption material used. Approved packaging is given a UN mark which indicates the type of packaging, packaging group, maximum weight or air pressure, liquid or solid marking, year of production and registration number. The UN marking must always be clearly visible and in a certain size on the packaging at all times.

Which PCR plastic products do we offer?

We already produce clear shrink films with 50% PCR with a thickness of 35my, potting soil films with even 80% PCR from REKS and transparent and translucent collection bags of up to 99% PCR.

Both are made from recycled LDPE/HDPE, only with PCR it is a given that it comes from post-consumer waste. In contrast to rLDPE/rHDPE, where it may also be made from post-industrial waste, for example. Post-industrial waste is already recycled by many companies. This is not always the case for post-consumer waste.

These are just examples of the possibilities with our PCR material. For each situation and application we can, in consultation with the client, look at the opportunities that exist in terms of applicability.

Where does our PCR come from?

The waste streams that are processed into new material come from all over Europe. Current capacity is 10,000 tonnes per year with the aim of doubling this by the end of . Whereas previously these waste flows were shipped in huge quantities from Europe to Asia, or were processed to lower quality (less homogeneous) regranulate within Europe, our REKS recycling plant now offers an answer to the increased export problems and the increasing need for high-quality plastic packaging with recycled content with this capacity. The plant meets all the high European requirements for, for example, water management, energy management, occupational health and safety requirements, REACH and the processing of residual waste. This assures you of a high quality film produced in a safe and responsible manner using certified PCR material.

Learn more about REKS here.

Watch the company clip of REKS below!

Curious about the possibilities of using PCR in your film?

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For more information, please visit Post-Consumer Plastic Reuse.