- HSM
- PET Solutions
- Sustainability through PET Recycling
- PET recycling options
Our consumption habits require new solutions
Worldwide, 500 billion PET bottles are produced annually. The production of 1 kg of PET bottles requires the use of 1.9 kg of crude oil. In view of this figure, the return of used PET bottles is more necessary than ever. More than 90% of all PET bottles produced are single-use bottles. Since PET can be 100% recycled, it represents an important element in the recycling cycle for the production of, for example, fibers for textile manufacturing, films, packaging straps, and even furniture.
Polyethylene terephthalate beverage bottles, or PET for short, are now indispensable in retail. This calls for new disposal solutions, as society and politics also demand complete raw material recovery of beverage bottles.
Benefit from the value chain – with HSM
HSM has been facing this challenge for many years and, with its extensive know-how from the environmental sector, develops customized solutions for all aspects of PET disposal. With our long-standing experience as a pioneer in PET compaction and with HSM quality “Made in Germany”, we are your partner for economical PET recycling.
Our comprehensive product portfolio includes:
- HSM machines for PET emptying
- HSM PET perforators
- HSM PET crusher-press combinations
- HSM baling presses specially designed for PET material
One possible PET disposal solution is emptying. With special machines, full PET bottles, beverage cartons, and cans that were incorrectly filled or labeled, or whose best-before date has expired, are emptied quickly and reliably. The emptied containers are then compacted and can be processed into a space-saving bale using a baling press.
Another PET disposal solution is perforating. In this process, full or empty PET bottles, with or without caps, are perforated before being pressed. The holes allow any remaining air to escape, ensuring an optimal pressing result. This saves both transport and storage costs.
Perforating = Perforating (filled) PET bottles before subsequent pressing.
In PET disposal through crushing, the emptied containers are perforated and compressed. This is done by a special roller system. This way, the side walls interlock with each other, and the volume reduction is fully maintained. An additional advantage of crushing is the reliable invalidation of PET deposit bottles and cans.
With this PET disposal solution, the space required for returned empties is reduced to about 25 to 30% of the original volume, and thus the time required for disposal is also minimized.
When the bottles are flaked during PET disposal, they are shredded into small PET particles (approx. 10 mm wide and 30–50 mm long). They then undergo a dry and a wet cleaning process. Through intensive cleaning, the flakes are freed from dirt and impurities. Afterwards, the flakes are separated according to color. These flakes can now be melted down in pure form and reused.
Flakes = PET particles with a size of approx. 10 mm wide x 30–50 mm long.
Another option for PET disposal is pure compacting. With this solution, the opened or perforated PET bottles are pressed into a compact raw material bale. This can reduce the volume by up to 95%, which lowers both storage and transport costs. Perforated or crushed PET bottles can be compacted into significantly denser bales than untreated PET bottles.
In the PET disposal solution “Crushing and Compacting,” the emptied containers are first crushed. This reduces the volume of empty PET bottles by up to 90%. In the subsequent compaction process, the crushed PET bottles are compressed into compact raw material bales.
If PET bottles have been flaked in the first step, the flakes can be transported in big bags.
Earn money with pure-grade bales
By using an HSM baling press, not only can the volume of waste be significantly reduced. The production of pure-grade bales creates a valuable raw material that can be reintroduced into the recycling cycle. Since pure PET is considered a valuable raw material in the recycling process, companies can generate additional revenue by selling these pure-grade bales.
