Abstract

A Flexible and Economical Recycling Process for
Food Contact Applications

by Girish M. Bhatt, Ph.D.
Bepex International LLC
Minneapolis, MN

Bepex has received a letter of no objection from the US Food & Drug Administration to process ground and washed post-consumer polyester packaging (RPET) flakes for food contact applications.  In the patent pending Bepex process, the RPET flakes are efficiently decontaminated and polymerized in the solid state. The hot processed flakes can be pelletized or directly extruded into the bottles, sheets or films thereby eliminating several energy, capital and labor intensive steps resulting in a cost-effective simplified process. Volatile contaminants in the polymer are removed by diffusion into the gas phase thereby purifying the polymer under a nitrogen blanket at atmospheric pressure. The presence of small amounts of selected vapors in the gas enhances diffusion of the volatile components providing efficient decontamination without excessive molecular weight build-up.

• Product IV is controllable — without loss of throughput.  Adjust up, down or maintain.              
• System provides flake-to-flake decontamination for bottle-to-bottle, other food-contact products, and industrial applications.         
• Lower installed costs — Lower labor costs.