Timber iQ October - November 2018 // Issue: 40 | Page 12

NEWS

Greener , safer packaging with new PET strapping

Eco-friendly African PET recycler Extrupet has launched a new stateof-the-art polyethylene terephthalate ( PET ) strapping line in Cape Town .
By Candace Sofianos King | Photos by Extrupet

With rising environmental and energy concerns coupled with hefty import costs and the advent of carbon tax , the need for eco- and economically-friendly answers is critical .

In an effort to clean up South Africa , curb waste , and create sustainable solutions for industries , South African based PET recycler Extrupet has established an ever-growing cycle that meaningfully contributes to solving the problem of post-consumer PET waste in the environment .
Recycling in excess of three million bottles a day , Extrupet specialises in reclaiming and converting waste PET bottles into various grades of PET chips and flakes . This is then converted into fibre , thermoforming , food-grade ( PhoenixPET ) and strapping grade material to produce high quality and reliable end-products for use in packaging and other applications .
“ 80 % of the plastic polluting the world ’ s oceans today comes from waste found on land . Every year , an additional eight million tons of plastic leaks into the ocean and continues to grow . Landfills are clearly no longer the answer ,” says Chandru Wadhwani , joint managing director of Extrupet .
He adds , “ With strapping widely used in the wood sector , we aim to provide a highly specialised and versatile strapping to the local timber market . In achieving this , we embarked on seeking research used in the best strapping manufacturing lines in the world . We have based our strapping on international standards and high-end technology .”
Eco- and economically-friendly , this new PET strapping is highly resistant and boasts quality technological characteristics . PET boasts a long life and resistance to UV lights and is waterproof . Manufactured from polyester material , PET strapping has a higher tensile strength than polyprop strapping .
Made with leading European technology manufactured by a SIMA production line made in Italy , the strapping boasts full traceability and is manufactured in line with the Global Circular Economy drive – a concept characterised by regenerative design , with the aim to retain as much value as possible of products , parts and materials .
A standard roll of PRO-10 STRAP is made from about 1 000 recycled bottles . The fully recyclable
PET recycler Extrupet has welcomed its new high-end PET strapping production line to the African continent .
PRO-10 STRAP offers highly specialised and versatile strapping to the timber market .
product is designed to secure unstable loads during transport which results in less damages and improved safety of rolling stock .
Plans are to provide for collection and recycling of postconsumer PRO-10 STRAP so as to be compliant with government ’ s Section 28 gazetted notice for the paper and packaging industry .
For more information , visit : www . pro10strap . co . za .
10 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2018 //