Cap and Closure Scrap: Polymer Recovery Achieved

Problem / Opportunity:

One of the world’s leading manufacturers of PP caps and closures was generating scrap at their manufacturing facilities. This material was generated as whole closures (i.e. caps) or could be ground for destruction and freight savings purposes at their facility. In both cases the material was not suitable for use in the manufacturing of new caps and closures because of the paper/foil cap liners.

Impact on Customer:

During manufacturing, most cap and closure companies generate start up scrap, color change-overs, and just bad parts. Selling this material off for pennies or land filling the scrap has been their only solution in the past. As a result of the inability to use this material, new prime materials were required to be purchased to replace this scrap. To be able to recapture this material could mean a huge savings and help them also meet environmental objectives.

Solution for Customer:

We cleaned up the PP and extruded pellets that are suitable for reintroduction into the molding process. A discussion was had about how the color would be somewhat unpredictable and dependent upon what made up the inbound material. When desired, we can also enhance the material and take it to a total black, or even get a white material (not shown). This customer elected to take some material back and use it without changing the color and also take some back in the black form.

Benefit:

The customer is now able to use the material that was not taken black by supplementing it with a colorant to close-loop the polypropylene back into new caps and closures. The black material is used directly back into black closures. The net effect is a significant cost savings by no longer paying the cost of land fill and it allows a substantial reduction in their prime resin expenditures. Moreover, this increased the use of recycled content through a partnership created with Butler-MacDonald.

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