Multilayer PET packages to become resins for coatings and the building sector

PET is an easily-recyclable material widely used when packing food and drinks. In order to improve the preservation of them and also their aspect, colorants and layers from other materials have been used many times, what makes more difficult their treatment for recycling. To avoid this products to end their life cycle in landfills, AIMPLAS coordinates a project where it also participates the company Barpimo from La Rioja (Spain) what will allow these packages to become products with high added value, such as enamels, resins and materials for the building sector.

The project RESIPET is co-funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the FEDER funds within the National Programme for Research aimed at the Challenges of Society. By means of the research tasks carried out by Barpimo and AIMPLAS it is aimed to develop a new process economically profitable that allow transforming these wastes in thermosetting resins at an industrial level, at a competitive cost and with a low environmental impact.

It is expected to obtain two types of different products. On the one hand, alkyd resins to manufacture enamels and coatings for materials such as metal and wood; on the other hand, polyester resins that can be used in such exigent sectors such as building or transport sectors as pipes or reinforced composites with glass fibre.