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Interview: “Consistently increasing rPET adoption rates”
The use of recycled PET (rPET) in powder coatings is attracting increasing attention. Eric Dumain, Global Market Director Coating Resins, at Arkema, discusses the potential of rPET-based powder coatings, the technical challenges of post-consumer recycling streams and the role of resins.
What do you see as the biggest potential of rPET powder coatings?
Eric Dumain: Through the reuse of PET plastic waste, post-consumer recycled PET (rPET)-based powder coatings can help companies across the coatings value chain better achieve their sustainability goals and reduce their carbon footprint.
Arkema’s technology integrates up to 40% rPET (from post-consumer supply streams) into powder coating resins, reducing the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) by up to 20%. This represents a significant improvement that can help companies meet circular economy goals.
What are the fundamental technical differences between pre-consumer and post-consumer rPET streams when formulating powder coatings?
Dumain: When we discuss the use of rPET in powder coatings, it is very important to differentiate between pre and post-consumer material streams.Pre-consumer rPET refers to extraneous resin from blow-molding or other plastic processing facilities, that cannot be used in its intended primary application.
Post-consumer rPET, like that used in the processes at Arkema, is resin, usually from landfills or other commercial recycling processes, that can no longer be mechanically recycled back into its primary application (eg, plastic packaging, bottles, etc). As a result, post-consumer rPET directly contributes to a circular economy, helping reduce total CO2 emissions and drawing directly from materials that would otherwise end up as waste.
When comparing rPET powder coatings to established resin systems, where do you see the performance gaps?
Dumain: This is an interesting question and requires an understanding of the primary challenges associated with recycling PET plastics. rPET-based raw material streams will come with variable quality. Because we use a chemical recycling process in our facilities, and break down the plastic to its monomer, we can manage these variations in quality.
Still, this is a small challenge when compared to historical innovations in powder coating production. Both resin producers and formulators develop across a wide range of parameters every day. So, while it will likely always remain a challenge, companies are implementing unique supply chain and in-house solutions to make using post-consumer rPET easier.
Which application areas are most promising for rPET adoption?
Dumain: rPET-based powder coatings can be used in virtually every application where more traditional products are used, but where we see the greatest potential are in those industries where there is already a heavy focus on circularity and recycling.
As an example, manufacturers of metal office furniture and appliances already specify, and – in some cases – require the use of some recycled content in their finished goods. Likewise, automotive manufacturers are seeing increased pressure to incorporate more circular materials. rPET-based powder coatings help them more easily meet those goals.
Colour matching and consistency have been challenges with recycled materials. How are formulators addressing colour stability and batch-to-batch variation in rPET powder systems?
Dumain: rPET-based raw material streams can cause inconsistencies in colour. While many bottlers, especially in Europe, are moving away from tinted plastics to ease recyclability, the issue will likely always exist. As a resin producer, we are working directly with industrial partners and looking for new ways to minimise colour variability in our input streams, while also implementing targeted quality controls in our own processes.
Looking at regulatory developments globally, how are emerging recycled content mandates and sustainability reporting requirements influencing rPET powder coating adoption rates?
Dumain: We are seeing consistently increasing rPET adoption rates worldwide, driven by both regulatory requirements and customer/end user circularity goals. They include regulations at the manufacturing, application and end-of-life development stages.
Arkema is very supportive of these initiatives and is working closely with regulators to adopt more progressive standards for these products. Earlier this year, Richard Jenkins, the Senior Vice President for Coatings Solutions at Arkema, met and presented on this topic with the United Nations in Vienna, Austria, where he focused heavily on product end-of-life and the impact of post-consumer rPET initiatives on recycling initiatives worldwide.
How does rPET technology fit with larger sustainability goals in coatings?
Dumain: We are seeing increased customer and market interest in powder coatings because of their inherent sustainability. They use little to no VOCs and often produce considerably less waste than liquid coatings. With advances in low-temperature along with improved durability, they can be a better option, even in high volume applications such as coil or automotive coatings. Working alongside the largest coating formulators in the world, Arkema is continually exploring new innovations in powder coatings, in line with the company’s larger commitment to sustainability.
