Removal of the sleeve via gravitation thus makes it possible, the company says, to recover a “100% recyclable resin”, which can then be used to produce new bottles “of identical quality”. In Europe four leading waste collection and recycling companies - the UK's Cleanaway, Germany's Unisort, Sweden's Returpack and Australia's Visy - have undertaken trials over the past two years involving removing the PETsleeves (which are based on Sleever's TPE-G and -S films) from “standard bottles for fizzy and pasteurised drinks” within their countries' recycling infrastructures. The trials have shown that, due to a density lower than 1 (compared with an “average” of 1.3 for PET), the sleeves “come off completely and automatically from the container by gravitation”.
Sleever claims the PETsleeve is the world's only “PET decorative solution” which has had its recyclability ratified in this manner. In recent months the PETsleeves for four leading drinks products - Coca Cola's Aquarius energy drink in Belgium and its Minute Maid Fresh Juice in Spain, Carlsberg's Festis fruit drink in Sweden and Andros's Fruitval juice in France - have all been removed for recycling, demonstrating the process's commercial viability. Sleever says there have been similar successes outside Europe.
Adapted to helio-engraving and UV flexo printing in up to 10 colours on both sides with low density, solvent-free inks, the PETsleeve can be automatically incorporated on Sleever's own steam shrink Powersteam or infrared Powerskinner machines at speeds of between 15,000 and 30,000 bottles/hour.
Coca-Cola's Minute Maid juice in Spain is among a number of drinks products to have benefited recently from Sleever's “completely removable” PETsleeve Contact details
Sleever International
T: +33 1 69 747576
