High-Temperature Resistant Recycled PET Coffee Lid Won an Award

One of the leading companies in Türkiye’s plastics industry, SEM Plastik, achieved first place in the “Recycled Plastic Packaging” category at the PAGÇEV Plastic Recycling Awards with its innovative packaging solution.

Within the scope of the project, a transparent coffee lid resistant to high temperatures was developed using molecularly recycled PET (rPET). While conventional plastics used in hot beverage lids have limited performance, the technical barriers restricting the use of PET in this field were eliminated through SEM Plastik’s next-generation production technology.

Technical limits overcome with next-generation production

The developed product stands out with its special three-layer structure. While heat-resistant virgin PET is used in the inner and outer layers, chemically recycled rPET is preferred in the middle layer. In this way, high heat resistance is achieved while increasing the proportion of recycled plastic used, contributing to the circular economy.

In addition, thanks to advanced material technologies, the temperature performance of PET has been significantly improved. The product’s ability to withstand temperatures up to 100°C and to be produced completely transparent stands out as a remarkable innovation in the industry.

Its transparent structure not only enhances the user experience but also enables the product to be reintroduced into the PET recycling system at the end of its life cycle. This feature provides a significant advantage in terms of the recycling value chain.

The developed lid has begun to be used in the restaurants of a global fast-food chain, demonstrating that the project is not limited to the R&D phase but also offers a commercially viable and scalable model. In this respect, the project contributes to expanding value-added applications in plastic recycling.

“We contribute to the circular economy”

Speaking on behalf of the project team, which received the award from Fatma Canan Nilüfer Dora, Deputy Director General for EU and Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Trade, SEM Plastik General Manager Özkan Çelik stated that they place sustainability at the center of their business processes.

Çelik emphasized that this project, developed in collaboration with a global fast-food brand, is not merely a packaging solution but also provides a tangible contribution to the circular economy. He underlined that this next-generation lid, developed using recycled PET and resistant to high temperatures, paves the way for a significant transformation in the industry.

Highlighting that the transparent structure allows the product to be reintegrated into the recycling process, Çelik noted that this contributes significantly to their sustainability goals. He also stated that they will continue to offer solutions suitable for food contact that increase the use of recycled materials and aim to expand such collaborations.

A step accelerating transformation in the industry

This technology developed by SEM Plastik expands the application areas of recycled PET while creating a new demand segment in the plastic recycling sector. As a result, the economic value of recycled raw materials increases, while also supporting the widespread adoption of sustainable packaging solutions.

 

The Future of Packaging: Products That Return to Nature

Source:bigpara.hürriyet

The future of packaging lies in products that return to nature

Stating that PHA is not a plastic invented by human hands but a biopolymer naturally produced by microorganisms in nature, Eroğlu reminded that many paper packaging products that are perceived as “natural” today are actually coated with plastic films to provide oil and moisture barriers, which creates serious problems in terms of recycling and compostability.

Noting that this situation removes a large portion of paper packaging from the natural cycle, Eroğlu said: “PHA-coated paper packaging eliminates this paradox. PHA-coated packaging completely removes the need for plastic films. Research shows that a medium-sized PHA-coated paper coffee cup fully degrades in nature in approximately 130 days, whereas this period is 13 times longer for conventional plastic-coated paper cups. This feature makes PHA not only environmentally friendly but also a strategic material in terms of ecosystem safety.”

Delivering a clear message about the future of packaging, Eroğlu concluded: “The future of packaging lies in materials like PHA that come from nature and return to nature. These materials represent a new industrial approach capable of protecting both food safety and ecosystems at the same time.”

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