News Items - International Association of Packaging Research Institutes
| MSU takes twin track on recycling A single research group at Michigan State University (MSU) School of Packaging is working with two grants totalling $665,600, looking at new recycling options for PET on the one hand and polyolefins on the other.  Muhammad Rabnawaz leads the Rabnawaz Sustainable Materials Research Group. For the first, three-year project, the group won a $200,000 grant from the Environmental Research and Education Foundation, aiming to develop a bottle-to-bottle recycling process for PET.MSU quotes the figure of 26% for PET’s share of the plastics used by the US packaging industry. “The novel idea here is creating a new process that will boost the performance of recycled materials and eliminate the need for virgin PET to be created,” says Rabnawaz. A second grant of $465,000 from the US Department of Energy is for a two-year project, and involves collaboration with MSU’s Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Department, as well as Packaging. Research partners include the National Renewable Energy Labs and – from industry – Milliken Chemical and industrial recycler PADNOS. Recycled mixed polyolefins could be redirected from landfill to the automotive, building and other industries, Rabnawaz says. In this context, he adds: “I believe both mechanical and chemical recycling are complementary approaches.” Rabnawaz, who was given the title 2021 Innovator of the Year by MSU, says: “We cannot live without plastics, but we need to learn how to live with plastics, and this means creating more responsible use and end-of-life solutions.” There are further benefits for MSU in terms of teaching, as director of the School of Packaging Matt Daum explains. “Students joining our program will have an opportunity for world-class research lab experience, and access to the latest classroom teaching for packaging sustainability innovation,” he says. Published: 07/30/21 |