Collection and transportation
Once sorted in municipal waste management systems, PET packaging is transported to the take-back/recyclers responsible for processing it.
Unloading and storing
Bales of PET packaging are received and stored while awaiting their treatment process.
Sorting
- Initial sorting is carried out to remove some waste, such as labels and tags.
- Optical sorting is carried out to separate the PET containers by color and type of container.
- Manual sorting
Grinding and washing
The packaging is crushed into small flakes. They are then washed, where they are cleaned and decontaminated. This process allows the rest of the labels, lids, glue and other residues to be removed.
Drying and re-sorting
The PET flakes are stored in silos and are subjected to further sorting - any impurities or materials that are not made of PET can be removed. They are also sieved.
Raw materials for new products
PET flakes are ready to be used and transformed into new packaging. These flakes can also be subjected to a new mechanical treatment process, which turns them into pellets.
